The gun numbers: just 3% of American adults own a collective 133m firearms

https://www.theguardian.com ^ | Wednesday 15 November 2017 02.00 EST | Lois Beckett

[BackRoads775]

You’ve heard the statistics before: Americans have more guns per head than any nation on earth – along with gun violence rates that are dramatically higher than other rich, developed countries.

But these big-picture facts can be misleading. Not every American is packing heat and gun violence is intensely concentrated in small neighbourhoods.

Here’s a look at the dramatic concentration of America’s guns – and America’s violence:

[central_va]

I don’t have the bathrooms covered. I am vulnerable in the throne room.

[maxwellsmart_agent]

Of all the people I know, about 80 to 85% own at least 1 gun. I do not believe the numbers presented. I think it is hogwash. There are more people owning guns than what this article presents, definitely. A lot of people do not carry but they own guns for personal defense. Actually more than 3% have carry permits. This is why I do not believe the numbers.

4

[5th MEB]

You are correct (but your numbers are off), I have at least 3 in every room in concealed, strategic locations.
TRUST NO ONE
BELIEVE NOTHING
Always be prepared and have a plan.
TO KILL EVERYTHING WITH A PULSE.
(this includes dogs, cats, parrots, skunks, canaries, monkeys, etc.) and I love dogs (got 6).

[American in Israel]

“... gun violence is intensely concentrated in small neighborhoods...”

Yeah, like Chicago.

[IronJack]

gun violence is intensely concentrated in small neighbourhoods.

Yes, neighborhoods where most of the people who own guns have no legal right to own guns. Neighborhoods in which innocent, decent people do NOT own guns, and consequently are disproportionately victims of the criminals who DO.

Meanwhile, out in the suburbs and the country, where most LEGAL gun owners live, crime is minimal.

So tell me again how it's the fault of the guns ...

[Celerity]

“Their average collection: 17 guns each
Guilty!”

Underachiever !

[IronJack]

I’ve been a good boy, I Voted for Trump and have TRUMP 45 Vanity License Plates on my Car.

I predict great things under your tree this year.

[Celerity]

“Super Owners”

OOOO I like that. I’m gonna use that.

[freedomjusticeruleoflaw]

3%... It always is and will be the 3%. The vast majority of any population does not matter when the shtf.

[Yo-Yo]

More likely, 3% of Americans admit to owning guns.

That's what I thought, too, but it turns out the story says that between 22 and 31% of Americans own guns, but just 3% own about half of the 265 million guns in America.

I strive to be in the top 3%.

[IronJack]

You could fit almost two Europe’s into the US with room left over.

Furthermore, Europeans lived for centuries under kings. They were ruled. And they grew used to it.

Americans are not. We are GOVERNED -- with our consent. And THAT is the key difference between Euros who acquiesce in their own disarmament, and Americans, who live with a natural distrust of rulers.

[farming pharmer]

At least 10% of the males will no longer admit to gun ownership. Especially in blue states.

Anecdotally, I'd quadruple or pentuple that. NOBODY I know would admit to gun ownership to anybody they didn't know personally, and then maybe not. Definitely not to some pollster, nosey physician, etc...

[SoFloFreeper]

Lois Beckett doesn’t have to own a gun if s/he doesn’t want to own a gun. No one is putting a gun to his/her head.

[stranger and pilgrim]

What the article doesn’t say is that those Super Owners, who possess all the guns, are NOT the same small group of people who account for most of the homicides. They’re two completely different groups of people. The problem with gun control is that it’s “supposed” to address the small number that commit crimes, but end up only impacting the law-abiding people who own all the guns.

[VideoPaul]

I only own 11.

Know what that means?

SHOPPING TRIP!!!!

[VideoPaul]

Valerie Jarrett gleefully cackled that O’Vomit was ready to RULE”. Forgetting, like liberals are wont to do, that Americans arn’t ruled, they are governed and decide who will govern them.

Silly liberals.

[Strac6]

I’m stuck at 11. I guess I’m just not doing my part.

[libstripper]

What they were careful not to do was report how many of us guilty were involved in any crimes in the last year, let alone gun crimes. They also carefully refrained from reporting how many of us reside in high crime neighborhoods. If they did, they’d be horrified to discover how law abiding we are and how we don’t contribute to high gun crime rates.

[libstripper]

OMG!!! You have a,private arsenal and a,private dog pack.

[TigersEye]

Rates of personal and household gun ownership appear to have declined over the past decades – roughly two-thirds of Americans today say they live in a gun-free household. By contrast, in the late 1970s, the majority of Americans said they lived in a household with guns.

IOWs, in our highly polarized political environment, the number of Americans who will admit to a stranger on the phone that they own firearms has dropped.

I sure wouldn't.