March 2014 firearms sales checks second highest March on record

The March 2014 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 1,224,705 is the second highest March on record for the system, even with a decrease of 18.4 percent compared to the March 2013 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,501,730. For comparison, the unadjusted March 2014 NICS figure of 2,476,610 reflects a 12.7 percent increase from the unadjusted NICS figure of 2,197,116 in March 2013.

The unusually large difference in the NSSF-adjusted and unadjusted NICS numbers appears to be due to the submission by North Carolina of monthly background checks for CCW permits.

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.