The National Shooting Sports Foundation reported in a survey released Thursday that the economic impact of the firearms and ammunition industry totaled $31 billion in 2011 — up from $19 billion in 2008. The figure includes jobs, taxes, and sales. The foundation, which has its headquarters in Newtown, Conn., is the trade association for the firearms industry.

The number of jobs in the gun industry increased by 30 percent to 98,750, and firearms businesses paid $2.5 billion in federal taxes, up 66 percent in the three-year period, the foundation said. Additionally, background check requests for purchases of firearms set records in 2010 and 2011, FBI data shows.

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