Major Survey Shows Gun Ownership Declining

[Keith B]

I haven't commented, but do think the way they ran the survey is probably accurate. I believe less households have guns now than before. Many baby boomers or X-generation people had a father that hunted or owned a gun or guns, but they don't. They may also have let the estate guns go to one family member who does hunt or is into guns, out of 3-4 siblings that now have their own households.

Additionally, while gun sales have definitely increased, especially just before and during the Obama administration, I believe those sales were multiples to one household. The people who did not already own a gun or guns more than likely did not go out and purchase one to add to the household count.

So, while I do agree that there probably were those that falsely answered 'No' to the survey, I believe the number of household owning guns has declined.

[K.Mooneyham]

Where was the survey conducted? What sorts of neighborhoods did they contact? How many folks in a given neighborhood? Did they only hit big cities, or did they hit small cities, smaller towns, etc? Was it conducted in all 50 states? Maybe the people in large liberal enclaves are voluntarily disarming themselves, but out here in "flyover country", its harder to find someone who doesn't own a gun than someone who does.

[VMI77]

I haven't commented, but do think the way they ran the survey is probably accurate. I believe less households have guns now than before. Many baby boomers or X-generation people had a father that hunted or owned a gun or guns, but they don't. They may also have let the estate guns go to one family member who does hunt or is into guns, out of 3-4 siblings that now have their own households.

Additionally, while gun sales have definitely increased, especially just before and during the Obama administration, I believe those sales were multiples to one household. The people who did not already own a gun or guns more than likely did not go out and purchase one to add to the household count.

So, while I do agree that there probably were those that falsely answered 'No' to the survey, I believe the number of household owning guns has declined.

At numerous gun stores I have frequently seen women, either with or without boyfriends or husbands, buying their first gun. In fact, just about every time I've been to Cabelas or Gander Mountain in the last two years there has been someone buying their first gun at the counter. Many of the women are obviously wives or girlfriends, so it may not change the number of households with guns, but it does change the number of gun owners.

[shooter76blue]

I think the poll is accurate. I recently sold all of my firearms...

[BigGuy]

I think the poll is accurate. I recently sold all of my firearms...

Not to mention all those boating accidents where folks lost all of their guns in a deep lake or river. Seems to have been a common occurrence on several boards I frequent.

[Oldgringo]

Well, I have two less PB's and one more air rifle than I had at the first of the year. Does that count?

[tms119]

Never trust anything that comes out of Chicago...for the love of god don't trust those people lol. (Note: I'm from Chicago, but you can trust me haha)

[jmra]

I don't do phone polls. If I happen to answer the phone on a number I don't know as soon as it becomes obvious its some kind of poll I hang up. I'd be willing to bet gun owners are more likely to value that kind of privacy more than non gun owners.

[Armybrat]

If Wayne LaPierre himself asked me if I owned any guns, I would reply "negative". Ain't anybody's bidness, much less some snoopy yankee.

[TexasGal]

All I can say is....not at my house

[Beiruty]

All that I can say, is my daughter at 10yrs old got her NEOS 22.

[rbwhatever1]

I would never answer a poll about firearms or anything else in my house as some here have said. It's nobodies business what's in my house. We can all thank James Madison and Thomas Jefferson for the 4th Amendment, thanks to unbridled British snooping in our homes long ago looking for things to confiscate.

Being questioned by anyone about firearms in my home would be the same as having my home inventoried by King George himself. I'm not giving consent or offering any information freely to any person or State. This intrusion may seem inocent to some but if one reads history it never has been when firearms are the topic. This is a very dangerous thing.

My tinfoil Stetson is probably not as tight as it should be...

[VMI77]

Another factor to consider: just because a household doesn't presently own a gun doesn't mean they're not pro-gun. I've got two sons on their own, more or less. One has his CHL and several guns. The other is in Chicago going to law school and will be leaving for he not knows where soon and doesn't consider it practical to have to worry about transporting guns. Going to law school in Chicago has knocked just about all the liberalism out of him that he had collected at UT. He is very much pro-gun whether he has any with him or not (technically he owns guns he got when he was younger that are with me). He considers "gun control" downright stupid. There are no anti-gun people in my wife's side of the family or in mine.

[TexasGal]

I've met several people who do not own guns themselves for various reasons but are staunchly supportive of the right to own them and the right of self defense.