After gradual gross sales in July ended the almost six-year-long streak of firearms gross sales above 1 million, that sub-1 million determine solely lasted for a month. Based mostly on current gross sales info, the brand new 1 million-plus streak has now reached three months.
The Nationwide Taking pictures Sports activities Basis-adjusted Nationwide On the spot Felony Background Examine System (NICS) determine for October was 1,299,312, up from the September complete of 1,091,342. That quantity marks a slight lower of 0.3 p.c in comparison with the October 2024 NSSF-adjusted NICS determine of 1,302,857.
For comparability, the unadjusted October 2025 FBI NICS determine of two,289,774 displays a 0.4 p.c lower from the unadjusted FBI NICS determine of two,298,383 in October 2024. The adjusted NICS information have been derived by subtracting out NICS objective code allow checks and allow rechecks utilized by states for CCW allow software checks in addition to checks on lively CCW allow databases. NSSF began subtracting allow rechecks in February 2016.
Mark Oliva, NSSF managing director of public affairs, known as the October numbers “encouraging,” as they point out many are nonetheless very concerned about buying firearms.
“October’s figures of almost 1.3 million background checks for the sale of a firearm at retail is an encouraging signal that America’s want to train Second Modification rights stays robust,” Oliva mentioned. “Traditionally, firearms gross sales throughout the Fall looking seasons are strong, and October’s figures maintain true to that pattern. Firearm producers proceed to supply the high-quality instruments that at present’s gun consumers have come to count on, and these figures bear that out.”
In accordance with the NSSF, the Prime-5 states for Adjusted NICS checks have been Florida, Texas, California, Pennsylvania and Virginia. For handgun NICS checks, the Prime-5 have been Florida, Texas, California, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, whereas Texas, California, Pennsylvania, Florida and Virginia topped long-gun checks. Curiously, Virginia was not within the Prime-5 of any of the classes final month, however a contentious governor’s election there might have spurred further gross sales.
Although not a direct correlation to firearms gross sales, the NSSF-adjusted NICS information present an extra image of present market circumstances. Along with different functions, NICS is used to confirm transactions for the sale or switch of latest or used firearms.
Notably, greater than half the states—28 to be actual—have at the very least one certified various allow, which, beneath the Brady Act, permits the allow holder, who has undergone a background examine to acquire the allow, to buy a firearm from a licensed vendor with out a separate further background examine for that switch. The variety of NICS checks in these states doesn’t embody these authorized transfers based mostly on qualifying permits, so the true variety of gun gross sales is probably going a lot increased.
