Biden's Stasi Coming For Your Guns....

[CivilDiscourse]

Interestingly while the number of firearms in private hands has skyrocketed during the same period we saw a steep drop in gun-related homicides and violence in general.

Gun Control Stats I.jpg

Honestly, the raw # of guns in the us is the wrong metric for comparisons. The better metric would be % of households with a gun compared to gun homicide rate. This is because having 2 guns in the house from a potential for homicide is about the same as having 30.

That tells a slightly different story, as the # of houses with guns has remained fairly steady:

https://www.statista.com/statistics/...ing-a-firearm/

[rogue06]

Honestly, the raw # of guns in the us is the wrong metric for comparisons. The better metric would be % of households with a gun compared to gun homicide rate. This is because having 2 guns in the house from a potential for homicide is about the same as having 30.

Generally those trying to dismiss this claim that the guns are all being bought by a small group of hoarders but the evidence shows this isn't the case at all.

For instance,

In a 2013 (IIRC) a study commissioned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) they found that first-time sales have increased by 20% since Obama became president and nearly a quarter of first-time buyers turned around and bought at least one more firearm within the first year after their first purchase.

As Mike Bazinet, Director of Public Affairs at the NSSF noted, A lot of people have said that fewer people are buying more guns. That's certainly not the experience our retailers are reporting or what we see in the NICS checks."

There has also been a sharp increase in participation in classes designed to teach first time gun owners proper safety and use of their new firearms. Many have found it necessary to significantly increase the number of classes they offer as customers fill them to capacity. Many gun stores and shooting ranges are offering such classes for the first time to meet demand.

Even the not very firearm friendly Huffington Post recognized the increase among first-time buyers although they failed to cite any numbers

Source: Gun Makers Aiming For Record Sales As More First-Time Buyers Race To Stock Up Ahead Of New Rules

Feb 25 (Reuters) - U.S. gun makers are aiming for record quarterly sales as first-time buyers, including a growing number of women and pensioners, rush to buy weapons before anticipated gun-control laws come into force.

© Copyright Original Source

The same article (from 2013) raised doubts over whether this trend could continue but last month a new record high was set for a single month. In fact, September is the fifth month in a row to set a record for background checks. May, June, July, and August all produced record numbers. The summer of 2015 has seen the most gun sales on record. Obama has been very good for business for gun manufacturers and sellers. It is one segment that has been doing very well in this otherwise anemic economy

The fastest growing group of new gun buyers are women (up from 13% in 2005 to near 25% today) who are buying them primarily for home and personal defense although there has been a dramatic increase in women's participation in both hunting and target shooting as well.

I should note that gun sales was true in 2017 as Obama continued to increase his anti-gun rhetoric. And many are first time buyers with perhaps the biggest increase occurring among women.

For instance in the St. Louis region in the time after the death of Michael Brown gun stores were reporting that up to 75% of their customers have been first-time gun owners. Prior to that the National Shooting Sports Foundation reported that classes around the country for first-time gun owners are up by two-thirds.

[rogue06]

Is that just the US?

Yes. I can't speak for other areas.

[CivilDiscourse]

Generally those trying to dismiss this claim that the guns are all being bought by a small group of hoarders but the evidence shows this isn't the case at all.

For instance,

I should note that gun sales was true in 2017 as Obama continued to increase his anti-gun rhetoric. And many are first time buyers with perhaps the biggest increase occurring among women.

For instance in the St. Louis region in the time after the death of Michael Brown gun stores were reporting that up to 75% of their customers have been first-time gun owners. Prior to that the National Shooting Sports Foundation reported that classes around the country for first-time gun owners are up by two-thirds.

I'm not saying that, I'm saying that the better metric is households with guns. It is a better comparison to make.

[rogue06]

I'm not saying that, I'm saying that the better metric is households with guns. It is a better comparison to make.

I understand, I was merely using your post to "preemptively" cover that objection.

[Gondwanaland]

Generally those trying to dismiss this claim that the guns are all being bought by a small group of hoarders but the evidence shows this isn't the case at all.

For instance,

I should note that gun sales was true in 2017 as Obama continued to increase his anti-gun rhetoric. And many are first time buyers with perhaps the biggest increase occurring among women.

For instance in the St. Louis region in the time after the death of Michael Brown gun stores were reporting that up to 75% of their customers have been first-time gun owners. Prior to that the National Shooting Sports Foundation reported that classes around the country for first-time gun owners are up by two-thirds.

I can attest to that. This summer and fall, a surprising number of my friends (independent and liberal) who used to at best be neutral on gun control, etc., have asked me for advice on a good starter gun and good places to get training (or asked if I could take them shooting so they could try some guns before buying). I guess the whole riots stuff got them thinking, etc..

[CivilDiscourse]

I understand, I was merely using your post to "preemptively" cover that objection.

Sorry, as a guy who does stats for a living, I can't help myself on this sort of thing.

[rogue06]

I can attest to that. This summer and fall, a surprising number of my friends (independent and liberal) who used to at best be neutral on gun control, etc., have asked me for advice on a good starter gun and good places to get training (or asked if I could take them shooting so they could try some guns before buying). I guess the whole riots stuff got them thinking, etc..

I've had similar experiences with friends and other folks I know who had earlier said they would never allow a gun in their home. But I figured it would be best to offer other evidence besides anecdotal evidence to start.