Black Friday Record: 2 Guns Sold Per Second at Retail

Steve Johnson
by Steve Johnson
Photo from Gun Fishing retail store in NC

According to The Blaze, the FBI Processed 144,758 background checks on Friday. The actual number of guns sold would be even greater than this because of sales with delayed background checks such as online purchases …

By Friday afternoon, that figure had reached three checks per second, CNN reported, putting 2014 on track to blow past the prior Black Friday record of 144,758 FBI-processed gun transactions in a single day.

Noting that the FBI typically brings in 100 extra employees to help handle the Black Friday load, Fischer said, ”The challenge is to have staff keep up with this volume. We do that by limiting personal leave, asking employees to work extra shifts and reutilizing former…employees to serve in NICS during this busy period.”

Fischer said FBI employees would work through the weekend to process the backlog generated by booming sales in the more than 48,000 U.S. gun retailers.

Thanks to Jay for the tip.

Steve Johnson
Steve Johnson

I founded TFB in 2007 and over 10 years worked tirelessly, with the help of my team, to build it up into the largest gun blog online. I retired as Editor in Chief in 2017. During my decade at TFB I was fortunate to work with the most amazing talented writers and genuinely good people!

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  • STW STW on Nov 30, 2014

    The number is probably low. If you have a CCW in many states the seller doesn't have to call in the information. You simply fill out the 4473 and you're done. The CCW is proof that you've been checked out. In my experience sellers smile when you save them that phone call.

  • Don Ward Don Ward on Nov 30, 2014

    It will be interesting to see how things will go for us in Washington state now that we passed an initiative requiring background checks for private person-to-person firearm transfers.

    • Rock or Something Rock or Something on Dec 01, 2014

      @Don Ward It's going to be a soup sandwich. And you will have to eat it with a fork.

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