The figures have just been released and there’s no denying the fact that FBI NICS checks for 2020 shatter all previous records. Last year the bureau conducted a total of 39,695,315. That number is nearly 11 million more than the previous highwater mark, which was set in 2019.
Bear in mind each FBI NICS check doesn’t necessarily reflect the purchase of a firearm. The system is also used for a variety of other administrative purposes, most notably approval of concealed carry permits and their renewal. The figures, however, are considered a relative barometer of the firearm industry’s economic health and rough measure of gun sales through licensed FFLs. In addition, it also does not reflect those guns purchased by holders of valid CCWs in regions where they are not required to undergo a redundant background check.
December’s total number of FBI NICS checks alone was 3,397,066. That also set an all-timerecord for the month in the NICS system, which launched in 1998.