Last month was the fourth-highest August on record in terms of federal background checks for gun transfers since the system was established over 20 years ago.

The unadjusted figures of 2,163,540 checks conducted through the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System last month is a 5.7 percent increase from the unadjusted FBI NICS figure of 2,047,512 in August 2023.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation adjusts those figures to remove gun permit checks and rechecks, leaving 1,210,995 checks performed for likely over-the-counter gun sales. This is an increase of 8.3 percent compared to the August 2023 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,117,821. Compared to records going back to 1998, last August hit the top four spot, trailing just off from the bumper years 2020 through 2022. 

"These 1.2 million background checks show that Constitutional rights matter, especially when it comes to the ability for responsible and law-abiding citizens to protect themselves and their loved ones against evil and those who have no respect for life or law," Mark Oliva, NSSF's public affairs director, told Guns.com. 

August 2024 also marks the 61st consecutive month that has exceeded 1 million adjusted background checks in a single month.

"The steady drumbeat of over 1 million background checks each month continues and demonstrates Americans will choose freedom instead of seeing their rights be stolen due to the horrendous actions of violent criminals," said Oliva. 

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