Q3 2026: Firearm Units Down 7.8%, Suppressors Up 178.6%

Q3 2026 retail data shows firearm units down 7.8% while revenue held nearly flat - a mix shift toward lever-actions, premium handguns and suppressors that changes what dealers should stock and how customers find them.

By Claire Eason •

POTD: S&W 38 M&P Target “Mexican Model of 1946”

Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have a Smith & Wesson that exists thanks to leftover parts and a Mexican government order. This is a 38 Military & Police Target known to collectors as the “Mexican Target Model,” chambered in 38 Special with a 6 inch barrel. ...

By Sam.S •

FFL License Lookup: How to Verify Any FFL Dealer

Every transfer, sale and shipment between licensees rests on one question: is that FFL real and current? Here is how the ATF lookup actually works, what it returns, what it cannot tell you, and how customers use it to judge your shop.

By Fred Thompson •

Week in Review: NFA Rollback Meets State Law at the Counter

Mississippi's attorney general makes Form 4 voluntary, Maryland holds its line, and Silencer Central opens a 20,000-dealer transfer network. Plus what this week's rule changes mean for your counter.

By Fred Thompson •

San Diego County Sues 3D Filament Manufacturer Over "Ghost Guns"

The 3D-printed gunmaking revolution is here and now, with home enthusiasts now able to crank out fully-functioning firearms from their kitchen table. While Glock clones and pistol-caliber carbines  are the most common examples you see, you can find 3D printing plans for stuff as diverse as a...

By Zac K •

NFA Guidance Is Live: The Q4 Market Math for FFL Dealers

ATF's October 9 open letter makes NFA approval and registration voluntary nationwide for suppressors, SBRs, SBSs and AOWs. The market math: September's demand data, what actually moved on the P&L, and where the category goes next quarter.

By Mark Edwards •

NFA Transfers: A Revenue Line Dealers Keep Ignoring

The NFA injunction protects parties and their customers, not every dealer. A field guide to running NFA transfers now, pricing them as a revenue line, and getting found when buyers search for a shop that handles suppressors.

By Fred Thompson •
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