NICS Data: Gun Sales Drop Significantly in June of 2021

AmmoLand ^ | 19 July, 2021 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

The National Instant background Check System (NICS) numbers are in for June of 2021. There has been a significant drop from the numbers for June of 2020, a year ago. Total background checks have declined 29%, and total gun sales have declined 47% from last year. June of 2020 was a record-setting month.

If we look back to June of 2019, the 2021 numbers are 40% higher for gun sales this June.

Looking to 2016, the previous record year before 2020, gun sales in June of 2021 exceeds those in June of 2016 by 12%.

Even though June gun sales in 2021 are only 53% of the firearm sales of June of 2020, they are still the second-highest number of June gun sales since NICS started keeping records in 1998.

Historically, June gun sales are one of the three lowest months in the year for gun sales. May, June, and July are the “Summer Doldrums” for gun sales, with June and July tending to be a little lower than May.

The total NICS checks are becoming less and less representative of the total number of firearm sales.

NICS Data: Gun Sales Drop Significantly in June of 2021

There always was a disconnect, because there can be multiple gun sales on one NICS check. There are 20 million or more people with carry permits. There were 19.48 million carry permits over a year ago.

In 25 states, the carry permit is used as a NICS check for gun sales.  Those sales are not recorded in NICS.

[marktwain]

Gun sales dropped significantly in June of 2021. However, they were still at historically high levels.

[DIRTYSECRET]

Everyone who wants one has one. Maybe even 2.

[left that other site]

I ran out of room.

[Quality_Not_Quantity]

The lakes are full.

[BBQToadRibs2]

I can’t buy a gun every month. I had to skip June.

[Texas Fossil]

I bought one this month, doing my part to catch up.

[Joe 6-pack]

Probably has to do, it least in part, with a lot of gun stores being mostly empty and/or price points exceeding Covid stimulus checks.

[DarthVader]

Also availability of guns and ammo is down due to the surge therefore the sales at this time are down.

[G Larry]

2 Factors:

Many desirable models are backordered.

Ammo shortage discourages.

(Note: supply is coming back, prices are slow to fall)

[marktwain]

(Note: supply is coming back, prices are slow to fall)

I think you are spot on.

[LouAvul]

They were largely panic buys. Becoming in short supply and people who owned none panicked.

I suspect we'll see a lot of bargains this time next year.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Yes everyone has guns and all the good ones are gone. There’s not much left to buy.

[Celtic Conservative]

So that’s why I was finally able to find an AR-15.

CC

[Who is John Galt?]

They were largely panic buys. Becoming in short supply and people who owned none panicked. I suspect we'll see a lot of bargains this time next year.

I agree; give it a few months, or a year or two, and it's almost guaranteed to roll over into a buyers' market. Could happen really quickly, if some loose nut kills a bunch of people, the Dems offer a couple of hold-out senators what they want, and push through a ban. Anything that is suddenly illegal will have a certain restricted market appeal...

[moovova]

Interesting video I watched last week, RE Wilson Combat's 16,000sf plant expansion. Maybe I can buy one of their ARs at a discount after the market slows down...

"600% More Rifles - Wilson Combat's 16k sq. ft. Expansion is Fully Operational at six hundred percent"

[BookmanTheJanitor]

That’s what I was thinking...plus, I think people didn’t want to buy an expensive paperweight if they couldn’t get any ammo (i know ammo is starting to come back).

[Openurmind]

There could be a third, could they also be slowing down approvals on purpose?

[DoughtyOne]

...or ten.

[El Laton Caliente]

I can’t find anything interesting that is close to what I would spend on it. And if you can ammo is outrageous and hard to find I tend to like vintage AKs, H&Ks, com-block marksman rifles, etc. All that is out there are a few new AKs and ARs.

[Gritty]

Somewhere along the line we all run out of money and then ammo.