Aero Precision, Ballistic Advantage, Stag Arms and VG6 return under new ownership; August NSSF-adjusted NICS checks edge up 2.2%; and NSSF, ATF and DOJ push straw-purchase education in Florida — this week's top stories for FFL dealers.
The NICS numbers come from the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System, and they are a rough correlation to firearms sales in the U.S.; licensed dealers must check the NICS database before a sale, and when you add up all those queries, you have your NICS numbers for the month.
July's adjusted NICS total rose 8.5% year over year, while NFA checks more than doubled. The numbers show how policy—not population alone—continues to drive America's firearm market.
June 2026 NSSF-adjusted NICS checks rose 11.7% from last year, while NFA background checks exploded 177% as suppressor and SBR demand continued to climb.
The May 2026 NICS numbers show a split picture: total FBI background checks are down, but NSSF-adjusted checks suggest retail firearm demand is up. Meanwhile, NFA-related checks for suppressors and short-barreled rifles surged more than 100 percent.
The proposed suppressor tax has been removed, at least for now. It would seem Abigail Spanberger and her gang of anti-gun tyrants are getting the pushback they deserve.
Approvals don't erase the infringement. They reveal the needless bureaucracy of fingerprints, photos, forms, and months-long waits.
The adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System numbers from the NSSF show January firearm sales to be slightly lower from last years report.