1st Quarter Firearms Sales Checks Second Highest Q1 on Record

The March 2015 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 1,187,823 is the fourth highest March on record for the 16-year-old system, with a decrease of 3.0 percent compared to the March 2014 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of1,224,705. For comparison, the unadjusted March 2015 NICS figure of 2,001,245 reflects a 19.2 percent decrease from the unadjusted NICS figure of 2,476,610 in March 2014.

The 1st Quarter 2015 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of Q13,521,089 is the second highest first quarter on record — a 1.8 percent increase over first quarter 2014 and surpassed only by first quarter 2013.

The adjusted NICS data were derived by subtracting out NICS purpose code permit checks used by several states such as Connecticut, Illinois, and Utah for CCW permit application checks as well as checks on active CCW permit databases.

Though not a direct correlation to firearms sales, the NSSF-adjusted NICS data provide a more accurate picture of current market conditions. In addition to other purposes, NICS is used to check transactions of firearms sales and transfers on new and used handguns and long guns.