What is shaping up to be the year of the suppressor kicked off with a bang, as Americans picked up over a million guns last month, in addition to submitting forms for almost a quarter million NFA items.

According to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System,  2,172,185 federal background checks were processed in January 2025. That was a 5.6 percent decrease from the FBI NICS figure of 2,299,989 in January 2025. 

Don't sound the sad music just yet, though, as the 1,198,879 checks used for likely gun sales were essentially flat, just a decrease of 0.7 percent compared to the January 2025 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,207,557. 

Going past that, the January 2026 figure for NICS checks done for NFA items like suppressors and short-barreled firearms stood at 206,871 – a massive 121.2 percent jump compared to the January 2025 figure of 93,518. This is surely attributed to the zeroing out of the $200 tax on such devices and firearms, which went into effect with the new year. 

"January’s background check figures reinforce what many saw at the beginning of the month and was evident at SHOT Show 2026 in Las Vegas. This is the year of the suppressor," Mark Oliva, public affairs officer with the NSSF, told Guns.com. "When Congress removes regulatory burdens and taxes, law-abiding gun owners respond by choosing to exercise their rights to both keep and bear arms. This only reinforces the need for Congress to pass the Hearing Protection Act and remove unnecessary barriers to suppressor ownership.

"That’s especially important in states like Virginia, which is facing a legislative proposal of a $500 tax on suppressor purchases," said Oliva.