November Record Month for NICS Checks; 38.5% increase marks 30th straight month over month increase

Powered by the largest single day ever for background checks on Black Friday, November 2012 is now the record holder for the most background checks conducted in a single month.

The November 2012 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 1,525,177 is an increase of 38.5 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,101,076 in November 2011. For comparison, the unadjusted November 2012 NICS figure of 1,997,703 reflects a 30.8 percent increase from the unadjusted NICS figure of 1,527,454 in November 2011.

This marks the 30th straight month that NSSF-adjusted NICS figures have increased when compared to the same period the previous year. The number reported for November 2012 eclipsed the previous high in December 2011 by 8.1 percent.

Even as firearm sales have trended upward in recent years, statistics show that violent crime and firearms-related accidents continue to decrease, a fact that underscores more firearms do not lead to more crime and accidents.

The adjusted NICS data were derived by subtracting out NICS purpose code permit checks used by several states such as Kentucky, Iowa and Michigan for concealed carry permit application checks as well as checks on active concealed carry 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.