A new record has been set for the number of FBI background checks during the month of August, with the agency reporting a whopping 3,115,063 checks.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation quickly posted its NSSF-adjusted figure of 1,684,083 is an increase of 51.2 percent compared to the August 2019 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,113,535. For comparison, the unadjusted August 2020 FBI NICS figure…reflects a 31.8 percent increase from the unadjusted FBI NICS figure of 2,341,363 in August 2019, NSSF said in a news release.
“August’s adjusted NICS figures of nearly 1.7 million background checks associated with the sale of a firearm are in line with the months-long trend we’ve witnessed since March, when figures topped an all-time one-month record of 2.3 million,” noted Mark Oliva, NSSF public affairs director. “Each month since April, adjusted NICS figures averaged between 1.6 and 1.8 million. August’s figures are a record-high for the month over all previous years and show us that concerns for personal safety and self-defense continue to remain a priority for law-abiding Americans.”
According to the NSSF, 25 states currently have at least one qualified alternative permit, which under the Brady Act allows the permit-holder, who has undergone a background check to obtain the permit, to purchase a firearm from a licensed dealer without a separate additional background check for that transfer. The number of NICS checks in these states does not include these legal transfers based on qualifying permits and NSSF does not adjust for these transfers. Michigan had law changes that affected their Brady Law standing which removed qualifying alternate permits usage for firearm transactions. These changes went into effect March 3, 2020. NSSF-adjusted NICS for the state of Michigan in August 2020 were 219.5 percent higher than August 2019 which accounts for an additional 43.,237 checks over the same time period.
The adjusted
NICS data were derived by subtracting out NICS purpose code
permit checks and permit rechecks used by states for CCW permit application
checks as well as checks on active CCW permit databases. NSSF started
subtracting permit rechecks in February 2016.
Though not a direct correlation to firearms sales, the NSSF-adjusted NICS data
provide an additional picture of current market conditions. In addition to
other purposes, NICS is used to check transactions for sales or transfers of
new or used firearms.
It should be noted that these statistics represent the number of firearm
background checks initiated through the NICS. They do not represent the number
of firearms sold or sales dollars. Based on varying state laws, local market
conditions and purchase scenarios, a one-to-one correlation cannot be made
between a firearm background check and a firearm sale.
“The sustained pace of firearm sales proves that law-abiding Americans are turning out by the millions to exercise their God-given right to keep and bear arms,” Oliva said in a prepared statement. “News reports of violent attacks, riots, looting are coupled with calls to defund police continue. NSSF estimates that nearly 5 million of these firearm purchases were made by people who never previously owned a firearm. Americans are witnessing gun control politicians refuse to enforce penalties on violent criminals while at the same time actively working to deny those who obey the law the ability protect themselves. These sales figures are proof that Americans refuse to be compliant victims to violent criminals who prey on the most vulnerable of our society.”
