The October 2026 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 1,402,422 is an increase of 7.9 percent compared to the October 2025 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,299,312, and an uptick from September.
NSSF provided the numbers Tuesday.
For comparison, the unadjusted October 2026 FBI NICS figure of 2,104,063 reflects an 8.1 percent decrease from the unadjusted FBI NICS figure of 2,289,774 in October 2025.
“It is evident that gun owners are already voting with their wallets when it comes to their Second Amendment rights, even as Americans are heading to their polling places to vote in federal and state elections,” noted Mark Oliva, NSSF managing director for Public Affairs. “The October report of a 7.9 percent increase of background checks for the sale of a firearm at retail, compared to a year ago, is a significant increase that shows Americans invest in their personal safety and right to keep and bear arms.
“Month-after month,” he continued, “Americans prove that they reject unconstitutional gun control when they show up to the gun counter and legally buy guns. This right is no less important than the right to freely choose representation in government. By the millions, Americans are making their voices heard. NSSF will continue to work to ensure the ability for law-abiding citizens to freely purchase the firearms of their choosing is protected by the next Congress and state legislatures.”
Top-5 States for Adjusted NICS Checks: TX, FL, CA, PA, VA- Top-5 States for FBI NICS Handgun Checks: FL, TX, PA, CA, TN
- Top-5 States for FBI NICS Long Gun Checks: TX, PA, FL, CA, WI
NSSF noted that 28 states currently have at least one qualified alternative permit, which under the Brady Act allows the permit-holder, who has undergone a background check to obtain the permit, to 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 and NSSF does not adjust for these transfers.
The adjusted NICS data were derived by subtracting out NICS purpose code permit checks and permit rechecks used by states for CCW permit application checks as well as checks on active CCW permit databases, the organization notes in a press release. NSSF started subtracting permit rechecks in February 2016.
Though not a direct correlation to firearms sales, the NSSF-adjusted NICS data provide an additional picture of current market conditions. In addition to other purposes, NICS is used to check transactions for sales or transfers of new or used firearms, the group said.
It should be noted that these statistics represent the number of firearm background checks initiated through the NICS. They do not represent the number of firearms sold or sales dollars. Based on varying state laws, local market conditions and purchase scenarios, a one-to-one correlation cannot be made between a firearm background check and a firearm sale.
