by Holden Walter-Warner at The Daily Mail
The FBI conducted a record number of background checks in March, as gun control legislation loomed and the US was shaken by two mass shootings.
The bureau conducted approximately 4.7 million background checks in March 2021, a record for a single month and a 36 percent increase in background checks from February, CNN Business reports.
Background checks do not necessarily correlate with gun sales, which are not officially tracked in the United States, but are a good indicator for them.
The news of record background checks proved to be a further boon for the gun industry.
Bloomberg reports two major gun manufacturers saw a gain on the stock market on Thursday, with Sturm Ruger up 2.8 percent and Smith & Wesson up 3.8 percent.
Background checks reached a record high in March, a month with two mass shootings (stock)
March was only the second month to have 4 million background checks, with the other month being January 2021.
Sales of weapons typically rise following mass shootings and civil unrest.
Gun sales have already soared amid the pandemic and countrywide Black Lives Matter protests following the killing of George Floyd.
Second amendment advocates have also warned of tighter gun controls following the Capitol riots on January 6, and the inauguration of Democratic president Joe Biden.
The US was also shaken by two high-profile mass shootings in March…
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