January Gun Sales Total of Over 1.2 Million Firearms is the 4th Highest On Record

The January 2023 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 1,268,236 is an increase of 6.5  percent compared to the January 2022 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,190,856. For comparison, the unadjusted January 2022 FBI NICS figure 2,612,736 reflects a 3.1 percent increase from the unadjusted FBI NICS figure of 2,533,096 in January 2022.

January 2023 marks the 42nd month in a row that has exceeded 1 million adjusted background checks in a single month.

Please note: Twenty-five states currently have at least one qualified alternative permit, which under the Brady Act allows the permit-holder, who has undergone a background check to obtain the permit, to purchase a firearm from a licensed dealer without a separate additional background check for that transfer. The number of NICS checks in these states does not include these legal transfers based on qualifying permits and NSSF does not adjust for these transfers.