A total of 2,333,539 gun related checks were conducted through the agency's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) in October. The increase amounted to more than 350,000 checks over the previous October, marking the 18th consecutive month to hit a record for gun sales. Since May 2015, a year-over-year record has been set every month.
NICS checks are not an exact tally of gun sales. They show how many guns are sold, taking into account sales made through federally licensed firearm dealers, and exclude non-purchasing activity like permit applications. Although the NICS count is considered the most accurate indicator for gun sales, it does not represent an exact number of gun sales due to differences in state policies. Some states, for instance, do not require NICS checks for private party deals.
"These statistics represent the number of firearm background checks initiated through the NICS," the FBI report reads "They do not represent the number of firearms sold. Based on varying state laws and purchase scenarios, a one-to-one correlation cannot be made between a firearm background check and a firearm sale."
The spike in sales can also be observed alongside US Democrats' efforts for stronger gun control laws. Ruger CEO Michael Fifer stated in August that Hillary Clinton was "actively campaigning against the lawful commerce in arms."
"Hillary Clinton and President Obama's continued calls to erode Second Amendment rights have backfired," the Second Amendment Foundation's Alan Gottlieb told the Washington Free Beacon in August. "There are now more homes with gun ownership and that number will continue to rise."
If Clinton wins the election, people "will want to buy more firearms before she gets in the White House," Gottlieb added.
