FAST FACTS . . .

Gun shows

NSSF represents federally licensed firearms manufacturers, distributors and dealers; therefore, our members must follow the same regulations and procedures (i.e. conducting criminal background checks) when at gun shows as they would at their own places of business.

Claim: There is a gun show "loophole"

Fact: There is nothing you can do inside a gun show that you cannot do outside a gun show. If you are a licensed firearms dealer, you must run a federal background check on any individual you sell a firearm to. If you do not regularly sell firearms, you do not need to run a background check – whether at a gun show or anywhere else.

Fact: The firearms industry has never opposed an instant background check requirement for all firearms sold at gun shows.

Claim: Criminals get their guns at gun shows

Fact: According to a November 2001 Study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics of state and federal prison inmates, less than one percent (0.7) of criminals acquire their guns from gun shows.

Claim: The firearms industry doesn't support background checks at gun shows

Fact: While there is nothing you can do inside a gun show that you can't do outside a gun show, the firearms industry has never opposed instant background checks at these events. The reason why this has not come to pass is that anti-gun legislators do not support an instant check. They, along with the gun-ban lobby, have tried to incorporate waiting periods for all buyers at gun shows. Such an action is not only unnecessary, as the FBI National Instant Check System would require only seconds to conduct a federal background check, but must be considered a de facto ban as implementing a five-day waiting period for a two-day gun show is impossible.