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FBI: Record amount of background checks for gun purchases recorded in December

By WEEK Reporter

FBI: Record amount of background checks for gun purchases recorded in December

January 3, 2013 Updated Jan 3, 2013 at 2:13 PM CDT

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- NBC News is reporting that according to the FBI, background checks to purchase weapons rose 39 percent in December, setting an all-time high.

The FBI said it recorded 2.78 million background checks during December. That is a 49 percent increase over December 2011, when they recorded 1.86 million checks.

The number indicates that in the aftermath of the December 14 Sandy Hook school shooting, consumers are interested in self defense and concerned about potential limits to be placed on firearms in the future.

NBC News says that the number does not represent the total number of guns sold and that the government does not track that statistic.

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