The Rulebook Changed Hands: An FFL Week in Review
One demand signal, four compliance signals: what the midterms, the ATF vacancy, Colorado's permit-to-purchase ruling, and the closed restoration portal actually mean for a licensed dealer.
Posts about "nics checks"
Gun Sales Surge Ahead of Midterms, With More Demand Expected Under Democrat-Controlled Congress
Americans increased firearm purchases ahead of the 2026 midterms, pushing October's adjusted background checks to their third-highest level on record. With Democrats now set to control Congress, gun owners face renewed uncertainty over the future of their Second Amendment rights.
Election Surge: A 90-Day Growth Plan for FFL Dealers
October's adjusted NICS checks rose 7.9% and a new Congress is seated in January. A 90-day operating plan for the surge: counter throughput, first-time-buyer follow-up, and the listing details that decide who gets found.
Ruger's Wednesday Print: 3 Numbers That Set Your Q4 Order Book
Ruger reports Wednesday into a market where checks rose 2.5% but retail units fell 7.8%. Sell-through, distributor inventory and average selling price are the three lines that should set an FFL dealer's first-quarter order book.
ATF Retreats on NFA Registration, but State Laws Still Burden Gun Owners
ATF’s nationwide retreat from NFA registration enforcement is restoring gun owners’ freedom, but state laws still preserve barriers. Here is the breakdown of 15 states targeted for reform, including Mississippi’s clarification that suppressor Form 4 is voluntary.
September Gun Sales Indicator Dips 2.3% as NFA Checks Surge 129%
September’s firearm-sales indicator slipped 2.3%, but NFA checks more than doubled. With ATF now backing away from federal registration and approval requirements for covered items, the suppressor market could be entering a new phase.
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.
September NICS Numbers Show The Industry Is Still Alive And Well
NICS stands for National Instant Criminal Background Check System, an FBI database that licensed gun dealers must use to determine whether or not a potential purchaser is legally barred from buying a gun. Obviously, if you know how many NICS checks happen in a month, you have a very rough idea ho...
Airguns as Firearms: What Garrett's Law Means for FFLs
A new federal bill would classify high-velocity airguns as firearms, with an 850-day runway if it passes. The dealer read: inventory audit, margin math, and the airgun transfer opportunity.
Gun Sales Up Six Straight Months: What FFL Dealers Do Now
August 2026 adjusted NICS checks rose 2.2% to 1,115,410 - the sixth straight month of growth - while NFA checks tripled after a court deregulated suppressors. Here is what the data means for FFL dealers heading into Q4.