“Despite the high number of guns estimated to be in the U.S., indications are that gun ownership is actually on the decline
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Indications of decline? Ha! I wouldn’t bet my life on it if I were you. A little common sense is to be applied here.
With the constant battle of the so called progressives against the 2nd Amendment, I would state that common sense would indicate that many people would not admit to owning a gun even though they do. In my own family in my childhood, My father owned two guns, my mother one, my sister one , my brother one, and I had two. That makes a total of 7 guns. Today, although my parents and sister are gone, the remaining members of the family (2) have a total of 17 guns which does not count the guns possessed by our children and grandchildren. I think gun ownership is expanding, although covertly. France, of the major European countries, is still heavily armed and many gunowners I know there would not admit to owning firearms. So “official’ numbers are highly suspect. Anyone who hunts or takes part in gun sports will probably agree with me.
I hope you are right. :)