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Less Gun Dealers, Less Crime

The Drop in Federally Licensed Firearms Dealers in the Midwest

Section Four: The Drop in Gun Dealers

As a result of the new licensing requirements and ATF's increased scrutiny of licensees, the number of Type 1 FFLs in the United States has dropped 72 percent�from 245,628 in 1994 to 69,591 in 2000. In the Midwest, the number of dealers has dropped 70 percent, from 63,219 to 19,076. Illinois led the region with a 75 percent reduction, while Michigan was first in terms of number decrease of FFLs with 8,782.7 For information on all midwestern states, see Figures One and Two.

Figure One: Number and Percent Decrease of Type 1 FFLs in the Midwest, January 1994 to January 2000

State Total of Type 1 Federal Firearms License (FFL) Holders, January 1994 Total of Type 1 Federal Firearms License (FFL) Holders, January 2000 Number Decrease From 1994 to 2000 Percent Decrease From 1994 to 2000
Illinois 8,959 2,227 6,732 75%
Indiana 5,872 1,970 3,902 66%
Iowa 3,877 1,371 2,506 65%
Kansas 3,653 1,128 2,525 69%
Michigan 12,076 3,294 8,782 73%
Minnesota 5,741 1,935 3,806 66%
Missouri 7,624 2,360 5,264 69%
Ohio 9,464 2,891 6,573 69%
Wisconsin 5,953 1,900 4,053 68%
Total 63,219 19,076 44,143 70%

 

As the number of dealers in the United States dropped, the percentage of kitchen-table dealers also fell. In 1998, 56 percent of Type 1 FFLs operated out of residential premises, down from 74 percent in 1992. The number of inactive FFLs has dropped as well. In 1998, 31 percent of licensees had not sold a gun in the previous year, down from 46 percent in 1992.8

Go to Section Five: What Next?

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  All contents � 2000 Violence Policy Center

 


The Violence Policy Center is a national non-profit educational foundation that conducts research on violence in America and works to develop violence-reduction policies and proposals. The Center examines the role of firearms in America, conducts research on firearms violence, and explores new ways to decrease firearm-related death and injury.