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Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Are background checks required for all gun purchases?

By Austin Tannenbaum
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NO

Federal law requires that licensed firearm dealers run a background check on individuals seeking to purchase a gun. However, because the law does not extend to private sales, unlicensed dealers may sell individuals guns without running a background check, as often happens at gun shows, on the internet and between friends.

According to a study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine in 2017, nearly a quarter (22%) of American gun owners "obtained their most recent firearm within the previous two years without a background check."

Public opinion polls consistently find that more than 80% of Americans support expanded background checks for gun purchases. Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have background-check or permit requirements that go beyond the federal rules.

A study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine in 2019 found that "universal background checks were associated with an approximately 15% reduction in overall homicide rates."

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Everytown Research & Policy Background Checks on All Gun Sales | Everytown Research & Policy
PBS How background checks and ‘red flag’ gun laws work
Giffords Universal Background Checks
ACP Journals Firearm Acquisition Without Background Checks: Results of a National Survey: Annals of Internal Medicine: Vol 166, No 4
PolitiFact A majority of Iowans and Americans support background checks for gun buyers
Journal of General Internal Medicine The Impact of State Firearm Laws on Homicide and Suicide Deaths in the USA, 1991–2016: a Panel Study
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Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.