April 2023 Is Third-Highest Gun Sales Month On Record

by
posted on June 6, 2023
One Million

The month of April 2023 has claimed third place in volume of firearm sales for April, dwarfed only by the record-setting pace set during the pandemic and accompanying widespread social unrest. It also marked the 45th month in a row that saw more than 1 million firearm purchases reflected in the number of National Instant Criminal Background Checks (NICS) processed by the FBI.

According to an estimate by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), April’s figure came in at 1,369,296, which is up from April 2022’s 1,359,908. The figure represents a 0.7-percent increase when compared to the same 30-day reporting period in 2022, but down from March 2023’s 1,556,492.

Tax deadline and summer’s approaching heat and vacations traditionally slow traffic at FFL sales counters during the month, however. This year’s sales were partly fueled by increased purchasing in North Carolina, Oregon and Washington state.

In late March, elected officials in the Tar Heel state, for example, removed the requirement that law-abiding citizens secure a permit from their local sheriff to purchase a handgun. The change took place immediately and the news was slow getting out, but by April, the state’s FFLs experienced a 238.4 percent increase in handgun sales volume.

Washington state experienced a 43.6 percent increase in NICS checks related to firearm purchases—in April—just as the governor signed a measure banning the sale and transfer of modern sporting rifles. With Oregon’s elected officials debating a variety of controversial measures, sales there grew by 56.1 percent.

Figures for total nationwide firearm sales are estimates used by the industry as a relative barometer of consumer demand and industry health. They should not be considered an accurate representation. Raw FBI NICS volume, for example, includes background checks conducted for carry permits and renewals, as well as a variety of other administrative uses.

There are also 24 states that have an alternative method of processing the required background checks. Many acknowledge the background checks already conducted on those valid concealed carry permit holders and don’t require them to undergo the redundant process.

Latest

British Pattern 1851 “Minié” Rifle-Musket
British Pattern 1851 “Minié” Rifle-Musket

I Have This Old Gun: British Pattern 1851 “Minié” Rifle-Musket

Though its active official service life was less than a half-dozen years, Britain’s Pattern 1851 “Minié” rifle musket was an important step in the evolution of military longarms.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 25, 2023

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

Editor’s Choice: Taurus USA Raging Hunter 10”

Taurus’ award-winning Raging Hunter double-action revolver lineup now includes a five-shot, 10.5"-barreled version chambered for the high-pressure .460 S&W Mag. cartridge.

Review: Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical

Connecticut manufacturer Mossberg has a well-earned reputation for making affordable, top-quality shotguns, and while the company takes pride in this fact, its underrated pistols and rifles are often overlooked.

Product Preview: NRA Compound OWB Holster

Made in the U.S., emblazoned with the NRA logo on its face and backed by a lifetime warranty, the NRA Compound Holster is a premium OWB holster offering from NRAStore.com featuring hybrid construction with adjustable tension.

The Irish Lugers: An Update

In recent years, a number of documents clarifying the role of the Pistole 08 Luger in the Irish War of Independence have been discovered. Here, the authors provide context and identifying information for a number of Lugers known to have been used in Ireland during the country's fight for freedom.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.