Special Report
19 States Where Gun Sales Are Rebounding
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Gun sales spiked sharply over the course of COVID-19 pandemic. From 2016 through 2019, firearm background checks, widely used as an approximation for gun sales trends, were fairly flat, between 25 million and 29 million per year. In 2020, particularly because of a surge that started in March, checks skyrocketed to almost 40 million. That trend continued in 2021, when checks nearly reached 39 million again.
Gun sales appear to have begun to taper off towards the second half of the year. By 2022, sales returned closer to “normal,” or pre-pandemic, levels. They fell to 31.6 million for the entire year. (These are the biggest gun makers in America.)
Firearm background checks have declined in nearly every state last year compared to 2021, especially thanks to a relatively slow spring and summer. However, gun sales rebounded toward the end of 2022, and certain states reported an especially sharp jump in December compared to September.
To determine the states in which gun sales are rebounding, 24/7 Wall St. used data from the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System. We ranked the states that reported an increase of 30% or more in monthly background checks from September to December 2022. Only the states that also reported an increase in checks in the last month – between November and December – were included. Population data came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population and Housing Unit Estimates Program and are for July of 2022.
In the 19 states on the list, background checks increased by more than 32% from September to December 2022. In Mississippi, the surge was over 65%, the highest across all states.
One reason the NICS monthly reporting of firearm background checks is only a proxy for gun sales is that some states frequently conduct permit rechecks on existing gun owners. In some states, permit rechecks are a big part of the state’s overall firearm background checks.
Still, firearm background checks remain a good indication of trends in gun sales as nearly everyone put through this system qualifies. Of the more than 400 million checks conducted since November 1998, there have only been 2.1 million denials. More than half of those who are denied have criminal records. (Find out which Americans own the most guns.)
The total picture of American gun sales is extraordinary. There are 400 million guns owned by civilians in the U.S., or 120 guns per 100 people, according to 2018 estimates by the global Small Arms Survey. The next country based on gun ownership per 100 people is the Falkland Islands, at 62. Among large, wealthy nations, Canada is next at 35 per 100 people. It is worth remembering that the U.S. and Canada share a long border, and illegal trafficking, including of guns, is prevalent.
Click here to see 19 states where gun sales are rebounding.
19. Texas
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +32.3% (+44,474)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +22.4% — 7th largest increase (+33,337)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 181,957 (3rd most)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 137,483 (3rd most)
> 2022 population: 30,029,572 (2nd largest)
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18. Florida
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +33.5% (+36,577)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +20.6% — 8th largest increase (+24,947)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 145,786 (4th most)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 109,209 (5th most)
> 2022 population: 22,244,823 (3rd largest)
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17. Nevada
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +34.1% (+3,708)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +25.8% — 5th largest increase (+2,993)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 14,591 (14th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 10,883 (12th fewest)
> 2022 population: 3,177,772 (19th smallest)
16. Tennessee
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +34.7% (+22,198)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +17.0% — 18th largest increase (+12,543)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 86,109 (8th most)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 63,911 (10th most)
> 2022 population: 7,051,339 (15th largest)
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15. South Carolina
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +35.1% (+12,123)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +26.4% — 4th largest increase (+9,749)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 46,685 (23rd most)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 34,562 (24th most)
> 2022 population: 5,282,634 (23rd largest)
14. North Carolina
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +37.1% (+16,303)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +15.6% — 22nd largest increase (+8,143)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 60,223 (17th most)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 43,920 (17th most)
> 2022 population: 10,698,973 (9th largest)
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13. Delaware
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +39.7% (+1,410)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +20.5% — 9th largest increase (+843)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 4,965 (4th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 3,555 (3rd fewest)
> 2022 population: 1,018,396 (6th smallest)
12. Alabama
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +41.9% (+23,312)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +23.4% — 6th largest increase (+14,945)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 78,899 (10th most)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 55,587 (12th most)
> 2022 population: 5,074,296 (24th largest)
11. Virginia
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +42.3% (+18,226)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +18.4% — 14th largest increase (+9,522)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 61,291 (16th most)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 43,065 (18th most)
> 2022 population: 8,683,619 (12th largest)
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10. Ohio
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +43.8% (+20,377)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +6.3% — 16th smallest increase (+3,990)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 66,889 (15th most)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 46,512 (15th most)
> 2022 population: 11,756,058 (7th largest)
9. Louisiana
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +43.9% (+11,888)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +28.2% — 2nd largest increase (+8,578)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 38,952 (25th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 27,064 (24th fewest)
> 2022 population: 4,590,241 (25th largest)
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8. Missouri
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +45.7% (+18,250)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +16.3% — 20th largest increase (+8,169)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 58,212 (18th most)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 39,962 (21st most)
> 2022 population: 6,177,957 (18th largest)
7. Georgia
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +46.2% (+21,312)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +28.0% — 3rd largest increase (+14,734)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 67,443 (14th most)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 46,131 (16th most)
> 2022 population: 10,912,876 (8th largest)
6. Arkansas
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +50.7% (+9,600)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +18.1% — 16th largest increase (+4,367)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 28,527 (22nd fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 18,927 (22nd fewest)
> 2022 population: 3,045,637 (18th smallest)
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5. Nebraska
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +51.2% (+2,669)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +10.3% — 24th smallest increase (+738)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 7,878 (9th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 5,209 (5th fewest)
> 2022 population: 1,967,923 (14th smallest)
4. West Virginia
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +53.0% (+7,669)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +12.1% — 25th largest increase (+2,396)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 22,152 (21st fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 14,483 (18th fewest)
> 2022 population: 1,775,156 (12th smallest)
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3. Kansas
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +53.7% (+7,440)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +14.5% — 23rd largest increase (+2,691)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 21,301 (19th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 13,861 (14th fewest)
> 2022 population: 2,937,150 (16th smallest)
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2. Oklahoma
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +53.7% (+14,729)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +18.0% — 17th largest increase (+6,432)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 42,133 (25th most)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 27,404 (25th fewest)
> 2022 population: 4,019,800 (23rd smallest)
1. Mississippi
> 4-month change in background checks, Sep 2022-Dec 2022: +65.6% (+14,181)
> 1-month change in background checks, Nov 2022-Dec 2022: +28.6% — the largest increase (+7,950)
> Firearm background checks, Dec 2022: 35,793 (24th fewest)
> Firearm background checks, Sep 2022: 21,612 (23rd fewest)
> 2022 population: 2,940,057 (17th smallest)
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