Firearms Background Checks Hit All Time High In June

A record 3.93 million firearms background checks were run in June, the highest volume since the inception of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) in 1988, and over one million more than June, 2019.

Last month's figure eclipses the previous record of 3.31 million in December, 2015, according to Bloomberg, citing FBI data. And according to The Trace, "all four weeks of June rank among the six busiest weeks NICS has ever recorded."

The record jump comes amid national chaos, as BLM protests over the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes, has frequently featured looting and riots. It also comes as former Vice President Joe Biden has experienced a jump in polling against President Trump.

The only time when gun background checks rose at a faster pace was when President Obama started his second term. https://t.co/CdHbkn4Opy pic.twitter.com/fe9P1k7mcO— Bespoke (@bespokeinvest) July 1, 2020

During June, Smith & Wesson Brands shares soared 82%, Vista Outdoor climbed 49% and Sturm Ruger rose 22%; all three stocks were adding to their gains Wednesday. -Bloomberg

That said, while background checks are the best approximation of how many guns have been sold in a given month, it may be an inaccurate indicator - as a single check can cover multiple guns, and there are non-purchase reasons for running one - such as permit applications, according to

More