Title: The U.S. Gun Stock: Results from the 2004 National Firearms Survey

Publication Date: February 2007

What does it say?

This study updates a similar 1994 study and provides information on the size, composition and demographic distribution of the privately held firearm stock in the United States. Gun ownership is becoming more concentrated in fewer households, with higher numbers of guns per household. Gun owners in 2004 reported an average of 6.9 guns per owner compared with 4.1 per owner in the 1994 study, and the higher average number of guns is attributable to people in the “four or more guns” category adding even more guns to their collections. Twenty percent of gun owners possess about 65% of the nation’s guns.

Handguns account for a larger percentage of all firearms in 2004 than in the 1994 study (40 percent vs. 34 percent). Sixteen percent of American adults reported owning at least one handgun. Handgun owners are most likely to own their handguns for self-protection. People who own only handguns are as likely to live in urban as rural environments. A consistent finding from the 1994 study is there is a “gender gap” in the reporting of household firearms and the number of guns. Married women report lower levels of household gun ownership and report fewer guns than married men.

How can I use it?

This study documents that the vast majority of all U. S. firearms (65 percent) are owned by only 20 percent of gun owners.

Citation Hepburn, L. , Miller, M., Hemenway, D., “The U. S. Gun Stock: Results from the 2004 National Firearms Survey,” Injury Prevention 13 (2007): 15-19

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