The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has released the revised National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figures for February 2026, providing insight into current trends in the firearms market. As you know, I’ve been covering monthly NICS numbers for nearly a year. This is a useful way to assess the industry’s health and analyze trends, such as the growing popularity of NFA items.
Reminders
As always, a NICS check only confirms that a background check was done — not how many firearms were listed on a 4473. There is no direct link between checks and the number of guns sold. Private-party transfers, which are legal in many states, are also not included. Additionally, 28 states now have at least one qualified alternative permit under the Brady Act, allowing permit holders to buy firearms without an extra NICS check. Ohio, for example, accepts a valid CCW license instead of a point-of-sale background check. The NSSF-adjusted numbers exclude non-firearm checks to give a more accurate estimate.
The Numbers
The February 2026 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure came in at 1,265,320, a 3.5% increase from the February 2025 adjusted figure of 1,222,980.
For comparison, the unadjusted FBI NICS figure for February 2026 was 1,933,972, a 13.5% decrease from 2,236,637 in February 2025. This highlights a difference between firearm checks and permit checks and rechecks.
NFA Checks Continue to Surge
Starting in 2026, NSSF will begin reporting monthly National Firearms Act (NFA) background checks for Form 1 and Form 4 items, providing more insight into suppressor and other NFA-regulated item activity.
The total NFA checks for February 2026 reached 209,023, a 167% increase from 78,295 in February 2025. Thank you, $0 transfer fees! This trend will continue throughout 2026.
Top 5 States for NFA Checks (February 2026)
- Texas — 27,986
- Florida — 14,629
- Virginia — 14,230
- Georgia — 8,806
- North Carolina — 8,128
The states with the highest number of adjusted NICS checks in February were:
- Texas
- Florida
- California
- Pennsylvania
- Virginia
The same five states also led the nation in FBI handgun checks, while the top states for FBI long gun checks were Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, California, and Virginia.
Zooming Out
Overall, February’s numbers show a modest rebound in background check activity compared to the same time last year, even as the raw FBI totals declined. The 3.5 percent increase in NSSF-adjusted checks indicates steady consumer demand as the market moves through the early months of 2026. Meanwhile, the dramatic surge in NFA checks highlights ongoing interest in suppressors and other regulated items.
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