States Where The Most People Bought Guns Last Month

Special Report

May 5, 2023 1:30 pm

Gun Play, Arkansas (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Rod Waddington

30. Arkansas
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2023: 5.3
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2023: 16,191 — 19th fewest
> Most common type of firearm check: Handguns
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2022: 5.2 — 20th fewest
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2022: 15,976 — 19th fewest
> Change in background checks, Apr 2021- April 2022: +215 (+1.3% — 16th largest increase)
> 2022 Population: 3,045,637 — 18th smallest

Source: Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images

29. Indiana
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2023: 5.4
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2023: 36,566 — 19th most
> Most common type of firearm check: Handguns
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2022: 6.0 — 24th fewest
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2022: 41,172 — 19th most
> Change in background checks, Apr 2021- April 2022: -4,606 (-11.2% — 7th largest decrease)
> 2022 Population: 6,833,037 — 17th largest

ALSO READ: The 50 Most Popular Guns of All Time

Source: Mario Villafuerte / Getty Images News via Getty Images

28. Louisiana
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2023: 5.4
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2023: 24,616 — 25th most
> Most common type of firearm check: Handguns
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2022: 5.3 — 21st fewest
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2022: 24,250 — 24th most
> Change in background checks, Apr 2021- April 2022: +366 (+1.5% — 14th largest increase)
> 2022 Population: 4,590,241 — 25th largest

Source: Marc Lecureuil / Getty Images

27. Arizona
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2023: 5.6
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2023: 41,330 — 17th most
> Most common type of firearm check: Handguns
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2022: 8.0 — 11th most
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2022: 58,767 — 9th most
> Change in background checks, Apr 2021- April 2022: -17,437 (-29.7% — the largest decrease)
> 2022 Population: 7,359,197 — 14th largest

Source: Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images

26. Missouri
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2023: 5.7
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2023: 35,488 — 20th most
> Most common type of firearm check: Handguns
> Firearm background checks per 1,000 residents, Apr 2022: 6.9 — 19th most
> Firearm background checks, Apr 2022: 42,436 — 18th most
> Change in background checks, Apr 2021- April 2022: -6,948 (-16.4% — 5th largest decrease)
> 2022 Population: 6,177,957 — 18th largest

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