By Guy Page
Vermonters purchased firearms at a slightly lower rate in 2021 than in 2020, as measured by applications for federal background checks.
There is no public record of actual purchases or ownership of Vermont firearms. Unlike many other states, Vermonters do not need a state permit or license to own a gun. All that is needed is to pass a federally-required background check. Therefore, the best measure of gun purchases is National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), which since 1998 has conducted more than 300 million background checks on people who want to own a firearm or explosive, as required by law.
A one-to-one correlation cannot be made between a firearm background check and a firearm sale because some legal gun sales do not require a background check.
In 2020 – due in part to social and political unrest, police defunding, more people staying home, and concern about current and proposed gun restrictions – there were 57,965 Vermont applications to the NICS.
Last year, the total fell to 51,549. The first four months of the year started off with a ‘bang,’ averaging over 5000 applications/month. But beginning in May, applications declined to average under 4000/month.
The highest month in 2021 was January, with 6,012, compared to March 2020 with 7,023.