December holiday shoppers were not just interested in buying the hottest electronics and toys -- they also were purchasing record numbers of guns, according to the latest FBI figures on background checks required to buy firearms.
With a few days left in December, the FBI reports the number of background checks has already topped the previous one-month record -- set only in November -- of 1,534,414 inquiries by gun dealers to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System also known as NICS. Almost half a million checks were done in just the last six days before Christmas.
Two days before Christmas, NICS ran 102,222 background checks, which was the second-busiest day in history. The one-day record was set this year on Black Friday, the big shopping day following Thanksgiving, with 129,166 searches. By comparison, the previous one-day high was set November 28, 2008, when gun dealers made slightly less than 98,000 requests for background searches.
It's not possible to tell exactly how many guns have been purchased because buyers often take home more than one gun. But most people pass the background checks. Only 1.3% of the searches result in people being denied permission to buy a weapon, said FBI spokesman Steve Fischer.
FBI officials did not offer a theory on the spike in gun sales. It's also not clear how many of the background checks were for people who never had owned guns before and how many were for gunowners adding to their collections.
I was one of those 1,534,414 - Miss Lisa bought me a Mini-14 on the 26th.
ReplyDeleteGood deal!:)
ReplyDeleteI bought one too, though it doesn't show up in those statistics. If one has a carry permit or a permit to purchase, no further NICS check is required :) Those numbers are low :)
ReplyDeletecongrats to Kenny on the mini!
That's the same here with a CCW, but mine is from Florida, so that doesn't work here.
ReplyDeleteBlue: I'm not sure about that...
ReplyDeleteI believe the *FEDERAL* NICS check is still required, as it's a FEDERAL matter. Your permit may exempt you from a STATE check, but not the FEDERAL (NICS) check...
IF you filled out a FEDERAL 4473, you can be sure the dealer ran the NICS check, and if he has an FFL and didn't make you run a 4473 then he's practically begging for a stay in Club Fed...
You may well be right. All I know is if you have a NC CCW, then you don't need a permit from the Sheriff to purchase a pistol.
ReplyDeleteDD... I don't think so. The NICS check occurs when you apply for a carry permit or purchase permit. (some states may not require a permit of any type to purchase a firearm. If that's the case, an NICS check would be required in that state for every purchase, though multiple firearms may be purchased from the same dealer, at the same time, with just one 4473 and one phone call to the Fed)
ReplyDeleteI order guns to be delivered to my local FFL (a friend who is a retired gentleman who works out of his house) and I also purchase guns through 2 local dealers. I have also recently purchased handguns at a local gun show. When I fill out the 4473 at my FFL's house he files it in his filing cabinet, I pay him the $20 transfer fee, and we say good bye. Same thing at the gun shows. No one calls the Fed before I walk away with my recently purchased firearm. I show my carry permit and driver license and fill out the 4473, pay my money and go about my business. Same procedure last week when I bought my new 700. I filled out the paper work, paid for the gun, walked out the door.
Buying a gun prior to having a carry permit resulted in a call to the fed before being allowed to leave with the weapon. Not so with a purchase or carry permit. I do believe that purchasing a gun in one of the "constitutional carry" states requires a NICS check if you don't have their "optional" carry or purchase permit. I would suspect that every purchase in Vermont requires an NICS check every time since they don't issue a carry permit or an "optional" carry permit. In order to buy a handgun in Iowa you must have either a purchase or carry permit. No exceptions. No permit is required to purchase a long gun but they do make the call if you don't have a permit.
It wouldn't make much sense for them to make the call after I have left, so I'm positive that it doesn't happen.
The 4473 is supposed to stay with the dealer forever just in case someone from the ATF wants to look at it in the dealer's place of business during regular business hours. Also, all records of the NICS check are supposed to be destroyed by the Fed within a "reasonable amount of time", generally assumed to be 72 hours. I know that this doesn't always happen and they have been called out on it.
Of course, some states may have different state laws and requirements.
Perhaps there is an FFL out there who could weigh in on this subject?
Didn't mean to be so long winded ;)
Very informative. Thanks.
ReplyDelete