Is gun ownership on the decline?

[Norseman 2]

I can't seem to find anything reflecting the numbers growing. CNN says fewer people now own more guns.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sparks450r 0]

couldnt tell you the stats, but what i have noticed is that many more of my friends as well as people that i went to high school with are obtaining permits and owning guns

[ogfarmer 138]

CNN Communist News Network will spin it for the sheep

[n4p226r 105]

i'd say 80% of gun owners i know, myself included, are "new" gun owners (say within the last 5 years) and i continually have friends (male and female) asking me for tips or help on how they can get one.  I'm 32 years old and male, so figure most of the people i know are similar in age.  so its a small sample size, but i can't honestly believe that less people owning more guns.  i'd say its both, more people owning guns, and more guns owned per person.  how else do you explain the market doubling every year. 

[HBecwithFn7 296]

CNN Communist News Network will spin it for the sheep

 

Precisely... Consider the source....

 

Is any of the data collected by NJSP firearms unit (or other equivalent state depts.) available to the public at least in "aggregated" form?  Any deltas in the number of applications processed should be a reasonable indicator. Certainly it won't tell the whole story, but... Unfortunately, things like "gun sales" or "NICS" checks etc. won't indicate how many "more" people are into guns... only how many more guns are being sold. 

[matt1751 2]

Hearing about all the new ID cards and purchasing permit applications that have been submitted I would say its on the rise. Also considering how busy the gun counters are at most shops I really don't think sales are down.

[mipafox 438]

They are wrong.

 

Not surprisingly, they are using the worst available false data out there. 3000 children are killed in gun accidents each year (it's between 10 and 200, including hunting accidents and all "children" age 0-25 according to CDC), 91% of guns recovered in Mexico are from US gun shops (ATF brought that down to 7% maximum the very next day in a public statement nobody heard, but it's really less far less than 1%) school shootings are spiraling out of control (they have not risen in 30 years) and gun murders are spiraling out of control (they are the lowest since the 50s), AND............

 

The lowest number of gun owners in the US ever, 35% or some nonsense. No, it's complete bullshit.

 

They are using the General Social Survey. It's been around since the 70s. It's like accepting info from the Brady Scumbags.

 

The General Social Survey covers a number of different, unrelated things about life in USA. But it was created by and for gun banners. For the purpose of banning guns. The last CEO said that the most important part of the survey was the gun ownership part, since it would give politicians the backbone to ban guns because it suggested so few people owned them.

 

http://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2013/03/why-general-social-survey-is-gun.html

 

Generally speaking, the survey has run about 20-40 points lower than the next lowest of every survey on the planet. Not 20-40 percent, points. they say 35%, it's probably 70%. Nobody else in the world comes close to their numbers.

 

Gun ownership is definitely increasing. Every survey and every metric says that. CNN is trying to make bullshit out of lemons. And once a number is out there that supports gun control, you are allowed to use it forever, even if it is proven wrong. Hillary Clinton will say tomorrow that 90% of guns, or assault weapons, or whatever she wants to say, recovered in Mexico are from US gun shops. Even though it was refuted in 24 hours by the ATF, she has said it numbers of times over the years. 40% of gun sales don't have background checks, based on a survey of ~ 250 people a year before Federal background checks started, and the guy who did the survey and reported the results said it wasn't even valid at the time it was done. The number will still be true forever.

[The_Matrix 105]

One should not rely on info from the liberal media.

[Sota 1,191]

here's the problem.

in this current climate if some random/unknown person called up and asked you "do you own guns?" would you answer?

surveys are only accurate to the extent that the people that answer choose to participate.

depending on the subject, and the fact it's impossible to ask EVERYONE, your answers will be skewed. can you correct for the skew with reasonable certainty?

 

my personal belief is A LOT more people are getting into gun ownership (not necessarily the gun culture though.) that belief is based on the sales metrics for both firearms and ammunition, as well as the current pricing/supply problem surrounding the latter.

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot 358]

Look at how well S&W and Ruger stocks have done.  S&W handguns sales up 30% driven by M&P line.  Ruger sales up 30% last year.  Can't all be from existing owners.

[Albanian 121]

Me and my friend are new as of a year ago.

[Duppie 73]

Look at how well S&W and Ruger stocks have done.  S&W handguns sales up 30% driven by M&P line.  Ruger sales up 30% last year.  Can't all be from existing owners.

Exactly... With gun manufacturers working double shifts and investing in additional machinery and expansions,firearm imports at a all time high and back orders now being caught up, you can't tell me all these firearms are being snapped up by existing owners.

[Norseman 2]

Thanks guys ...I appreciate the help getting this data!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[msokad 3]

Just look at any gun range now and how many people are there to shoot. I'm also trying my best to get some of my non shooting friends into the sport. Little by little it's working.

[gleninjersey 2,141]

Mmmmmmmm, no. It's the opposite. Gun sales are at all time highs. Ruger stock is at historical highs. Ammo is scarce due to so many new and active owners.

[lunker 274]

With the media and politicians demonizing gun owners and ownership, how many gun owners just said "nope" when asked if they owned a gun? Either out of paranoia or simply to avoid being judged negatively by the questioner.

[mipafox 438]

 

here's the problem.

in this current climate if some random/unknown person called up and asked you "do you own guns?" would you answer?

surveys are only accurate to the extent that the people that answer choose to participate.

depending on the subject, and the fact it's impossible to ask EVERYONE, your answers will be skewed. can you correct for the skew with reasonable certainty?

 

my personal belief is A LOT more people are getting into gun ownership (not necessarily the gun culture though.) that belief is based on the sales metrics for both firearms and ammunition, as well as the current pricing/supply problem surrounding the latter.

 

 

 

With the media and politicians demonizing gun owners and ownership, how many gun owners just said "nope" when asked if they owned a gun? Either out of paranoia or simply to avoid being judged negatively by the questioner.

 

 

This is really silly. I don't hide the fact I own guns, and I doubt many people do. I think it's a Jersey cultural thing. I experienced it there for 30 years. And, quite honestly, it's probably the biggest part of your problem. It propagates the Jersey mentality that firearm ownership is uncommon and unusual. Hiding in the closet and whispering in hushed tones for 40 years is the biggest part of what screwed you guys over.

[HBecwithFn7 296]

Look at how well S&W and Ruger stocks have done.  S&W handguns sales up 30% driven by M&P line.  Ruger sales up 30% last year.  Can't all be from existing owners.

 

What that tells you, though, is that Ruger and S&W, etc. are making and selling a lot more guns. But it doesn't tell you how many "newer" people (more or less) are buying them. CNN is claiming that "fewer people are buying more guns."  The only way to get any kind of read on the "numbers" of newer people would be to summarize all the "New FPID requests" and "active FPID holder" records for states that have that kind of registration. No, it's not statistically perfect by a long shot (pun not intended), but it might tell us something and, at least, force CNN to back up it's claims with some kind of evidence (which I don't see how they can)...

[Mr.Stu 1,930]

I wonder if Ruger and/or S&W would be willing to say anything about the warrenty registrations they get with respect to existing or new customers.

 

Sent from my SCH-I800 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[HBecwithFn7 296]

I wonder if Ruger and/or S&W would be willing to say anything about the warrenty registrations they get with respect to existing or new customers.

 

Sent from my SCH-I800 using Tapatalk 2

 

I honestly don't think very many people send in those warranty registration cards. I know I don't.   It wouldn't provide meaningful data. 

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot 358]

What that tells you, though, is that Ruger and S&W, etc. are making and selling a lot more guns. But it doesn't tell you how many "newer" people (more or less) are buying them. CNN is claiming that "fewer people are buying more guns."  The only way to get any kind of read on the "numbers" of newer people would be to summarize all the "New FPID requests" and "active FPID holder" records for states that have that kind of registration. No, it's not statistically perfect by a long shot (pun not intended), but it might tell us something and, at least, force CNN to back up it's claims with some kind of evidence (which I don't see how they can)...

 

True.  It's just a directional data point.  

 

The CNN study the OP cited seems to be based a study Injury Prevention Journal based on a 2004 survey and another by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.  Dubious either way.

 

FPID database would be a good data point, but I'm not sure if NJ is a good sample representation of free America as a whole.  Can also looks at NICS data, but that data can be skewed as well.

 

I'm not sure if anyone could ever get an exact answer to the question, and honestly, I would be afraid if they could.

[olderguy 0]

I don't have many friends, but the friends I have own guns.  It is a requirement.

 

I have four new gun owners to my credit, one is a shooter, the others are staunch new 2A supporters and advocates.

 

I don't believe the Liberal tripe.

[magnawing 5]

I was talking to my neighbor who moved in about a year ago and was kind of surprised that he's a hunter...because he's also a young Methodist minister who, based on outward appearance, would seem to lean more to the left.  Guess it's true that you can't judge a book (even a Holy one) by it's cover.  We may even hunt together when deer season rolls back around.

 

He's also a big 2A supporter and completely disagrees with all of the ridiculous gun laws here in PRNJ.

[Smokin .50 1,907]

The CORRECT answer to this BS question is:  FEMALE EMPOWERMENT!

 

Gun sales have skyrocketed since Soccer Moms, Divorce's, and other independent business and professional Women have decided to arm themselves!  Ask any sales counter person who buys the pink guns and how many they sell in a month's time!  And the Women are from every socio-economic background:   Homemakers, lawyers, medical professionals, office workers, you name it!  I KNOW this FIRST-HAND since I belong (as an Auxiliary Member) to the Second Amendment Women's Shooting Club.  I can tell you that they've already hosted a "How to CCW" Holster Fashion Show, A Meet and Greet at at least one Range, a Pot-Luck Supper and Gun Cleaning "How-To" Party, and they have a Bake Sale for Patriot James "Out of Order" Kaleda planned for the 23rd of this month at the Woodland Park Range, with a Women's-Only Meet and Greet and shoot scheduled immediately after!  In June they have a Women-Only I.D.P.A. "Beginner's Match" set-up!  So they're very active and involved, not afraid to ask questions, and very organized.  And their group is GROWING!  Most of this huge serge are First-Time Gun Owners and those female Newbies are buying multiple calibers in hand guns, AR-15 style rifles, and 12 ga. pump scatterguns for home defense!  And I'm PROUD to help them in any way I can!

 

Dave

Shootist and Mentor

[HBecwithFn7 296]

FPID database would be a good data point, but I'm not sure if NJ is a good sample representation of free America as a whole.  Can also looks at NICS data, but that data can be skewed as well.

 

I'm not sure if anyone could ever get an exact answer to the question, and honestly, I would be afraid if they could.

 

Precisely.  To get the kind of results we're looking for, we'd have to do the kind of "registrations" we absolutely abhor!   Most likely at NICS level if we're trying to be as accurate as possible.

 

I think the best we can do is try and call BS on CNN and their stats - get them to show their evidence, and then simply rip into that.

[AlDente67 563]

This is really silly. I don't hide the fact I own guns, and I doubt many people do. I think it's a Jersey cultural thing. I experienced it there for 30 years. And, quite honestly, it's probably the biggest part of your problem. It propagates the Jersey mentality that firearm ownership is uncommon and unusual. Hiding in the closet and whispering in hushed tones for 40 years is the biggest part of what screwed you guys over.

A great point IMHO.  From my own personal experience in the last 9 months:

 

Father-in-law turned out to have two revolvers in his sock drawer after he passed on.  Nobody ever knew, not even his wife.

 

My father fessed up to having a .38 in his secret hidey hole.  Nobody had any idea for the last 30 years.

 

My brother-in-law just got his 3rd gun recently after hearing my father and I discuss my collection in hushed tones during a BBQ last summer.

 

My hair cutter guy just picked up a Nagant to go along with his Beretta FS92 and a few plinking 22s.  We've been shooting the breeze for 20 years, never had any idea he was an owner.

 

My wife's uncle pulled me aside at a Christmas visit to drag me in the basement to see his indoor shooting range.  It was hush hush lest the 'kids' hear about it.

 

All of these revelations came about because I initiated the discussion in some way over time.  Else everything was on the down low, as if we were talking about bootlegging moonshine or something.

 

To add: if someone randomly called me with a survey question, and I actually answered the call, I might say No to ownership as well.  I don't know who they are and what they do with that information.  The threats going on in CT are food for thought.

[ogfarmer 138]

wow sounds like radios hidden during ww2

[BD104X 1]

  

 

  

 

This is really silly. I don't hide the fact I own guns, and I doubt many people do. I think it's a Jersey cultural thing. I experienced it there for 30 years. And, quite honestly, it's probably the biggest part of your problem. It propagates the Jersey mentality that firearm ownership is uncommon and unusual. Hiding in the closet and whispering in hushed tones for 40 years is the biggest part of what screwed you guys over.

I agree with this - I think most anti gun people would be surprised if they knew how many people they know & interact with (and consider normal) were gun owners. That would then help dispel some of the perception that we are a bunch of irresponsible gun nuts just looking for an excuse to shoot someone. Being all hush-hush just hurts our cause.

[mipafox 438]

 

A great point IMHO.  From my own personal experience in the last 9 months:

 

Father-in-law turned out to have two revolvers in his sock drawer after he passed on.  Nobody ever knew, not even his wife.

 

My father fessed up to having a .38 in his secret hidey hole.  Nobody had any idea for the last 30 years.

 

My brother-in-law just got his 3rd gun recently after hearing my father and I discuss my collection in hushed tones during a BBQ last summer.

 

My hair cutter guy just picked up a Nagant to go along with his Beretta FS92 and a few plinking 22s.  We've been shooting the breeze for 20 years, never had any idea he was an owner.

 

My wife's uncle pulled me aside at a Christmas visit to drag me in the basement to see his indoor shooting range.  It was hush hush lest the 'kids' hear about it.

 

All of these revelations came about because I initiated the discussion in some way over time.  Else everything was on the down low, as if we were talking about bootlegging moonshine or something.

 

To add: if someone randomly called me with a survey question, and I actually answered the call, I might say No to ownership as well.  I don't know who they are and what they do with that information.  The threats going on in CT are food for thought.

 

I agree with this - I think most anti gun people would be surprised if they knew how many people they know & interact with (and consider normal) were gun owners. That would then help dispel some of the perception that we are a bunch of irresponsible gun nuts just looking for an excuse to shoot someone. Being all hush-hush just hurts our cause.

 

 

Guys, I know about 20 people in NJ that don't own guns. If you asked them before I got to them, they would say they are scared of them, or concerned, or it's just not their thing, whatever. ZERO of them are anti. They were just uninformed. I'm not saying there aren't antis, there certainly are. I'm saying most of the people you think are probably aren't. They are simply unfamiliar.

 

Once I didn't have anything to lose and started talking to people in my professional and extended personal circles in Jersey I found 0 antis, perhaps 5 gun enthusiasts, and about 20 people that were more or less neutral once introduced to the subject and informed how widespread, safe, and normal gun ownership and even carry is. And I'm not talking about people blowing me off with nervous laughter. I'm talking about people that asked questions because I was open and approached it reasonably - but without a single hint of being apologetic or insecure about it. And when they have questions they come to me as the Gun Guy. They don;t get their info from Bloomdouche or MSNBC anymore.

 

You guys don;t have an uphill climb, you have more low-hanging fruit than anyone.

[mipafox 438]

BTW, whenever somebody talks about sports, boating, anything at all, I go for camping, then fishing, do you hunt? Do any shooting? This is in a matter of about 2 minutes tops. I am talking clients here. If they don't like guns, I tell them I do, but I don't push. They don't fire me. They ask questions.

 

Some day I will find one that will say they are raving lunatic PETA members or Brady Crazies. I will tell them I don't agree with them but I obviously won't push it. Hasn't happened yet. But I will let people know where I stand and I will speak my mind as far as it does not intrude into somebody else's space.

 

You should, too. There is no way there is something so special about me that I have had such good success. It's simply a mindset. You can speak your mid if you respect other peoples' limits. I guarantee you will be surprised how much positive dialogue will result with people that are afraid of guns, don't really like guns, or are simply uninformed.

 

Pick some softer/low-risk targets and get started and build up your confidence. You will see.