National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA) – Crime Gun Intelligence and Analysis – Volume 2

Publication cover

Published by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), this report is a complete assessment of firearms dealings in the United States and the diversion of firearms to illegal markets. Volume I, “Firearms in Commerce,” published in May 2022, focused specifically on the regulated firearms industry. According to the report, a crime gun is any firearm used or suspected to have been used in a crime.

This NFCTA volume is the first all-inclusive report to include crime gun information from so many sources – collectively known as “Crime Gun Intelligence” – used by ATF in more than 20 years. Included in this volume is a review of the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA) and its provisions. A list of Federal Firearms Licenses (FFLs) is included in this report in more detail than in the first volume. According to the report, GCA states that FFLs are required of those involved in the manufacture or sale of firearms in the United States. GCA also requires licensed firearms importers and manufacturers to engrave or cast serial numbers on their weapons, as well as other unique identifiers. These markings aid in solving and preventing firearms-related crimes. Data used in this report pertains to crime guns submitted to ATF for tracing and/or processed for ballistic and related evidence between 2017 and 2021.

A PDF of the report can be downloaded at https://tinyurl.com/5n7jkap6