2016 Record Year for NICS Background Checks (27,538,673) and Firearm Sales

ammoland ^ | 5 January, 2017 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Arizona – -(Ammoland.com)-Chart done by David Scott

2016 has become the year with the most gun sales ever. The 2016 NICS checks have surpassed those for 2015, the previous record holder. In December, 2016 there were 2,771,159 National Instant Checks done.  In 2015, the number done in December was 3,314,594.

December 2016, after the election of Donald Trump, slumped to only the third highest number of NICS checks in a month, the second highest being December, 2012, at the height of the Obama push for more infringements on the Second Amendment. There were 2,783,765 NICS done that month. December, 2016 was the end of a 19 month streak of record breaking numbers at NICS.

In 2015, the total NICS checks for the year were 23,141,970 .  In 2016, they were 27,538,673.  That is 4,396,703 more than the total for 2015.  2016 ended 19% ahead of the previous record set in 2015.

The common wisdom was that with the election of Donald Trump, the record breaking pace of NICS checks would slow. It did, but the number of NICS done is still high.

There are 15 years where we can compare the NICS background checks to the actual addition to the private firearms stock, as reported to the ATF.  During that period there have been about .6 firearms added for each NICS check.

The NICS checks are done for more than new firearms.  They are done for used firearms as well. They are done when trade ins are sold at gun shops or when used guns are sold at gun shows.  NICS checks are done for gun carry permits, which are also breaking records every month. 

[marktwain]

Over 400 million private guns in the U.S.

Barack Obama the greatest gun salesman ever.

[Lion Den Dan]

I would like to see the number of checks performed that denied a sale and why sale was denied. How many prosecutions were conducted because buyer was convicted felon? I think we will see much money spent for nearly zero return.

[marktwain]

You are correct.

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2016/08/federal-government-spends-1-billion.html

[marktwain]

Here is an idea for an alternate, less intrusive, cheaper system:

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2013/04/bids-v.html

[Lurkinanloomin]

I was 3 of those, but they were old guns, so they did not increase the total number of guns.