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Firearm background checks increase significantly over last 16 years
Montana law requires a licensed fire arm dealers to conduct a background check for every firearm purchase, but that doesn't however apply to private sales.
According to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check system, over 9 million background checks were conducted nationwide in 1999.That number had increased by over 11 million by 2014.
In 1999, Montana conducted just over 73,000 firearm background checks. Fast forward to 2014, that number increased by nearly 50,000. So far this year, Montana has conducted over 87,000 background checks, and there have been over 15 million done nationally.
The numbers of background checks are not a one-to-one correlation with the number of firearm sales.
NICS says the number of firearm background checks is highest between November and January. December 21 of 2012 ranks the highest in number of background check over the last 16 years with over 177,000 checks. Second highest was in 2014 on November 28. The list continues varying between mid-November to the beginning of March.
Although there's isn't a specific reason for why the most background checks are conducted at these times, hunting season could be one. Big game hunting season in Montana starts in September and ends on Thanksgiving Day. And upland game birds hunting season starts in September and goes until January.
Both of which happen to be around the same time when firearm background checks are at their highest.
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