February 2016 firearms sales jump 16.2% over prior year

As we predicted last month, sales of firearms continue to rise in the wake of the December 2 terrorist attack in San Bernadino, CA and President Obama's latest attempts to intimidate peaceable gun owners through executive actions.

The February 2016 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 1,487,871 is an increase of 16.2 percent compared to the February 2015 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,280,825. For comparison, the unadjusted February 2016 FBI NICS figure of 2,604,667 reflects a 40.9 percent increase from the unadjusted FBI NICS figure of 1,848,308 in February 2015.

The adjusted NICS data were derived by subtracting out NICS purpose code permit checks used by several states such as Connecticut, Illinois, and Utah for CCW permit application checks as well as checks on active CCW permit databases.

Though not a direct correlation to firearms sales, the NSSF-adjusted NICS data provide a more accurate picture of current market conditions. In addition to other purposes, NICS is used to check transactions of firearms sales and transfers on new and used handguns and long guns.

There is little doubt that February's sales numbers and concealed handgun license applications will continue on the rapid pace that have become common in the Obama years, and especially given the increasing chances that yet another anti-gun candidate will win the presidency later this year.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary, BFA PAC Vice Chairman, and an NRA-certified firearms instructor. He is the editor of BuckeyeFirearms.org, which received the Outdoor Writers of Ohio 2013 Supporting Member Award for Best Website.