The third quarter of 2020 was the busiest quarter in the history of Pennsylvania's firearm background check system, the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) announced Tuesday. 

The Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS) was established in 1998 and used by country sheriffs, chiefs of police of cities of the first class and licensed firearms dealers in Pennsylvania to determine whether an individual can legally obtain a firearm or a license to carry. 

PICS completed a record 406,151 background checks during the third quarter, which was the period between July 1 and September 30, 2020. The prior record high was 369,807 set in the first quarter of 2013. 

The same period in 2019 saw 225,214 completed PICS checks. 

The highest volume day in the third quarter of 2020 was July 23, with 7,120 completed checks. The highest volume day on record was November 2017, which saw 9,178 PICS checks completed. 

6,950 persons were denied during the third quarter of 2020, compared to 2,802 a year ago.