With the numbers tallied through November, signs point toward Americans picking up a whole lotta Freedom in 2022. 

The latest statistics published from the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System show 2,747,862 checks were logged last month – a roughly 2 percent bump from the NICS figure of 2,692,188 in November 2021. This includes a whopping 711,372 checks done in the week of "Black Friday" alone. In fact, Nov. 25, 2022, is now on the list of NICS's "Top 10 busiest days" since the system was established in 1999. 

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms industry, has gone through the NICS data for the year through November and – removing checks done for firearms permits and other reasons not related to gun sales – has found the total of checks to hit 14,677,978 thus far – continuing to hold as the third strongest year-to-date on record for sales, running just behind 2020 and 2021. 

However, as multiple firearms can be transferred on a single check, person-to-person sales in most states do not require checks, and 25 states accept carry permits in lieu of checks, the actual numbers are likely much higher. Nonetheless, almost 15 million likely sales mark a substantial number, with an obvious takeaway. 

"These figures are reflective interest and investment by law-abiding American to exercise their Second Amendment rights,” NSSF’s Mark Oliva told Guns.com. "This pattern has held throughout the year. Americans continue to demonstrate that personal safety and responsible firearm ownership are worth their hard-earned dollars."
 
Cover image: Stacks of boxes ready to ship from Smith & Wesson's factory. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

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