The National Shooting Sports Foundation’s (NSSF) estimate of last month’s gun sales was up 2.2 percent compared to August 2025. The numbers came in at 1,115,410 and 1,091,342, respectively.
Firearm sales in 2026, compared to 2025, have now increased seven months in a row. It’s a welcome trend for a firearm industry fatigued from the post-pandemic sales lethargy. January suffered the only decline this year at 0.7 percent. It was more than erased with February’s 3.5-percent increase.
Although NSSF’s numbers are widely considered a barometer of industry health, it’s widely recognized that the organization's estimates are low. The figures are based on the volume of names run through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive’s (ATF) National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) that are ultimately approved for the transfer.
More than half of the states in the nation have at least one qualified alternative permit, however. Under the Brady Act, the permit-holder, who has undergone a background check to obtain the permit, can purchase a firearm from a licensed dealer without a separate additional background check for that transfer. The number of NICS checks in these states does not include these legal transfers based on qualifying permits. NSSF does not adjust for these transfers.
NFA Sales Up Twofold
NSSF reports the number of National Firearm Act (NFA)-related sales in August 2026 came in at a staggering 185,744. That’s an increase of 201.6 percent compared to the 61,594 in August 2025.
“The meteoric growth of over 200 percent of National Firearms Act items is especially telling that Americans continue to invest in suppressors and understand and appreciate the value of using a simple device that not only preserves hearing but makes recreational shooting more enjoyable,” NSSF Managing Director of Public Affairs Mark Oliva said. “Gun owners demonstrate through these purchases that Second Amendment freedoms are fundamental to preserving personal safety and liberty.”
Top states for NFA transfers last month, in descending order, were Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
