NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 966,809 is a decrease of 5.3 percent compared to the August 2017 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,021,227. For comparison, the unadjusted August 2018 FBI NICS figure of 2,026,309 reflects a 6.8 percent increase from the unadjusted FBI NICS figure of 1,896,457 in August 2017.
The adjusted NICS data were derived by subtracting out NICS purpose code permit checks and permit rechecks used by states for CCW permit application checks as well as checks on active CCW permit databases. NSSF started subtracting permit rechecks in February 2016.
