4.7 million Guns Sold in March, Numbers by State

[StatlRed]

Surprised to see an article like this. Published by 24/7 Wall St.
Indiana stands strong in the rankings!

This is how many guns were sold in each state in March:

STATE/TERRITORY	TOTAL
Illinois	1,427,917
Kentucky	330,476
Texas	222,409
Indiana	206,884
Florida	178,247
Pennsylvania	154,301
California	143,742
Utah	112,572
Michigan	112,066
Alabama	107,474
Minnesota	105,224
Ohio	98,474
Georgia	95,449
Tennessee	93,979
North Carolina	90,090
Missouri	77,617
Wisconsin	76,885
Washington	74,860
Virginia	72,438
Colorado	69,757
Arizona	65,805
South Carolina	55,773
Oregon	49,752
New York	49,158
Oklahoma	48,568
Louisiana	46,633
Mississippi	38,031
Idaho	34,839
Arkansas	34,134
Iowa	32,870
Maryland	30,754
Massachusetts	28,257
Connecticut	28,021
West Virginia	27,426
Kansas	26,915
New Jersey	24,563
New Mexico	23,024
Nevada	21,101
Montana	18,329
New Hampshire	17,186
Maine	14,536
South Dakota	12,430
Nebraska	10,860
Alaska	10,170
Wyoming	9,348
North Dakota	9,200
Delaware	7,280
Vermont	5,909
Puerto Rico	5,475
Rhode Island	4,957
Hawaii	1,770
District of Columbia	1,035
Guam	404
Virgin Islands	206
Mariana Islands	29

 

[Expat]

Man IL embarrassed the rest of us....

 

[Lushamania]

One of those purchases was from me!

@StatlRed , firearm sales are not officially tracked. You didn’t link your source, so I can’t comment on its specifics, but the multiple news reports I’m seeing show these are background checks that were run in the month of March.

That’s a very clear distinction, and though it can give us a rough idea, it still doesn’t equate into 1 background check = 1 firearm sale.

From the CNN Business article I linked above:

More than 2 million of those checks were for new gun purchases, according to the National Shooting Sports Federation, the firearms industry trade group that compares FBI background check numbers with actual sales data to determine its sales figures.

The FBI data the articles source from can be found here.

Man IL embarrassed the rest of us....

I had to do a double-take when I saw that!

It takes the next 8 States‘ numbers in total to come close to the first place State of Illinois. Simply wild!

 

[Expat]

I bet IL runs a background check for a box of .22 ammo.

 

[Colt556]

That Illinois number is astonishing! How can they have that many more sales and still be such a restrictive state? Maybe it’s like the previous poster said and simply the number of background checks and not actual sales. Has a law changed or something that might be reflected by more background checks for permits or licenses? I’m just thinking out loud I guess. Just amazing. Plus, I thought they got all their guns illegally from Indiana!

 

[Peacekeeper3073]

Illinois can thank the Chicago gang bangers. They have changed their ways and now buy local instead of stealing local.

 

[Magyars]

One of those purchases was from me!

Ditto

 

[boogieman]

After the last few gun stores I have been in I am very surprised that there were that many new guns available for sale. Everywhere I have been has only had empty shelves.

 

[KittySlayer]

How can this be true? Every gun store I walked into in March barely had any inventory and nothing I wanted to buy.

 

[ghuns]

Illinois can thank the Chicago gang bangers. They have changed their ways and now buy local instead of stealing local.

Wait... So all the guns used by the Chi-town gang bangers aren't our fault anymore? I'm sooooooo relieved.

 

[Nazgul]

Interesting that the states that are most restricted sold the most firearms. I understand the background checks/sales angle. Still it looks like they are worried about more restrictions.

Talked to a Marine buddy in Illinois regularly. I know it is subjective, he and his sons have made several high $ purchases lately for that very reason.

Don

 

[Slapstick]

How can this be true? Every gun store I walked into in March barely had any inventory and nothing I wanted to buy.

The 4.7 million figure is for NICS checks which include checks for permits and rechecks on permits and doesn't represent the true figure of guns sold. IL is a good example, most of their checks are not for gun sales but for checks on obtaining a FOID card or gun permit. The NSSF takes the raw data and adjusts to take that into account. By the NSSF estimate 2,044,136 NICS checks in March were for firearms the rest for permit checks. 2 million is a lot of sales but it's a far cry from 4.7 million.

 

[BE Mike]

Interesting that the states that are most restricted sold the most firearms. I understand the background checks/sales angle. Still it looks like they are worried about more restrictions.

Talked to a Marine buddy in Illinois regularly. I know it is subjective, he and his sons have made several high $ purchases lately for that very reason.

Don

Actually, if you consider population density, California and New York are very low. It's probably because of the strict gun control laws.

 

[DadSmith]

Over 1.4 million in Illinois? That sounds crazy. Maybe it isn't Indiana after all lol.

 

[1nderbeard]

IL runs background checks for ammo too...

I think this is all good news...it means people are finally starting to see that the government really only cares about you as a taxpayer and not a citizen. I hope this will lea to people shaking off what's been an increasingly oppressive government system. Maybe I'm too optimistic....

 

[printcraft]

Man IL embarrassed the rest of us....

They got them all from Indiana...

 

[Ingomike]

The 4.7 million figure is for NICS checks which include checks for permits and rechecks on permits and doesn't represent the true figure of guns sold. IL is a good example, most of their checks are not for gun sales but for checks on obtaining a FOID card or gun permit. The NSSF takes the raw data and adjusts to take that into account. By the NSSF estimate 2,044,136 NICS checks in March were for firearms the rest for permit checks. 2 million is a lot of sales but it's a far cry from 4.7 million.

However, a mitigating factor to the background checks being added in is the states that no check is ran on permit holders for purchases...

 

[Slapstick]

However, a mitigating factor to the background checks being added in is the states that no check is ran on permit holders for purchases...

True but given that permit holders are a small percentage of the total population of any given state they would account for only a very small percent of new gun sales. NSSF figures also do not take into account private party sales in States that don't require a back ground check but again that's a relatively small number in comparison to new gun sales. The NSSF figures are probably the best estimation on new gun sales we have at the moment.

 

[Ingomike]

True but given that permit holders are a small percentage of the total population of any given state they would account for only a very small percent of new gun sales. NSSF figures also do not take into account private party sales in States that don't require a back ground check but again that's a relatively small number in comparison to new gun sales. The NSSF figures are probably the best estimation on new gun sales we have at the moment.

They may be a "small percentage" but they buy a higher quantity that the general public...

 

[foszoe]

Man IL embarrassed the rest of us....

Most of those were brought in from IN