How Many Is 3 Million? December NICS Checks, To Start

by
posted on January 5, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
gsagi2015_fs.jpg (1)

More than 3 million NICS checks conducted in December helped elevate 2015 to an all-new gun sales record. Those numbers are lofty, so to put things in perspective for your watercooler conversations today, here are some other things that amount to roughly 3 million. 

City: Chicago’s population

State: Number of people in Utah

Country: Population in Kuwait

Celebrations: Attendees at November’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City

Victims: Polish Christians killed during the Holocaust

Serving: Members of the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II

Banking: Estimated annual earnings of Ronda Rousey

Working: Workers worldwide who telecommute at least part time

Educating: Public school teachers in the United States

NICS Checks: 3,314,594 law-abiding citizens underwent a NICS background check in December, elevating 2015’s annual total to record-shattering 23,141,970—roughly the number of jobs created by women-owned companies in the U.S. 

Latest

Chiappa Rhino Large Frame 01
Chiappa Rhino Large Frame 01

A Bigger Rhino: The Chiappa 60DS L-Frame In .44 Mag.

The Chiappa Rhino revolver design is "anything but ordinary," and for 2026, the company is upscaling the concept to handle the .44 Magnum cartridge.

Preview: Magpul MOE QD Bipod For M-Lok

Simple, inexpensive and supremely easy to use, the new MOE QD Bipod For M-Lok is Magpul’s fastest-mounting bipod model by far, as it takes only about five seconds for the practiced hand to securely affix it to an M-Lok-clad fore-end.

Gun Of The Week: Henry SPD HUSH

For its first design, Henry Repeating Arms' Special Products Division developed the HUSH, or the Henry Ultimate Suppressor Host. 

The Armed Citizen® Dec. 19, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

TriStar Arms Protégé X: A Pocket-Size Punch

Inspired by successful designs of the past, the TriStar Arms Protégé X is a pocket-size, M1911-style handgun chambered for the popular 9 mm cartridge.

Hornady Family Honored with Legacy Award

In October, the Hornady family was recognized by the Greater Grand Island Community Foundation for its contribution to the city that Hornady calls home.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.