New Record for August 2018 NICS Background Checks (gun sales indicator)

Gun Watch ^ | 11 September, 2018 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

The National Instant background Check System (NICS) checks performed in August, 2018 numbered 2,073,296. This is the highest number for August since NICS was started in 1998. The NICS checks for August of 1999, the first on record, were 703,394.

The previous record for August was last year, in 2017, when NICS checks totaled 1,925,146. The 2018 checks are a 7.7% increase over last years.

More and more of NICS checks are being used for purposes other than firearm purchases. In August of 2018, 1,059,500 checks were done for permits or permit rechecks. Some of the permit checks are done to permit gun sales.

For example, the state of Hawaii shows 8,458 permit checks and zero firearms sales checks. All other states and territories show both permit checks and firearms checks.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has adjusted the NICS numbers to remove the permit checks and rechecks. Aside from Hawaii, it is a good indicator of firearm sales.

The NSSF numbers show that firearm sales are in healthy, but not record territory. Remember that people with permits to carry weapons can purchase firearms without going through an additional NICS check in half (25) of the states.  There are over 17 million permits to carry in existence in the United States.

With the August numbers, the number of NICS checks done for the first eight months of  2018 totals 17,2011,932. This compares to17,951,806 NICS checks for the same period in the all time record year of 2016. The 2018 numbers are the second highest on record so far, at 96% of the the numbers from 2016 for the same period.

Historically, there have been about .6 firearms added to the private stock in the United States for each NICS check. The number dropped a little to about .56 more private firearms for each NICS check, recently.

If the .56 number holds, there will have been over 10 million more firearms added to the private stock in 2018 so far, reaching a total of 427 million firearms in the United States at the end of August. If the trend continues, there will be over 430 million private firearms in the United States at the end of the year.

©2018 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

[marktwain]

We will not know exactly how many guns were added to the private stock until the ATF numbers are released in a year and a half.

[Yo-Yo]

Sales slump? What sales slump?

I contributed to the August NICS check numbers because I purchased a handgun from Dunham’s Sports, and their company policy is to make a NICS check phone call even if the purchaser has a CPL (which I do.) It’s actually the first NICS check I’ve ever had since the NICS system was created.

[VRWCarea51]

Unless the ATF actually gets a report from the Retailers they won’t know.

I walk in with my CPL, plunk down the cash and fill out the 4473 and presto...another one gone. No communication to the ATF.

Unless things have changed, retailers aren’t required to update the ATF, only retain those records.

[FLT-bird]

I did my part. Two of those NICS checks for August were mine. I picked up a good condition Walther PP with the “L35” Waffenamt stamp indicating a date of production and acceptance by the Wehrmacht prior to 1944. I still have several handguns to go in my collection of Nazi contract pistols.

I also bought an original nickel plated Whitney Wolverine though I haven’t picked it up from my FFL yet.

For good measure, I also added about 1,000 rounds to my stockpile.

[Boomer]

I wonder how much of this is leftists arming themselves. I know women are doing it more and more all the time and good for them for doing so.

The right went crazy buying guns during the obozo error. Now that the shoe is on the other foot I can see them doing the same thing. Even moderates who just want to have enough fire power to protect their home and/or business.

[flamberge]

I wonder how much of this is leftists arming themselves?

I was seeing Bernie supporters at the range all last spring. Some less savory Antifa types showed up during the early summer.

They were serious practitioners who drilled on fundamentals and had good, safe firearms handling skills. They appeared to be in their late 20's or early 30's. I have not seen any of them lately.

I do see a lot of women taking live fire training to complete their CCW license requirements. I have also seen more teen-agers (boys and girls) at the range now.

There was a guy in a wheelchair doing 5-spot targets a couple of weeks ago.

[atomic_dog]

I sold about 10 guns last month. Since this was in California all but 1 generated a NICS check (a WRA M-1 sold to C&R holder) and 2 were sold on 1 check. CA does not check directly with FBI. The FFL files a computer report with CA DoJ in Sacramento, which then does them in batch. A bunch of them were entered into the computer in rapid succession on a weekday at 6:30 pm. From the date-time stamps and the serials it seems to me that CA was generating around 4 per second. So there is no way of knowing how many of these were Private Party Transfers (PPT) of existing guns.

Apropos of nothing, I would like to comment on this DROS (Dealer Record of Sale) system (which is California's virtue signalling on "closing the gun show loophole)." I see this on many Democrat and anti-gun organizations wish lists. If it comes to your state, it should be fought tooth and nail and NRA members must insist they oppose it at a high priority.

It is nothing but a state mandated waste of time and money intended to discourage gun ownership. If you want to sell a gun to friend you both have to go to a FFL where it takes on average 20 minutes if everything goes well (the firearm is then held there for 10 days and the buyer has to return to pickup). I must admit that it is somewhat of a success as it does discourage some buyers. The state mandates FFLs perform this as a licensing condition. The maximum fee that the state allows them to charge generally does not cover the cost of fulfillment. Many FFL's put up insurmountable barriers to performing them (e.g. they stop doing it every time a new customer comes in). In fact many of them have raised this to an art form like refusing to DROS a controversial weapon that was made compliant with the new laws by installing accessories that they sell. In fact, for the first time ever last month I had two FFLs just plain refuse to do it. State law states that if they are selling guns they must do PPTs. I told one manager that I was going to report them to DoJ and she shrugged and told me "they don't care."

[bravo whiskey]

I just got my Colorado CHP renewal. Felt naked for the 10 days after mine expired and before renews came in. Probably pick up a GLOCK 43 before end of year

[Oatka]

Unless things have changed, retailers aren’t required to update the ATF, only retain those records.

I read elsewhere that a few years ago, FFL dealers around the country were reporting that when the BATF did their audit, they went through the whole 4473 book, photocopying every page.

Dunno if they are still doing it, or if there were some specifics involved.

[VRWCarea51]

Well good for them. While they were busy washing Firearms to Mexican Cartel Members, Americans kept buying guns.

I sold all those they have records of to Juan from Tijuana.
Short feller, bulging midsection, straight black hair, speaks broken english, had about 23 little brown kids with him.

[contrarian]

One of those would be me and my springfield xd-E

[Redcitizen]

How did you know they were Antifa types?

[marktwain]

The BATFE obtains records from manufacturers, importers and exporters. They do not publish the information for a year.

The addition to the private stock is guns manufactured (not including for the military) plus guns imported, less guns exported.

[conservativesister]

“We will not know exactly how many guns were added to the private stock until the ATF numbers are released in a year and a half. “

That is not correct, if I call in a 4473, it could have 5 long guns on it so the ATF doesn’t know if it’s 1 or 10 firearms.

[marktwain]

That is not correct, if I call in a 4473, it could have 5 long guns on it so the ATF doesn’t know if it’s 1 or 10 firearms.

Who is talking about 4473 forms? Not me. The BATFE gets reports from manufactureres, importers and exporters as well as 4473 forms. They report on the annual numbers of guns manufactured, imported, and exported.

[flamberge]

How did you know they were Antifa types?

They were wearing T-shirts or hats with various Antifa logos and slogans on them.

I would assess from their appearance that they were "showing the flags". In all other aspects they were quiet, polite, and competent in their practice. It did not seem like a good environment for a conversation...

I haven't seen them around in a while.

I do not wear emblems of any type nor do I have any bumper stickers on my cars. I prefer to go unnoticed in public.

I am perfectly content to have opponents who mark themselves as "target-ready".

[Redcitizen]

” In all other aspects they were quiet, polite, and competent in their practice”

I would say that they know most people at the range are conservatives and armed as well thus their polite manners for the moment.

I wouldn’t talk to them either.