Gun Control Reform Activism

Statistical

(19,264 posts)

14. which isn't the same thing as "more guns in fewer hands"

Tue Sep 8, 2015, 02:28 PM

Sep 2015

I agreed that the % of population that owns guns has declined however the population has risen and thus saying "in fewer hands". If there were 65M gun owners in 1980 and there are >=65M gun owners today then it would not be "in fewer hands". It is only fewer is the nominal number decreases. Whites make up a smaller percentage of the population but there are not fewer white Americans than in the past.

Thanks for the references. Most just reference household and while it looks like the numbers follow each other it is nice to see owners specifically. Lets look at GSS.

% of persons indicating they owned a gun
29% of population in 1980
22% of population in 2012

Population of US
1980 - 226.5M
2012 - 311.7M

Nominal owners of guns
1980 - 65.7M (226.5M * 29%)
2013 - 68.6M (311.7M * 22%)

That would be more guns in slightly more (not fewer) hands. Right?

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America has more guns in fewer hands than ever before [View all] flamin lib Mar 2015 OP

no question, author? question.... jimmy the one Mar 2015 #1

Pew has questioned that result in their own poll flamin lib Mar 2015 #3

Digging deeper into the decline in gun ownership... billh58 Mar 2015 #2

From today's news billh58 Mar 2015 #4

That's exactly what the gun rights group said about the PEW poll that flamin lib Mar 2015 #5

Good news from a New Pew! jimmy the one Sep 2015 #6

Needs a thread of it's own for exposure. nt flamin lib Sep 2015 #7

Exactly. This isn't about simple gun ownership. ellisonz Sep 2015 #8

You do understand that most handguns today are semiautomatic pistols right ... Statistical Sep 2015 #10

Yes and they account for the vast majority of gun deaths. n/t ellisonz Sep 2015 #11

I think still more revolvers & non semi-autos jimmy the one Sep 2015 #13

Sorry I forgot a word. Statistical Sep 2015 #15

Saying "in less hands" isn't exactly accurate. Statistical Sep 2015 #9

the rise & FALL of gun ownership rates jimmy the one Sep 2015 #12

which isn't the same thing as "more guns in fewer hands" Statistical Sep 2015 #14

much larger increase in 'non gun-owners' jimmy the one Sep 2015 #16