Black Friday Posts New Single-Day Record For Gun Background-Checks

Tyler Durden's picture

Despite gunmaker stocks slumping as 2017 sees the biggest year-to-date decline in background check requests for firearms sales, USA Today reports that The FBI was flooded Friday with more than 200,000 background check requests for gun purchases, setting a new single day record, the bureau reported Saturday.

While gun sales have been surging in recent years - largely driven by fears of more restrictive gun laws proposed during the Obama administration - gun check numbers had leveled off in the first months of the pro-gun Trump administration...

source: NICS

But, as USA Today notes, in all, the FBI fielded 203,086 requests on Black Friday, up from the previous single-day highs of 185,713 last year and 185,345 in 2015. The two previous records also were recorded on Black Friday.

Gun checks, required for purchases at federally licensed firearm dealers, are not a measure of actual gun sales.

The number of firearms sold Friday is likely higher because multiple firearms can be included in one transaction by a single buyer.

The surging numbers received by the bureau's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), comes just days after Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered a sweeping review of the system, which allowed a court-martialed Air Force veteran to purchase the rifle used earlier this month to kill 25 people inside a Sutherland Springs, Texas, church.

The victims included a pregnant woman whose unborn child also died in the Nov. 5 massacre.

Following the shooting, the Air Force acknowledged it had not provided the FBI with details of the court martial, which likely would have blocked the 2016 sale of the murder weapon to Devin Kelley.

In a memo issued Wednesday, Sessions ordered the FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to review the NICS system.

The breakdown in the Kelley case highlighted longstanding problems within the system, which for more than 20 years has served as the centerpiece of the government's effort to block criminals from obtaining firearms. Yet it has largely struggled to keep pace with the volume of firearm transactions and still properly maintain the databases of criminal and mental health records necessary to determine whether buyers are eligible to purchase guns.

Last year, the FBI official overseeing NICS was forced to transfer personnel from construction projects and units that oversee the gathering of crime statistics to keep up with the surge of requests for background checks.

 

The office processed a record 27.5 million background checks in 2016.

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MagicHandPuppet's picture

I recently sat down with an exec at one of the nation's largest ammo/small arms manufacturers.  Domestic ammo sales are "through the roof" leading to a 2-year wait list for international .223 and .556 orders.

BullyBearish's picture

how long till president netanyahu destroys the 2nd amendment...

Bad Attitude's picture

NICS background check numbers also don't include sales to concealed handgun license holders who, in many states, can buy a firearm without the dealer needing to make the call for the background check.

Forward (over the cliff)!

eforce's picture

Repeal the Hughes ammendment, that should sort it.

Number 9's picture

no empty shelves in the pacnw.

not like the days of obama the gun sales king

AutoLode's picture

10.3% sales tax (even on firearms trades through FFL's) and laws / rules / restrictions rivaling the WA gov admired Kommefornia Washington is a great state to leave for anywhere ese

Citxmech's picture

Yeah - but no income tax.

Nevermind.  WA sucks.  Don't come here.  ESPECIALLY Californians.

Number 9's picture

yeah..that's right.. it sux here.. bad..really bad.. totally.. go to i da hoe.. great state unless you like people that have teeth..

Number 9's picture

it is not so bad east of the cascades..the sales tax sux except  none on food and prices blow neighboring ida hoe away.. i just skip over the border to the id a hoe gun shows and buy my  gunz with cash no ffl transactions..

skinning cats every which way..

ImGumbydmmt's picture

Sounds right.

We hear that Americans own about 300 million firearms privately

However, from the chart above, just since 1999 the total is 218.8 million background checks

millions of background checks per year

1999

7.5

2000

7

2001

7.3

2002

7

2003

7.1

2004

7.2

2005

7.3

2006

7.7

2007

8.1

2008

9.2

2009

11.5

2010

11.6

2011

12.6

2012

14.5

2013

17

2014

16.5

2015

17.2

2016

22

2017

20.5

 

218.8

and these are just the known transfers that did not pass thought un-recorded sales, or self constructed firearms, (maybe +5% more.) that 5% brings us to 229 million firearms transferred JUST SINCE 1999.

Sure a bunch are re-sales of used goods. How about 50%-50%.

That means 114 Million more NEW guns entered the use private market since 1999.

Plus, all the guns made and sold in the USA of modern or near modern quality, say since WWII ended in 1945.

if there were ZERO private guns sold in 1945 (not likely) and less than any other year on the chart up to 1998 , about 6 million, then an average of at least 3 million guns per year from 1945 until 1999 (54 years) is not unreasonable. that’s an additional 162 million firearms.

For at total in circulation of nearly 400 million.

 

I believe this.

Sub point number of semi automatic center fire rifles.  just the AR-15 is reported at 4 million produced for civilian purchase

I think this number is EXTREMELY low.

There are over 250 manufacturers of AR-15s .t hats an average of 16,000 per manufacturer.

http://www.deploymentessentials.com/ar-15-manufacturers-list/

not bad for a small company, not enough to do a product launch for a major company.

look how many variants were produced by COLT alone

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Colt_AR-15_variants

however, many of these other companies came into existence just in the last decade or two.

 A company like POF can produce over a dozen variants and make money with this level of product diversification seems to indicate more units sold.

Example: the new AR of the year is the POF Revolution, a .308 AR-10 downsized to a n AR-15 5.56 chassis.

Any business could not, would not develop a whole new AR-10/AR-15 with all the tooling needed for such a novel custom venture if  you could not make a good profit. If they are making even $500 per unit they need to sell Thousands of them to recoup tooling costs.

There must be a market demand for many thousands just of this one model to justify the custom tooling to make the item

Similar to the article about 503 troop in Syria reported by the Pentagon; vs the US general who said he has 5,000 troops on the ground in Syria.

i am betting the ACTUAL number of AR15 is also underreported by 10x, meaning there are 40 Million AR-15s in civilian hands.

 

All that to say, if we could network and organize WE would have for more power in government that we even realize.

But that’s the point. Keep us isolated and fed BS and we are weak.

Spread the word.

 

 

 

Number 9's picture

finally..some good news

Gorgeous's picture

"which would likely have blocked.."  how does this guy know?  Hard to keep sales up relative to 2016 when most people thought Reptillary would be elected. 

Number 9's picture

yeah.. i was about to get a 3d printer and start making gunz by the box car load..

the ole bitch fvked up another good plan when she drowned in the swamp.

ebworthen's picture

It's a good thing those folks in Chicago and Baltimore killing each other have to go through background checks.

*cough*

Boondocker's picture

The RINOs will sell us out on the 2nd amendment, have no doubt.

Number 9's picture

i sure hope so..it is half past time we shoot the bastards..

God Emperor's picture

Nothing stops you.

Less trolling and more action.

Ahh wait.. you're just a plant here...my bad.

Number 9's picture

lots of things stopping me..

fine line between being a patriot fighting for his country and freedom or being a terrorists trying to over throw the government..

but then you really aren't that stupid..are you?

shovelhead's picture

Yup. He forgot his porn link.

MuffDiver69's picture

Not surprising with the deals being offered and the ability to surf the net for deals before purchase..Many people see a deal to good to turn down on all kinds of shit this time of year and the fact the other two previous highs were same day is all that needs to be said..Of course yo average idiots believe what they read about declining this or that until real facts come out..Remington sales are down because they make expensive junk nowdays, nothing to do with thirst for weaponry..

duo's picture

Agreed on the Remington point.  Looking at the Benelli R1 in 30-06 for wild pigs.

Dilluminati's picture

I caught the Remington trigger video here at ZH.  I occasionally check out Redding auction which is one of the largest Auctions east coast for guns.

http://www.reddingauction.com/Dec10.htm

I'll not touch a Remington as you just don't know.

Goto 9:17

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS_GDpZM3ak

But I'd not want to pass the rifle down and I'll sure as hell not buy one now that I know.

Number 9's picture

the remmy model 788 shoots circles around the junk 700.. if you see one fairly priced grab it asap.. cant go wrong.. the safety wont shoot your foot off either.

Dilluminati's picture

I always find something "value" at the gun shows if you discuss the price and know the guns.  I typically buy new but looking into moving up into the 308 win and leaning to a Ruger American All-Weather 308 Win 22" Barrel Stainless Steel.  I have bought a few here, I can also get shipped here very conveniently but if I were to ask for them to match an online price they would.

http://www.gettysburgtradingpost.com/Firearms.aspx

I'm looking for something for 400 to 800 yard range, with a BDC scope in 308.  I'll not go cheap on the scope.  I know someone who has a precision.   Everything new I buy has been Stainless

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/products/precisionRifle/models.html

I'll get the smaller lighter rifle and then get dies, powder, bullets and primers and possibly go AR10.  ~this will not be stainless :-) 

I stick to what I reload.   But I can generally find a deal if I look and have done better at shows and tradding post than the auctions.   The guy there actually has two auctions at the same time, he grades the rifles carefully, premium rifles get premium $.  The trick is to buy something new at a good price that will go classic.  

I think the only thing I would buy no question asked would be a cobra in 357.  I like colt and Ruger.  On a serious note the trigger wears when you give it to your kids.. not cool, especially if they aren't into guns and it injures someone after you are gone, the videos of the professionals and the trigger problems enough for me to avoid that rifle.  Even at a good price at auction.

If I watch the sales I get good stuff

http://www.gunstores.net/items/ItemDetail.aspx?d=L4LZ1Cd5qME=&u=&z=IS5ad...

they ship local..  that's a good price for a public defender, never been raped there, loyal customer unless the show forces me to take it home!

Number 9's picture

i've seen those rugers at the range.. they usually shoot 6.5 either creedmore or 260 remington..that being said they always have those big brown vortex scopes on them.. i met one guy there that is a pro circuit shooter.

he uses a custom built 6.5 with that bigass vortex,,

dont know for sure which one but i think the scope is around 1200..it is brown..

 

Number 9's picture

if you have ever read selco's blog

you will see that ammo is king in the killing fields..

guns are important, but when the shit really hits the fan, ammo is king..

my gut feeling is  most people are  thinking a couple 20 round boxes of 30.06 is plenty..

skinwalker's picture

My personal rule of thumb is that if you can move your ammo stash without a pallet jack, you don’t have nearly enough.

Catahoula's picture

Buy while you can. Probably won't be able to in another 10 yr

max_is_leering's picture

My daughter is a first tier supv. for a leading sports store... they sold out of all their advertised guns before 8AM on Friday (opened at 5AM)... it makes no difference who's in office regarding guns/ammo... gotta keep all our options open, while we can

shovelhead's picture

Air Force gets lazy.

Ordinary people get screwed as result.

Makes perfect sense.

Drop-Hammer's picture

I knew that I forgot to buy a stocking-stuffer.  

Irish Yoga's picture

It's probably turkeys arming themselves so they don't get shot by gang members.

serotonindumptruck's picture

I'll take the Phase Plasma rifle in the 40 watt range.

Clueless Economist's picture

So which will it be pal?

AWWLL

I may close up early today!

Hey pal, you can't do that.

WROOONGG

AutoLode's picture

you really know your guns I might have to leave work early

Grandad Grumps's picture

The way to defeat Satan and his people is spiritual, not theough physical violence. THat being said, most of the people who purchased guns have probably done it because they are afraid because the government and MSM make them afraid.

Upland27's picture

there were some really good deals. 

AutoLode's picture

I probably bought more "stuff" in November than I have in a decade it's really nice all the top shelf "rare"guns and ammo are all readily available fairly cheap if you search enough but something tells me we better buy while we can

when I use ammoseek I always check the 1000rds box thats the minimum I want to have to any of my "users"

5.56 and 7.62 we should all have 10k rounds stashed half for our use and half for barter for food, gas and gold

Infinite QE's picture

Commie jews have killed hundreds of millions of people and they have a score to settle with the Christians in America and Europe. Armor up boys and girls. They've let loose the muslim savages.

your_conscience's picture

Perfect for shopping malls

 

dunce's picture

Data entry is not that big a deal, but the data must be collected and submitted. If they were honest about background checks they would insist on mental health and criminal control agencies complying with the law and priosecuting people that are found to be lying on the forms. Democrats want people to killled so that they can keep calling to ban all guns. If the system actually stopped criminals and crazy people from getting guns, they could not demand gun control.