The December NICS background checks as adjusted by the NSSF fell 12.2 percent to 1.62 million from 1.85 million in the same month a year ago, marking the 13th straight month of declines.
For comparison, the unadjusted December 2017 FBI NICS figure 2.56 million reflects a 6.8 percent decrease from the unadjusted FBI NICS figure of 2.76 million in December 2016.
The fourth quarter 2017 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 4.2 million reflects a decrease of 13.4 percent over the 4.86 million figure for fourth quarter 2016. The 2017 annual total of 13.97 million is an 11.0 percent decrease over the 2016 annual total of 15.7 million.
The adjusted NICS data were derived by subtracting out NICS purpose code permit checks and permit rechecks used by several states such as Connecticut, Illinois, and Utah for CCW permit application checks as well as checks on active CCW permit databases. NSSF started subtracting permit rechecks in February 2016.
