McClure-Volkmer was signed into law by President Reagan on May 19, 1986. The result is a readily available source of weapons and ammunition for a wide variety of criminals, including street gangs, white supremacists, would-be presidential assassins, and domestic terrorists.
Estimates vary widely as to how many now occur each year.
ATF estimates that there are 2,000 gun shows held in the United States each year. However, in contrast, the National Association of Arms Shows puts the estimate at more than 100 gun shows every weekend for a total of 5,200 annually. The Association also estimates that more than five million people attend gun shows each year, generating billions of dollars in sales. To obtain some reliable estimate of the effect of McClure-Volkmer on the prevalence of gun shows, the Violence Policy Center conducted a series of interviews with various federal, state, and local law enforcement representatives as well as with gun show promoters. The VPC surveyed a total of 25 individuals in 16 states regarding their experience with gun shows and similar events, such as flea markets.