Since then, the number of firearm background checks run through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) for permit applications in the Lone Star State has continued declining lower than in previous years, according to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
For instance, the total NICS checks for permits in the state for the month was reported to be 23,384, the lowest for that particular month since 2014 when 19,667 checks were conducted. Other months since then have seen similar lows, but the most recent below the past month’s tally was in July 2019 when 21,477 checks for permits were conducted.
Background checks for firearm purchases have similarly declined off of the record highs seen amid the turbulent events of 2020, but remain higher than the preceding years.
Checks for handgun purchases in Texas throughout October totaled 67,440, down from the 72,591 seen in the month last year but up from the 41,994 total in October 2019.
Likewise, long gun checks sat at 38,737 for the month, down from 44,620 in 2020 and up from 33,957 in 2019.
The year-to-date total for all NICS checks in Texas reflects a similar trend, sitting at 1.6 million as opposed to 2020’s 1.9 million and 2019’s 1.2 million.
Nationally, though, the 2021 year-to-date total for all NICS checks has eclipsed the same period in 2020 — 32.8 million versus 31.8 million.
The high number across the country has been fueled particularly by background checks for permit applications and permit rechecks in states that require it, as the number of checks for handgun and long gun purchases have both declined.
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Daniel Friend
Daniel Friend is the Marketing and Media Manager for The Texan. After graduating with a double-major in Political Science and Humanities, he wrote for The Texan as a reporter through June 2022. In his spare time, you're likely to find him working on The Testimony of Calvin Lewis, an Abolition of Man-inspired novel and theatrical podcast.