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gun/person ratio?

Ray BRay B Member Posts: 11,822
edited September 2015 in General Discussion
I herd a statistic on TV- it was in reply to someone that called the Second Amendment Silly & Outdated. the person said there were 300+ million people in the US and that there are an estimated 100 million guns. So if no one had more than one gun, there would still be 200+ million people in the US that are without a firearm. Are these numbers anywhere near correct?

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    Ditch-RunnerDitch-Runner Member Posts: 24,555 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have also heard they have no idea how many firearms are in the hands of the public , its just a guess based on production x the years being produced . no way to tell imports legal or illegal in the country
    I am sure they want to change that some day they will do as other country's have done to be more civilized , demand all to be requester it or you become a out law subject to loosing your home and family .
    then after registering they will decide what you can or should have and force you to turn in or the same fate awaits.
    I do not know any one with just one firearm its more than one or none at all and they refuse to have one .
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    11b6r11b6r Member Posts: 16,588 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    As said, there IS no official tally of how many firearms are owned by private citizens- but that number quoted is WAY the hell off.

    BATF has estimated about 310-360 million privately owned firearms. More than Law Enforcement and the military combined by a LARGE factor. It is estimated that 1 in 3 households has a least 1 firearm. Please note the 2009 date- the RATE of manufacture has increased, and ATF does publish an annual report on NEW gun production.

    Typical argument that starts on a fallacy. Tell a lie, and build on it.

    C&P:
    By . 2009, the estimated total number of firearms available to civilians in the United States had increased to approximately 310 million: 114 million handguns, 110 million rifles, and 86 million shotguns(36). Per capita, the civilian gun stock has roughly doubled since 1968, from one gun per every two persons to one gun per person.

    *ATF = U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

    Sources cited:

    25) Jens Ludwig and Phillip J. Cook, Guns in America: National Survey on Private Ownership and Use of Firearms, NCJ 165476, May 1999, http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles/165476.pdf.
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    GuvamintCheeseGuvamintCheese Member Posts: 38,932
    edited November -1
    Even the gun hating progressive hypocrites own guns now.
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    select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,453 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have xtra for folks needing something when the SHTF.
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    US Military GuyUS Military Guy Member Posts: 3,622 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by select-fire
    I have xtra for folks needing something when the SHTF.


    Great idea for a giveaway!!!!!

    Please put me in for something in the .30 caliber range.

    When will you draw the name?

    [:D]
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    chiefrchiefr Member Posts: 13,777 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Whatever the number is, it's just too few.
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    select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,453 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by US Military Guy
    quote:Originally posted by select-fire
    I have xtra for folks needing something when the SHTF.


    Great idea for a giveaway!!!!!

    Please put me in for something in the .30 caliber range.

    When will you draw the name?

    [:D]


    If you are on a gun forum and don't own a firearm.. something is wrong with this picture. There will be folks locally that don't have a working firearm or ammo.
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    He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 50,951 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote: Per capita, the civilian gun stock has roughly doubled since 1968, from one gun per every two persons to one gun per person.




    I must have a couple that belong to someone else. Too bad.
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    Horse Plains DrifterHorse Plains Drifter Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 39,358 ***** Forums Admin
    edited November -1
    I read somewhere that there are 80-100 million gun owners in the US, and an estimated 300 million guns.
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    fordsixfordsix Member Posts: 8,722
    edited November -1
    i think it is more like 10 guns to every man,woman child
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    select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,453 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    300 Million guns they know of... What about all the others?
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    US Military GuyUS Military Guy Member Posts: 3,622 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by select-fire
    quote:Originally posted by US Military Guy
    quote:Originally posted by select-fire
    I have xtra for folks needing something when the SHTF.


    Great idea for a giveaway!!!!!

    Please put me in for something in the .30 caliber range.

    When will you draw the name?

    [:D]


    If you are on a gun forum and don't own a firearm.. something is wrong with this picture. There will be folks locally that don't have a working firearm or ammo.


    Gun Forum = gun collection - CHECK
    Woodworking Forum = woodworking shop - CHECK
    Machinist Forum = metal lathe - CHECK
    Cannon Forum = cannon - CHECK
    Military Vehicle Forum = MB Jeep and M274A5 Mule - CHECK
    Militaria Forum = US Military collection - CHECK

    Yep, you are right. I got everything covered.

    Deleting my favorite porn sights now. [:D] [:D] [:D]

    If the local folks don't have a working gun or ammo right now, what will they do with one, when you give them one?
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    Dads3040Dads3040 Member Posts: 13,552 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The last I saw, there have been something like 170 million new guns sold just since the early 1990s, and IIRC there were 20 million background checks done in 2013 alone.

    I have three friends who have shot with me before, but never owned a gun of their own who in the last few months have asked me to recommend what to get.

    Each of them now has at least one handgun, a shotgun, and an AR. I am taking my next door neighbor shopping later this week.

    My work is never done. [;)][8D]
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    TheBrassManTheBrassMan Member Posts: 3,808 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by fordsix
    i think it is more like 10 guns to every man,woman child


    I heard that before. They say that there are enough guns in private hands for every
    man, woman and child to have 10 each. Of those guns in private hands, they are owned by
    approximately 100 million people.
    The U.S. Citizenry is considered the third largest armed body on the planet.

    If that is the truth that means that there are approximately 3.75 billion firearms in the U.S.[:0]
    But how many of those are antiques that are unsafe to fire or are not fireable?
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    cce1302cce1302 Member Posts: 9,555 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I recently read a a claim that more than 20 million new firearms were sold last year alone.

    Considering that Ruger alone has sold more than 1 million firearms each year for the past several years, that number sounds reasonable.



    So...even if there are only 100 million guns (not true) there will be 300 million within 10 years, if sales stagnate.
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    Ray BRay B Member Posts: 11,822
    edited November -1
    My concern with the statistic wasn't how many guns or gun owners there are; but the number of people that do not have access to a firearm. A glance at the numbers would indicate that over half of US households have no means of protecting themselves beyond a large kitchen knife.
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    Missouri Mule K30Missouri Mule K30 Member Posts: 2,092 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Or safety scissors...[:o)]
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    DocDoc Member Posts: 13,899 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Educated guesses on numbers.

    Estimates are that 40-50% of households have at least one gun. Let's say there are 80,000,000 gun owners. That's roughly one out four Americans. In my circle of friends I don't know anyone who only has one gun although I'm sure there are many folks who do have but one. In my group I'd say the average number of guns is about 25. Let's assume my friends are a little crazy and have twice as many guns as is the actual figure nationwide. Round down to 12 guns per gun owner. I think that estimate of 12 guns is reasonable.

    80,000,000 x 12 is 816,000,000 guns. Let's say I am over estimating by 50%. That makes it 6 guns per owner or 408,000,000 guns.

    The 300,000,000 figure from ATF would mean less than 4 guns per owner. I think that number is much too low.
    ....................................................................................................
    Too old to live...too young to die...
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    JnRockwallJnRockwall Member Posts: 16,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Ditch-Runner
    I have also heard they have no idea how many firearms are in the hands of the public , its just a guess based on production x the years being produced . no way to tell imports legal or illegal in the country
    I am sure they want to change that some day they will do as other country's have done to be more civilized , demand all to be requester it or you become a out law subject to loosing your home and family .
    then after registering they will decide what you can or should have and force you to turn in or the same fate awaits.
    I do not know any one with just one firearm its more than one or none at all and they refuse to have one .



    Not sure I know anyone with less than 10 guns.
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