October 2025 Firearm Sales

After slow sales in July ended the nearly six-year-long streak of firearms sales above 1 million, that sub-1 million figure only lasted for a month. Based on recent sales information, the new 1 million-plus streak has now reached three months.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure for October was 1,299,312, up from the September total of 1,091,342. That number marks a slight decrease of 0.3 percent compared to the October 2024 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,302,857.

For comparison, the unadjusted October 2025 FBI NICS figure of 2,289,774 reflects a 0.4 percent decrease from the unadjusted FBI NICS figure of 2,298,383 in October 2024. The adjusted NICS data were derived by subtracting out NICS purpose code permit checks and permit rechecks used by states for CCW permit application checks as well as checks on active CCW permit databases. NSSF started subtracting permit rechecks in February 2016.

 Mark Oliva, NSSF managing director of public affairs, called the October numbers “encouraging,” as they indicate many are still very interested in acquiring firearms.