Federal gun background checks fall to lowest monthly level in four years

The number of federal gun background checks fell 12 percent in February to their lowest level for the month in four years, surprising industry analysts who said the numbers indicate the market hasn’t completely shaken its “Trump slump.”

The FBI ran slightly more than 2 million checks through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) last month, compared to more than 2.3 million in February 2018.

“The large year-over-year drop in February 2019 sales, particularly in the long-gun segment, might give the industry some pause,” said Jurgen Brauer, the...