NICS Numbers for February 2024, Steady on the New Normal

AmmoLand ^ | March 13, 2024 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

The number of National Instant Background Check System (NICS) checks and estimated gun sales show little change from 2023. In February 2024, the number of gun sales was 99.7% of what they were in February of 2023. Total estimated gun sales in February of 2024 are 1.29 million. In February 2023, they were 1.29 million.

There was a sales difference of about 4,000 between the two months. This makes February 2024 the fifth-highest February for gun sales recorded in the NICS system and the sixth-highest February for total background checks done.  The numbers for the various types of gun sales recorded were close to those in February of 2023. Handgun sales were slightly lower and long gun sales were slightly higher.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation has adjusted NICS numbers for February over the 25 years of history available. Sales were fairly flat from 2000 to 2007, then trended up during the Barak Obama Presidency, with a relatively new normal starting in 2012.

There are about 505 million privately owned firearms in the United States today.

To estimate the number of civilian-owned guns in the United States, this correspondent uses the method pioneered by Newton and Zimring in 1972. The method was extended by Professor Gary Kleck through 1987 in his highly acclaimed book “Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America” p. 49-50.  Numbers from the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) are used to update the estimates through 2022.  Estimates derived from corrected FBI figures in  NICS are used for 2023 to the current time.

Using the Newton-Zimring-Kleck method, there are about 505  million privately owned firearms in the United States of America to date. This is essentially the same method used by the Small Arms Survey based in Switzerland.

[marktwain]

Gun Sales continue at the high new normal created by the Obama presidency.

[marktwain]

Lines are from 2023. Bars are from 2024.

[Lurker]

The numbers on ammunition sales would be interesting. Without ammo guns are simply expensive poorly designed clubs.

L

[marktwain]

Ammunition produced for the U.S. market was estimated at 9 billion rounds in 2020. Of that, 5 billion are rimfire and 4 billion are centerfire cartridges.

The number may have gone up since then, but supply and demand appear to be almost matched now.

Prices have been falling lately.