The FBI completed 1.68 million gun background checks on an NSSF-adjusted basis in August, a climb of 51.2 percent compared to the August 2019 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1.11 million. The rate marks a slowdown versus triple-digit gains in the last two months.
Background checks increased 122.5 percent in July, 135.7 percent in June, 75.2 percent in May, 69.1 percent in April and 41 percent in March.
The surge in firearms background checks is being attributed to concerns over the impact of a prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and anxieties over the ongoing protests for racial justice. As the 2020 presidential election approaches, demand for guns has surged amid concerns over the arrival of tighter regulations.
For comparison, the unadjusted August 2020 FBI NICS figure 3,085,227 reflects a 31.8 percent increase from the unadjusted FBI NICS figure of 2,341,363 in August 2019.
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.
