Percentage of population that owns firearms

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Unfortunately most people I know don't own guns. This really gets on my nerves.
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Meet new people that shoot. Introduce shooting to those that don't shoot now.

I don't have anyone to talk about guns with.
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Welcome to THR. :D

It also bothers me that my own family members refuse to have the ability to defend themselves.
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They still do have that ability - just maybe not as effective as you would like. I choose a gun, but if for some reason I don't have a gun near by (like when I'm at school :cuss:) you can best believe that I'll make every dang thing near me into a self-defense tool. My Uniball will become a tactical eye remover, and my coffee mug will become a projectile. But, I'm not the guy that will lay down and prepare to die. I doubt your relatives would be if push comes to shove. Any chance you have ever shown them the Armed Citizen column?
 
I own enough to make gun owners out of:

1. my kids when they are old enough
2. my neighbors, who may not be, but "*Could" be.


*It amazes me, how when something bad happens in the area, people suddenly become more willing to consider gun ownership. I ALWAYS point out that it would be best to get one now, instead of when you may think you need one....as it may be to late. There was a really sad and fortunately rare occurance in our county where a recently released criminal killed 3 and kidnapped a 14 year old, sexually mollesting her, made her sit in the car with the dismembered bodies of her family, etc....... Suddenly, folks were considering thier defense options. I offered to sell a gun (Cheap) to a neighbor who was inquiring about borrowing one. (Borrowing is bad in these situations, imo). The problem is, that is 100% reactionary. Unless you have a repeat, jack the ripper, kind of problem; it doesnt do you any good.

rant over....:eek:
 
I know of at least one person who thought the "percentage" was high! :D


"You cannot invade the mainland United States.
There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass."

- Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
(Japanese Navy)
 
I can only speak with certainty about my own neighborhood, a rural-turning-suburban area of New York State about 60 miles northwest of Manhattan. I'm familiar with just about everybody within a mile radius or so:

About 75% own long guns of some sort; 25% own handguns, with perhaps 1 or 2% actively carrying concealed. Maybe 10% hunt or shoot actively. I'm not suggesting that these percentages can be applied to the rest of the country, or even to NYS, as regulations for gun ownership vary widely as do demographics.

As far as my own "circle of friends" is concerned---not representative of the general population by any means---about 80% own guns and hunt actively, with perhaps 10% regularly carrying concealed. Roughly about the same as my neighborhood.
 
Here in Illinois,when I go to GanderMountain, I see more and more people in the Firearms department. I've been told that sales are up 17% this year. I for one bought this year, to add to my collection. My wife has gotten an interest into learning and shooting. She is taking a class. I think it was a smart move on Her part. I'm proud of Her.
 
*It amazes me, how when something bad happens in the area, people suddenly become more willing to consider gun ownership. I ALWAYS point out that it would be best to get one now, instead of when you may think you need one....as it may be to late. There was a really sad and fortunately rare occurance in our county where a recently released criminal killed 3 and kidnapped a 14 year old, sexually mollesting her, made her sit in the car with the dismembered bodies of her family, etc....... Suddenly, folks were considering thier defense options. I offered to sell a gun (Cheap) to a neighbor who was inquiring about borrowing one. (Borrowing is bad in these situations, imo). The problem is, that is 100% reactionary. Unless you have a repeat, jack the ripper, kind of problem; it doesnt do you any good.

rant over....
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This was very sad and gruesome Just like the incident in Bellefontaine. I think that if Tina's friend or one of the older couple had a gun the outcome would be different.

Guns for defensive purposes is like insurance. You don't think you need it until something happens. Then you're happy to have it.
 
Why we even worry about China or whoever else invading us is beyond me.

Probably 30 million of able bodied defenders (high number, not army ready but ready to go and man a barricade and set an ambush)
 
Very few people I know (mostly people I work with) actually own a gun. That includes many conservatives.
 
Typically, I have seen reports that say there is 1 gun for every person in the country - about 350,000,000. Considering most folks own a lot more than one, I would venture that 15-20% of the households have a gun(s) - with a lot of folks living in crowded cities where ownership and access are limited, that % would not surprise me if it was true
 
ol' scratch said:
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According to the census numbers, that is 113,592,424 ONLY 37 percent sounds small until you actually work out the numbers. We have OVER 100 million gun owners in this country. That is if you use the census from this year.

Congrats...We just became the largest Army in the world...
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..........unfortunately, 1 outta 3 is still a minority. This is why we as gun owners need to display gun ownership and their use in a responsible and positive way to the general public. We are fortunate that the antis are a minority also and that the deciding factor as to us keeping our gun rights is the other minority of those that are neutral to gun ownership. We will never change the minds of the antis, but we have a good chance at those that are neutral.
 
There are more people who have guns than you may think. They just don't talk about it.
 
I've noticed myself a large increase at my local gun stores customers. I've even converted 5 antigun friends. I believe in "its better to have one and not need it than to not own one and need it" 100%. We've had an increase in home invasions lately that the media likes to hide and if they do report it they don't make a big deal out of it. At least with a firearm and proper training your odds are better.
Criminals these days can do anything they want (rape, murder, kidnap) and amazingly they still have rights.
And then you have to sit in court for years and look and the murderer that killed your family being defended by the law.
:mad:
 
I'm not sure that knowing the number, or percentage of households with guns is very useful information. I have two sons-in-law who have a gun in their home (one of which I provided to him) that are unloaded, with either no ammo in the house or ammo is stored where it is not accessible if needed. I have a brother who has an old 22 rifle that he hasn't fired in about 40 years and hasn't owned any ammo in the same time period. What does it mean if someone has a gun in the home but is unwilling or unable to use it for self defense? When talking about guns with co-workers I find that I am almost alone in stating that I believe it is worthwhile to own a gun or guns for home defense (of course, I do work with primarily women). The fact that a rabid anti-gun rights individual could get elected as President tells me that concerned gun owners who want to protect their 2nd Amendment rights are in a minority in this country.
 
According to the census numbers, that is 113,592,424 ONLY 37 percent sounds small until you actually work out the numbers.
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But you know that's not right since it includes 37% of all the infants and children.... I suspect that 37% of households is pretty close.
 
I suspect that about 30% of the adult population own at least one firearm. The large numbers in my opinion are concentrated with folks that own more that a couple firearms like most of the folks here at THR.
 
Funny how my anti-gun friends got interested all of a sudden when hurricane Rita was bearing down on us!

In the aftermath of Ike, learned my neighborhood could arm a decent size banana republic :) Probably why Houston had a pretty much uneventful aftermath.
 
The 90% figure refers to estimated total number of firearms vs. total population. The best estates I've seen put the number of armed households somewhere around 40%.
 
I can honestly say that everyone I know has a firearm of some type in their home. I would guess that rural areas are much higher than urban areas due to sporting use.
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Actually, urban areas have plenty of gun owners too. A city just east of here has a total ban on concealed carry, yet every two-bit thug over there has a gun.
 
Count me as a person who will talk guns face to face, but in official situations, and surveys in which I don't have full trust in, won't admit to much.

So I'm going to go with it is a number that is hard to determine, which is exactly how I like it.
 
Fellas, don't panic about the low numbers of people in surveys that are gun owners.

Also don't panic about how few people you know personally that own guns.

Do YOU talk to casual acquaintances about your hobby? I don't. Would YOU answer a random phone survey inquiring about whether you have guns in the home? I sure as heck wouldn't.

If they aren't close friends (ex: I see them outside of work or school voluntarily more than twice a month), they have no idea about my thoughts on the subject or ownership. And of my actual friends, over 80% have guns, but not one of them would admit to it in any kind of survey. And the other 20% would have guns if they had a few hundred dollars to spare (they are students).

The bottom line on surveys is that you have no idea who is doing the asking and there's no telling how they intend to spin the information they gather.
 
The bottom line on surveys is that you have no idea who is doing the asking and there's no telling how they intend to spin the information they gather.
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That is pretty much how I see it. So I would never answer a survey (say via telephone) where I am directly identifiable as owning a firearm. But the same survey might as if you favor more gun control measures. The answer to that question is NO.

Many people I know know that I own at least a couple guns. These are mostly friends or work mates.
 
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