Wisconsin Firearms Trafficking and Crime Gun Fact Sheet
Wisconsin is facing a crime gun crisis—and the evidence points squarely at the state’s own federally licensed gun dealers. In 2023 alone, law enforcement recovered and traced 8,441 crime guns across Wisconsin. Of those, 84 percent (7,127) were originally purchased through Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs). Even more troubling, more than 85 percent of those guns—6,053 firearms—were sold by FFLs operating within Wisconsin.1ATF, “Firearms Trace Data 2023,” December 2024, https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/firearms-trace-data-2023. See Firearm Types Recovered and Traced in the United States and Territories and Time-to-Crime – Firearms Sourced and Recovered in the United States and Territories.
Many Wisconsin crime guns show indicia of trafficking. Approximately 56 percent of all crime guns recovered in Wisconsin were purchased less than three years before their recovery—a key red flag for illegal trafficking.2ATF, “Firearms Trace Data: Wisconsin – 2023,” December 2024, https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/firearms-trace-data-wisconsin-2023. See Time-To-Crime Rates for Firearms with a Wisconsin Recovery. Additionally, between 2017 and 2021, nearly 84 percent of crime guns were recovered in the possession of someone other than the purchaser, another significant indication of firearm trafficking.3ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA), Wisconsin State Report,” November 2023, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/wisconsin-state-report/download. See Crime Guns Recovered and Traced, 2017-2021. See Page 3, Crime Guns by Purchaser/Possessor Grouping when Purchaser is Known. Based on this data, it is estimated that 3,364 crime guns recovered in 2023 were likely funneled from FFLs to obvious traffickers and ultimately to violent criminals.
According to the ATF trafficking investigations studied in the National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA), nearly 90 percent of trafficking cases involve a possessor that is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm. Additionally, possessors or recipients of trafficked guns tend to be convicted felons (60 percent), known gang members (29 percent), or drug users or drug traffickers (22 percent).4ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA), Volume III: Firearms Trafficking Investigations—Part VI: Characteristics of Firearm Traffickers, End Users, and Defendants,” April 2024, 1, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/nfcta-volume-iii-part-vi/download. See table CFT-25a. Trafficked firearms are more likely to be used in violent crimes.
Despite there being roughly 1,700 active FFLs in Wisconsin, it is estimated just 273 FFLs are actively selling firearms,5According to NFCTA research, actual sales are concentrated among a small subset of this overall group of licensees: just 15 percent of gun dealers account for 90 percent of all retail gun sales, 38 percent of pawnbrokers are responsible for 91 percent of pawnshop sales, and 17 percent of manufacturers are responsible for 96 percent of retail sales conducted by manufacturers. ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA), Volume I: Firearms in Commerce,” May 2022, 67–68, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/national-firearms-commerce-and-trafficking-assessment-firearms-commerce-volume/download. See Tables SD-03: “Total Type 01 FFLs and EMSV by EMSV Range, 2017–2020;” SD-04: “Type 02 FFLs and EMSV Range, 2017–2020”; and SD-05: “Type 07 FFLs and EMSV Range, 2017–2020.” and it is likely that just 11 FFLs are responsible for nearly 1 in 5 crime guns sourced in Wisconsin. In other words, stop a few FFLs, and you can make a huge impact on violent gun crime.
This isn’t an abstract national issue—it’s a local supply chain problem. And, without meaningful action, it will continue to fuel violence in Wisconsin communities.
Traced Crime Guns by Type
In 2023, 8,441 crime guns were recovered in Wisconsin and subsequently traced. Wisconsin ranked 22nd in the U.S. for most traces of crime guns recovered in 2023.6Everytown analysis of ATF Firearms Trace Data 2023.
| Type7ATF, “Firearms Trace Data: Michigan – 2023,” December 2024, https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/firearms-trace-data-wisconsin-2023. See “Firearm Types with a Wisconsin Recovery.” | Recovered and Traced | Percentage of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Pistols | 6,672 | 79% |
| Rifles | 705 | 8% |
| Revolvers | 460 | 5% |
| Shotguns | 392 | 5% |
| Machinegun Conversion Devices | 89 | 1% |
Top Five Cities with the Most Crime Guns Recovered8Recovery City known in 7,123 traces.
Wisconsin FFLs supply 85 percent of all crime guns recovered in the state.9ATF, “Firearms Trace Data: Wisconsin – 2023,” December 2024, https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/firearms-trace-data-wisconsin-2023. See “Top 15 Source States for Firearms with a Wisconsin Recovery, 2023.” Approximately 60 percent of crime guns were purchased within 25 miles of where they were recovered in Wisconsin.10ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA), Wisconsin State Report,” November 2023, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/wisconsin-state-report/download. See Crime Guns Recovered and Traced, 2017-2021. The state is its own source of crime guns, making it a viable target for trafficking reduction strategies aimed at local dealers.
| Recovery City | Number of Crime Guns Traced11ATF, “Firearms Trace Data 2023,” December 2024, https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/firearms-trace-data-2023. See Firearm Types Recovered and Traced in the United States and Territories and Time-to-Crime – Firearms Sourced and Recovered in the United States and Territories | Percentage of Traces |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | 3,781 | 45% |
| Madison | 413 | 5% |
| West Allis | 348 | 4% |
| Racine | 322 | 4% |
| Kenosha | 275 | 3% |
Time-To-Crime of Traced Firearms Recovered in Wisconsin12TTC known in 7,117 traces. ATF, “Firearms Trace Data: Wisconsin – 2023,” December 2024, https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/firearms-trace-data-wisconsin-2023.
Fifty-six percent (4,005) of all crime guns were purchased less than three years prior to recovery in a crime. Wisconsin’s percentage of traces within three years is seven percentage points higher than the national average.13ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFTCA), Volume IV: Protecting America from Trafficked Firearms—Part III: Crime Gun Tracing Updates and New Analysis,” January 2025, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/nfcta-volume-iv-part-iii-%E2%80%93-crime-gun-tracing-updates-and-new-analysis/download. See page 9 Figure CGT-10. The rapid movement from purchase to use in a crime strongly indicates Wisconsin has a significant trafficking problem.
| TTC14ATF, “Firearms Trace Data: Michigan – 2023,” December 2024, https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/firearms-trace-data-wisconsin-2023. See Firearm Types with a Michigan Recovery. See Time-To-Crime Rates for Firearms with a Wisconsin Recovery. | Number of Traces | Percentage of Traces |
|---|---|---|
| Less Than 1 Year | 1,676 | 24% |
| Less Than 3 Years | 4,005 | 56% |
Federal Firearms Licensees in Wisconsin
Currently, there are 1,725 active FFLs in Wisconsin;15ATF, “State Federal Firearms Listings,” September 2025, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/listing-federal-firearms-licensees/. Includes Type 01, Type 02, and Type 07 FFLs. however, based on NFCTA research, just 15 percent of retail dealers, 38 percent of pawnbrokers, and about 17 percent of manufacturers account for 90 percent of all firearm sales. Based on this information, there are about 273 FFLs actively selling firearms, providing a more manageable number for oversight.16NFCTA Volume I, Part V, Tables SD-03, 04, and 05.
| Type of FFL | Number of Active FFLs | Percentage of FFLs |
|---|---|---|
| Type 01 – Dealer | 1,225 | 71% |
| Type 02 – Pawnbroker | 35 | 2% |
| Type 07 – Manufacturer | 445 | 26% |
| Type 08 – Importer | 20 | 1% |
Methods of Firearm Trafficking
According to ATF trafficking investigations between 2017 and 2021 conducted in the ATF St. Paul Field Division, which covers Wisconsin, the top three methods of trafficking involved theft from an FFL, straw purchasing, and unlicensed dealing.17The cases encompass the entire ATF St. Paul Field Division, which includes Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota. Data is from the NFCTA Volume III, Part III, Appendix FTC-05. Nationally, nearly 24 percent of straw purchasing trafficking cases, 16 percent of unlicensed dealing, and nearly 7 percent of FFL theft trafficking cases were linked to at least one shooting.18NFCTA Volume III, Part IX, Table IO-06. FFL oversight and accountability are critical in reducing firearm trafficking and gun violence.
| Method of Trafficking | Number of Cases | Percentage of Total Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Stolen from an FFL | 48 | 36% |
| Straw Purchasing | 39 | 29% |
| Unlicensed Dealing | 37 | 27% |
| Private Party Theft | 11 | 8% |
Additional Data on Crime Gun Recoveries Between 2017–202119“National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA), Wisconsin State Report,” November 2023, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/wisconsin-state-report/download. See Crime Guns Recovered and Traced, 2017-2021.
Between 2017 and 2021, more than 28,000 crime guns were recovered in Wisconsin and traced by law enforcement, of which nearly 85 percent were traced to a purchase from an FFL. Further, more than 84 percent of these crime guns were purchased from FFLs operating within Wisconsin. During this time, 53 percent of these crime guns were purchased less than three years prior to recovery, and just 16 percent were recovered in the possession of the purchaser. These statistics further highlight the fact that Wisconsin’s violent gun crime is fueled by traffickers who obtain their crime guns from local FFLs.
| Total Crime Guns Recovered and Traced | 28,122 |
| Total Traced to a Purchaser from an FFL | 23,842 |
| Total Traced to a Purchase at a WI FFL | 20,096 |
Top Source Cities for Crime Guns
Between 2017 and 2021, it is likely that 11 FFLs located in three cities in Wisconsin were the source of more than 20 percent of all crime guns. These same FFLs are still selling guns in 2025.
| City | Number of Crime Guns Recovered and Traced20ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA), Wisconsin State Report,” November 2023, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/wisconsin-state-report/download. See page 3. | Number of FFLs Active Between ‘17-’21 and Still Operational |
|---|---|---|
| Germantown | 1,707 | 5 |
| Richfield | 1,523 | 3 |
| Franklin | 1,176 | 3 |
Distance Between FFL Purchase Location and Crime Gun Recovery Location
Nearly 60 percent of all crime guns in Wisconsin were recovered within 25 miles of the FFL they were purchased from.21ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA), Wisconsin State Report,” November 2023, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/wisconsin-state-report/download. See page 3. To reduce gun violence, you must identify and investigate the FFLs located in the areas with the most crime gun recoveries.
| Distance in Miles | Number of Crime Guns Recovered and Traced | Percentage of Total Traces |
|---|---|---|
| 0-10 | 6,306 | 35% |
| 11-25 | 4,404 | 25% |
| 26-50 | 1,612 | 9% |
| 51-100 | 1,755 | 10% |
| 101-200 | 1,136 | 6% |
| 201-300 | 482 | 3% |
| More than 300 | 2,270 | 13% |
Shootings and NIBIN Leads
According to NFCTA research of ATF firearm trafficking investigations, approximately 15 percent of trafficked firearms are used in shootings.22ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA), Volume III: Firearms Trafficking Investigations—Part IX: Investigation Outcomes,” April 2024, 5, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/nfcta-volume-iii-part-ix/download. In order to disrupt those who pull the trigger, you must stop the traffickers and the FFL suppliers. The median time-to-first-shooting of just 1.4 years for recovered pistols in Wisconsin indicates the perpetrators were likely armed by traffickers.23ATF, “National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA), Wisconsin State Report,” November 2023, https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/wisconsin-state-report/download. See page 6.
| Total Casings and Test Fires Entered into NIBIN | 40,226 |
| NIBIN Leads | 19,539 |
| NIBIN Lead Rate | 49% |
| Total Pistols Recovered and Test Fired | 12,638 |
| Pistols with NIBIN Leads | 3,703 |
| Lead Rate from Pistol Test Fires | 29% |
| Median Time-to-First-Shooting (TTFS) | 1.4 Years |
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Everytown Research & Policy is a program of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, an independent, non-partisan organization dedicated to understanding and reducing gun violence. Everytown Research & Policy works to do so by conducting methodologically rigorous research, supporting evidence-based policies, and communicating this knowledge to the American public.