16.5 million NICS checks in 2011

[Ashlar]

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/nics/r ... ecks-1.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's 2 million more than the previous record, and December alone saw 1.9 million checks.

Of course each check could be more than one gun, and we don't have to get checked; but this (coupled with the FBI's UCR*) definitely puts to bed the 'more guns = more crime' bumper sticker mentality.

* http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/cr ... n-jun-2011" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[magillapd]

That doesn't count the CHL holders that bought guns I say add another 50,000....maybe more?