- In accordance with the newest estimates, the US has between 400 million and 500 million civilian-owned firearms.
- There are 1.93 firearms for each grownup within the U.S. and 1.5 for each American citizen, together with youngsters.
- In 2022, there have been 22 million folks with hid carry permits.
- 46% of American households—roughly 65.19 million—include not less than one firearm.
- Since 1899, not less than 494,060,285 firearms have been manufactured within the U.S.
Methodology
America authorities doesn’t require firearm registration, so the overall variety of firearms within the nation is unknown. Nonetheless, we’ve research, gross sales stories, and self-reporting surveys to validate estimates.
The next sections include all out there data from respected sources. We’ve in contrast the year-over-year self-reporting tendencies to NICS background checks and NSSF gross sales stories to precisely analyze the variety of weapons within the U.S.
Moreover, we accounted for privately manufactured firearms and firearms which might be now not in circulation based mostly on ATF and DOJ stories over numerous years.
How Many Weapons in America?
Greater than 490 million firearms have been imported or manufactured in the US for civilian use since 1899. 1
Nonetheless, this determine contains firearms which will have been destroyed or are now not in circulation. Regardless of the identified variety of manufactured weapons within the U.S., estimates recommend that the precise quantity is even increased.
Because of the rise of ghost weapons, the flexibility to supply unregistered firearms, and the shortage of reporting necessities for misplaced, stolen, or broken weapons, we should depend on NICS information and surveys to estimate the variety of firearms in America.
The expansion of firearms in America started steadily. In 1996, the ATF estimated there have been 242 million firearms within the U.S. By 2000, that quantity had elevated to 259 million.
In 2007, the estimate rose to 294 million; by 2009, it had surpassed 310 million. 2
By 2018, the reported variety of firearms within the U.S. was 393 million. 3
Our most up-to-date estimates recommend there are actually greater than 500 million civilian-owned firearms within the U.S.
- The newest estimates (2024) recommend there are over 500 million civilian-owned firearms in the US.
- In 2000, the ATF estimated there have been 259 million firearms within the U.S.
- The biggest surge in gun purchases occurred between 2020 and 2023, with over 1 million NICS background checks for purchases every month for 57 consecutive months.
Observe: This information assumes that a purchase order was made. It doesn’t embrace permits and rechecks.
How Many Weapons per Individual in America?
Inhabitants estimates for 2024 present that the U.S. has roughly 345.4 million folks, of which 258.3 million are adults. 11
Firearms in circulation are estimated to be over 500 million within the U.S., that means there are roughly 1.5 firearms for each particular person within the nation and about 1.93 firearms per grownup.
Weapons per Individual in 2024:
- There are 1.93 firearms for each grownup within the U.S.
- There are 1.5 firearms for each American, together with each adults and kids.
How Many Registered Gun House owners within the U.S.
People usually don’t register their firearms. The truth is, only a few varieties of firearms require registration in any respect.
Not like different nations that monitor the variety of weapons inside their borders utilizing registration information and necessary registration for all gun homeowners, the U.S. doesn’t.
On this part, we’ll give attention to hid carry permits.
As of 2023, 22.9 million People held a hid carry allow. Regardless of the rising pattern of permitless carry legal guidelines, the variety of hid carry permits elevated by 2.3% from 2021 to 2022. 4
Observe: Hid carry permits are usually not an indicator of the variety of gun homeowners in America. They don’t seem to be required in each state.
How Many Unlawful Weapons within the U.S.
In the US, there is no such thing as a such factor as an “unlawful gun.” The fitting to maintain and bear arms belongs to the folks, so the main target is on “prohibited individuals” relatively than unlawful firearms.
Due to this fact, the variety of “unlawful weapons” within the U.S. is dependent upon what number of prohibited individuals unlawfully possess them.
If we assume each prohibited particular person within the U.S. owns not less than one firearm (which is feasible given the huge variety of weapons within the nation), there could be greater than 28,407,758 unlawful weapons, based mostly on the variety of people on the FBI’s prohibited particular person listing. Nonetheless, this state of affairs is very unlikely.
Furthermore, in 2021, the ATF traced solely 456,571 firearms. Given the tens of millions of weapons out there, it’s even much less possible that almost all of prohibited people possess firearms. 10
Now, let’s study the information we do know.
Ghost Weapons and Unregistered Weapons
Ghost weapons, by nature, are not possible to trace. This time period usually describes a firearm that’s manufactured with no serial quantity or paperwork. Due to this fact, we are able to solely assess the quantity seized by the ATF and different businesses.
The Variety of Ghost Weapons Recovered from 2017 to 2021
Unregistered weapons, also referred to as ghost weapons, have change into more and more fashionable since 2020. As new legal guidelines and laws make buying tougher, folks have a tendency to seek out different methods to make weapons.
Whereas we are able to’t say what number of PMFs (privately manufactured firearms) are in America, we do know what number of have been recovered by the ATF.
There was a 175% enhance in PMFs recovered by the ATF in recent times. In 2017, the ATF recovered fewer than 2,000 firearms. In 2022, the company recovered greater than 25,000. 8, 9, 10
Moreover, we are able to study firearm seizures used within the fee of a criminal offense to raised perceive unregistered gun patterns. To do that, we should decide what number of weapons weren’t registered to a purchaser.
Share of Unregistered Weapons Recovered from 2017-2021
- 2021 – 20.5% (of 460,240)
- 2020 – 21.6%
- 2019 – 23.9%
- 2018 – 24%
- 2017 – 25.3% (of 337,903)
How Many Weapons Per Family in America
As of 2024, there have been 123.6 million households within the U.S. The most recent surveys mirror that 52% of American households have not less than one firearm. 14
Present estimates present that 65,190,000 households in America have not less than one firearm.
How Many Handguns within the U.S.
It’s almost not possible to find out the precise variety of handguns within the U.S. Nonetheless, by analyzing information over time, it’s clear that handguns are the most typical sort of firearm within the nation.
Whereas we don’t have full details about handguns within the U.S., we do have some dependable information to contemplate.
Between 1986 and 2012, 49,451,152 handguns (together with pistols and revolvers) have been produced within the U.S. As compared, solely 40,287,087 rifles and 23,234,262 shotguns have been manufactured throughout the identical interval. 13
In 2000, the ATF estimated that there have been 92 million handguns and 92 million rifles in circulation.
By 2017, 72% of gun homeowners reported proudly owning not less than one handgun, translating to roughly 66.3 million gun homeowners and 45.7 million handguns. 7
It’s essential to notice that 66% of gun homeowners say they personal two or extra firearms.
At present, there are estimated to be not less than 157,580,794 handguns in the US, though this determine contains firearms which will have been damaged or destroyed.
Variety of Weapons By the Years
After the 1993 Brady Act, monitoring firearm manufacturing and possession turned more difficult because of a decline within the variety of FFL sellers and the emergence of latest, inventive methods for folks to acquire firearms.
Nonetheless, based mostly on NICS information, surveys, and import logs, the variety of firearms within the U.S. elevated from about 250 million in 2000 to 500 million by 2024.2
Whereas gun possession charges have remained comparatively regular, hovering between 42% and 45% from the Nineteen Eighties to the current, the variety of weapons in circulation has grown considerably. 7, 8
Between 1899 and 2022, not less than 494,060,285 firearms have been manufactured for civilian use, and 130,720,841 firearms have been imported into the U.S. Observe: These figures embrace firearms which will have been destroyed or exported at a later date. 1
From 1986 to 2012, tens of millions of firearms have been manufactured annually, and this pattern has continued to rise within the years since.
Weapons in America
America has a big variety of firearms in comparison with most different nations, with present estimates suggesting there are round 500 million firearms in circulation. This interprets to roughly 1.5 firearms per particular person, making the U.S. distinctive in having extra weapons than folks.
Nonetheless, precisely figuring out the precise variety of firearms is difficult because of elements reminiscent of unregistered weapons, personal gross sales, and reporting constraints. These complexities imply that the true variety of firearms within the nation may very well be increased than the present estimates.
This case highlights the challenges in monitoring gun possession and distribution within the U.S., the place the suitable to personal firearms is each broadly exercised and guarded.
Sources:
- How Many Weapons Are Circulating within the U.S.
- April Marks 57 Months Of Million-Plus Firearm Gross sales Figures
- Small Arms Survey 2018
- Gun Possession by State
- ATF Variety of Weapons in 2000
- ATF Firearms 1998-2012
- Gun Possession 2017
- ATF Ghost Weapons 2022
- DOJ Report on Ghost Weapons and Unregistered Weapons
- ATF Hint Information
- U.S. Inhabitants 2017
- U.S. Family and Inhabitants Information
- Firearms Commerce in the US
- Ballot: Gun possession reaches report excessive with American citizens
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