Citation(s) from the GunPolicy.org literature library
USA. 2016 ‘Federal Firearms Dealers Total (1975 - 2015).’ ATF Firearms Commerce in the United States: Annual Statistical Update 2016; Exhibit 10, p. 18. Washington DC: US Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). 9 August
Relevant contents
Exhibit 10. Federal Firearms Licensees [Dealers] Total (1975 - 2015)
Fiscal Year: Dealer - Pawnbroker - Collector - Manufacturer of Ammunition - Manufacturer of Firearms - Importer - Dealer of Destructive Device - Manufacturer of Destructive Device - Importer of Destructive Device - Total
2015: 56,181 - 8,152 - 60,652 - 2,603 - 10,498 - 1,152 - 66 - 315 - 221 - 139,840
2014: 55,431 - 8,132 - 63,301 - 2,596 - 9,970 - 1,133 - 66 - 287 - 200 - 141,116
2013: 54,026 - 7,810 - 64,449 - 2,353 - 9,094 - 998 - 57 - 273 - 184 - 139,244
2012: 50,848 - 7,426 - 61,885 - 2,044 - 7,423 - 848 - 52 - 261 - 169 - 130,956
2011: 48,676 - 7,075 - 59,227 - 1,895 - 5,441 - 811 - 42 - 259 - 161 - 123,587
2010: 47,664 - 6,895 - 56,680 - 1,759 - 4,293 - 768 - 40 - 243 - 145 - 118,487
2009: 47,509 - 6,675 - 55,046 - 1,511 - 3,543 - 735 - 34 - 215 - 127 - 115,395
2008: 48,261 - 6,687 - 52,597 - 1,420 - 2,959 - 688 - 29 - 189 - 113 - 112,943
2007: 49,221 - 6,966 - 47,690 - 1,399 - 2,668 - 686 - 23 - 174 - 106 - 108,933
2006: 51,462 - 7,386 - 43,650 - 1,431 - 2,411 - 690 - 17 - 170 - 99 - 107,316
2005: 53,833 - 7,809 - 40,073 - 1,502 - 2,272 - 696 - 15 - 145 - 87 - 106,432
2004: 56,103 - 8,180 - 37,206 - 1,625 - 2,144 - 720 - 16 - 136 - 84 - 106,214
2003: 57,492 - 8,521 - 33,406 - 1,693 - 2,046 - 719 - 16 - 130 - 82 - 104,105
2002: 59,829 - 8,770 - 30,157 - 1,763 - 1,941 - 735 - 16 - 126 - 74 - 103,411
2001: 63,845 - 9,199 - 25,145 - 1,950 - 1,841 - 730 - 14 - 117 - 72 - 102,913
2000: 67,479 - 9,737 - 21,100 - 2,112 - 1,773 - 748 - 12 - 125 - 71 - 103,157
1999: 71,290 - 10,035 - 17,763 - 2,247 - 1,639 - 755 - 11 - 127 - 75 - 103,942
1998: 75,619 - 10,176 - 14,875 - 2,374 - 1,546 - 741 - 12 - 125 - 68 - 105,536
1997: 79,285 - 9,956 - 13,512 - 2,451 - 1,414 - 733 - 13 - 118 - 72 - 107,554
1996: 105,398 - 9,974 - 14,966 - 3,144 - 1,327 - 786 - 12 - 117 - 70 - 135,794
1995: 158,240 - 10,155 - 16,354 - 4,459 - 1,242 - 842 - 14 - 118 - 71 - 191,495
1994: 213,734 - 10,872 - 17,690 - 6,068 - 1,302 - 963 - 12 - 122 - 70 - 250,833
1993: 246,984 - 10,958 - 16,635 - 6,947 - 1,256 - 924 - 15 - 128 - 78 - 283,925
1992: 248,155 - 10,452 - 15,820 - 7,412 - 1,165 - 894 - 15 - 127 - 77 - 284,117
1991: 241,706 - 9,625 - 15,143 - 7,470 - 1,059 - 901 - 17 - 120 - 75 - 276,116
1990: 235,684 - 9,029 - 14,287 - 7,945 - 978 - 946 - 20 - 117 - 73 - 269,079
1989: 231,442 - 8,626 - 13,536 - 8,345 - 922 - 989 - 21 - 110 - 72 - 264,063
1988: 239,637 - 8,261 - 12,638 - 10,169 - 926 - 1,123 - 18 - 112 - 69 - 272,953
1987: 230,888 - 7,316 - 11,094 - 10,613 - 852 - 1,084 - 16 - 101 - 58 - 262,022
1986: 235,393 - 6,998 - 10,639 - 12,095 - 843 - 1,035 - 16 - 95 - 52 - 267,166
1985: 219,366 - 6,207 - 9,599 - 11,818 - 778 - 881 - 15 - 85 - 45 - 248,794
1984: 195,847 - 5,140 - 8,643 - 11,270 - 710 - 704 - 15 - 74 - 40 - 222,443
1983: 200,342 - 5,388 - 9,859 - 13,318 - 788 - 795 - 16 - 71 - 36 - 230,613
1982: 184,840 - 5,002 - 8,602 - 12,033 - 675 - 676 - 12 - 54 - 24 - 211,918
1981: 168,301 - 4,308 - 6,490 - 10,067 - 540 - 519 - 7 - 44 - 20 - 190,296
1980: 155,690 - 3,608 - 5,481 - 8,856 - 496 - 430 - 7 - 40 - 11 - 174,619
1979: 153,861 - 3,388 - 4,975 - 8,055 - 459 - 426 - 7 - 33 - 12 - 171,216
1978: 152,681 - 3,113 - 4,629 - 7,735 - 422 - 417 - 6 - 35 - 14 - 169,052
1977: 157,463 - 2,943 - 4,446 - 7,761 - 408 - 419 - 6 - 28 - 10 - 173,484
1976: 150,767 - 2,882 - 4,036 - 7,181 - 397 - 403 - 4 - 19 - 8 - 165,697
1975: 146,429 - 2,813 - 5,211 - 6,668 - 364 - 403 - 9 - 23 - 7 - 161,927
Source: ATF Federal Firearms Licensing Center, Federal Licensing System (FLS). Data is based on active firearms licenses and related statistics as of the end of each fiscal year.
[ATF = Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives]
[Editor's note: Persons who are federally licensed to be gun collectors, or to be engaged in the business of manufacturing, importing, or selling firearms are known as "federal firearms licensees (FFLs)" - §923(a) of the US Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended.]
Last accessed at:
https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/docs/2016-firearms-commerce-united-states/download