From the NSSF:
The May 2020 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 1,595,790 is an increase of 75.2 percent compared to the May 2019 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 910,910. For comparison, the unadjusted May 2020 FBI NICS figure 3,066,740 reflects a 32.1 percent increase from the unadjusted FBI NICS figure of 2,320,918 in May 2019.
Please note: Twenty-five states currently have at least one qualified alternative permit, which under the Brady Act allows the permit-holder, who has undergone a background check to obtain the permit, to purchase a firearm from a licensed dealer without a separate additional background check for that transfer. The number of NICS checks in these states does not include these legal transfers based on qualifying permits and NSSF does not adjust for these transfers. Recently, the states of Alabama and Michigan had law changes that affected their Brady Law standing which removed qualifying alternate permits usage for firearm transactions.
These changes went into effect July 22, 2019 for Alabama, and March 3, 2020 for Michigan. In May 2020, Alabama state’s NSSF-adjusted NICS was 298.0 percent higher than May 2019, which accounts for an additional 38,877 checks over this time last year. May 2020 NICS numbers for Michigan were up 297.5% over May 2019 and account for an additional 48,097 checks.
The past months, and especially the events of the past week, show us that in uncertain times, law-abiding Americans will consistently choose to take responsibility for their own safety, as is their right. Police were already stretched thin before this wave of unrest, prisoners recently released from jails were being re-arrested for subsequent violent crimes and the widespread destruction of personal property and assaults remind Americans that they must be their own first-responder.
We encourage all gun owners to properly secure firearms when they are not carried or in use and to seek training for proper firearms handling and marksmanship skills.