The March 2026 NICS numbers are in, and there's a clear winner: NFA items are absolutely crushing it right now. Let me break down what matters for your business.
The NSSF-adjusted NICS figure came in at 1,412,917 — up just 1.9% from March 2025. That's steady, nothing exciting. But here's the kicker: NFA checks surged 121.2% year over year, jumping from 93,518 to 206,871. That's not a typo. People are buying suppressors, SBRs, and other NFA goodies hand over fist.
Now, here's why that raw FBI total looks way down — 2.2 million checks sounds like a crash, but that's because NICS is being used for more non-firearm things like carry permits. As more states go Constitutional Carry, those permit checks are pulling away from the firearm sales correlation.
Looking at the state breakdown, Texas and Florida are dominating both regular gun sales and NFA activity. Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia made the top five for NFA items specifically. If you're not serving these markets, you're leaving money on the table.
The bigger picture? Global uncertainty — particularly the situation with Iran — is driving interest in firearms. When the world feels unstable, Americans exercise their Second Amendment rights. That trend isn't going away soon.
What does this mean for you? Stock up on NFA items. Suppressors are hotter than they've ever been, and the demand shows no signs of cooling. The market is telling us loud and clear: customers want these products.
And keep an eye on ATF — they're cooking up a new "Frames and Receivers" rule that could affect how 80% lowers are regulated. I'll be watching closely.