The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) reported that the September 2024 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure increased 1.3 percent year-over-year to 1,156,223, compared to the September 2023 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,141,847.
The 1.3 percent gain marks a sequential deceleration from increases of 8.3 percent in August and 4.0 percent in July, although the July figure had marked the first year-over-year monthly increase since December 2023.
The moderation in August figures contrasts with 2020, when background checks surged in activity in the months before the presidential election. August also marked the first positive month for the period in background checks since peaking in 2020.
Over the last five years, background checks have been down 8.3 percent at a compound annual growth rate.
September 2024 marked the 62nd consecutive month that the number of adjusted background checks has exceeded one million.
The adjusted NICS data tally is calculated by subtracting the NICS purpose code permit checks and permit rechecks used by states for CCW permit application checks and checks on active CCW permit databases. NSSF started subtracting permit rechecks in February 2016. For comparison, the unadjusted August 2024 FBI NICS figure of 2,163,540 reflects a 5.7 percent increase from the unadjusted August 2023 FBI NICS figure of 2,047,512.
The third quarter 2024 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 3,432,008 reflects a 4.5 percent increase over the third quarter 2023 figure of 3,283,571.
Image courtesy Georgia Gun Club, Data and graphics courtesy NSSF
