The latest FBI background check figures for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System stand at just over 3 million for March 2022.
When compared to the 4.6 million seen in the same month in 2021 and the 3.7 million seen in March 2020, that’s a big drop. However, it is still the third-highest since NICS started back in 1999, and only the third March that broke the 3 million mark.
For some perspective, back in 2011– just over a decade ago– NICS only logged 1.5 million checks, or about half as much.
Five years before that, March 2007 couldn’t even break the one million barrier.
Signs point to Americans still buying guns at a blistering rate, even if it is less than seen during the height of the COVID pandemic.
