Research
Clear answers about firearms, drawn from government data you can check.
- When do Americans run firearm background checks?The FBI ran 236,295 NICS firearm background checks on March 17, 2021, the most of any day from November 30, 1998 to August 31, 2026.
- Which states run the most firearm background checks per person?Montana recorded 93.54 handgun, long-gun and multiple NICS checks per 1,000 residents in 2025, the highest of the 50 states, using FBI checks and Census July 1 population estimates, Vintage 2025. Checks are not sales or people. Permit rechecks can inflate permit-inclusive state totals; this rate excludes permits and rechecks.
- Who makes America's guns?SMITH & WESSON INC (TN) is the largest individual 2024 filing in ATF's Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Exportation Report: 967,812 firearms, or 10.1% of the national detail total.
- How do federal firearms license counts and types differ by state?Massachusetts has the largest type 07 share among the 50 states in the ATF list, August 2026: 306 of 589 records (52%).Type 07 is a federal license to manufacture firearms, excluding destructive devices.
- Where are hunting licenses most common?South Dakota certified 24.0 paid hunting-license holders for every 100 residents in license year 2024, the most of any state.