‘Nearly One-Third of Gun Owners Have Used Gun in Self-Defense,’ Says Report

[hso]

https://www.ammoland.com/2021/09/ne...rs-have-used-gun-in-self-defense-says-report/

From Ammoland -

A whopping 31.1 percent of gun owners—estimated to be about 25.3 million American adults—have used a gun in self-defense, according to the 2021 National Firearms Survey, by Prof. William English, PhD., at Georgetown University.

Ammoland obtained a copy of the 23-page report and it contains some eye-popping data. For example:

• There are approximately 1.67 million defensive gun uses annually.
• In most cases (81.9%) the gun is not fired.
• Handguns are the most commonly-used firearm in defensive incidents. Shotguns follow at 21 percent and rifles at 13.1 percent.
• Slightly more than 9 percent of gun owners carry a handgun openly or concealed “always or almost always.” Another 6.9 percent carry a handgun “often.”
• The majority (74.8%) of defensive gun uses take place outside the home, and many (51.2%) involve more than one assailant.

Interesting. Here's a link to the 2021 National Firearms Survey paper and the abstract. I've also attached the PDF of the paper for your enjoyment.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3887145

2021 National Firearms Survey

23 Pages Posted: 16 Jul 2021

William English
McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University

Date Written: July 14, 2021

Abstract
This report summarizes the findings of a national survey of firearms ownership and use conducted between February 17th and March 23rd, 2021 by the professional survey firm Centiment. This survey, which is part of a larger book project, aims to provide the most comprehensive assessment of firearms ownership and use patterns in America to date. This online survey was administered to a representative sample of approximately fifty-four thousand U.S. residents aged 18 and over, and it identified 16,708 gun owners who were, in turn, asked in-depth questions about their ownership and their use of firearms, including defensive uses of firearms.

Consistent with other recent survey research, the survey finds an overall rate of adult firearm ownership of 31.9%, suggesting that in excess of 81.4 million Americans aged 18 and over own firearms. The survey further finds that approximately a third of gun owners (31.1%) have used a firearm to defend themselves or their property, often on more than one occasion, and it estimates that guns are used defensively by firearms owners in approximately 1.67 million incidents per year. Handguns are the most common firearm employed for self-defense (used in 65.9% of defensive incidents), and in most defensive incidents (81.9%) no shot was fired. Approximately a quarter (25.2%) of defensive incidents occurred within the gun owner's home, and approximately half (53.9%) occurred outside their home, but on their property. About one out of ten (9.1%) defensive gun uses occurred in public, and about one out of twenty (4.8%) occurred at work.

A majority of gun owners (56.2%) indicate that they carry a handgun for self-defense in at least some circumstances, and about 35% of gun owners report carrying a handgun with some frequency. We estimate that approximately 20.7 million gun owners (26.3%) carry a handgun in public under a ``concealed carry'' regime; and 34.9% of gun owners report that there have been instances in which they had wanted to carry a handgun for self-defense, but local rules did not allow them to carry.

The average gun owner owns 5 firearms, and handguns are the most common type of firearm owned. 48.0% of gun owners have owned magazines that hold over 10 rounds, and 30.2% of gun owners -- totaling about 24.6 million individuals -- have owned an AR-15 or similarly styled rifle. Demographically, gun owners are diverse. 42.2% are female and 57.8% are male. Approximately 25.4% of Blacks own firearms, 28.3% of Hispanics own firearms, 19.4% of Asians own firearms, and 34.3% of Whites own firearms.​

 

[DeepSouth]

The survey further finds that approximately a third of gun owners (31.1%) have used a firearm to defend themselves or their property, often on more than one occasion, and it estimates that guns are used defensively by firearms owners in approximately 1.67 million incidents per year.

I find that part particularly hard to believe. Admittedly, based on my experiences and when talking with others, still 3 in 10 is a lot. I could also just be wrong and the study could just be right.


I also have to wonder how many of them were legal/justifiable incidents. A lot of what I hear people pulling a weapon for is at least unnecessary and at worst illegal.

 

[Gun4Fun90]

Great information! I especially think the in 81.9% of defensive incidents no shot was fired. I think this is something that is often overlooked that guns can be used for protection even when no shots are fired. The anti gunners like to pretend situations like that don’t exist and “guns only exist to hurt people” SMH

 

[The Glockodile]

I find that part particularly hard to believe. Admittedly, based on my experiences and when talking with others, still 3 in 10 is a lot. I could also just be wrong and the study could just be right.

Ditto.

Feels made up or statistitweaked to suit an outcome.

 

[wiscoaster]

I think the title is more than a bit misleading. When I read the title in the forum posts list I mentally equated "used" with "having shot for self defense". The report includes "carried outside the home for self-defense purposes" into their meaning for "used" and so the real meaning of the title does not indicate that a third of gun owners have actually shot their guns in a self-defense situation. Note the second bullet point in the OP above. It's only about 20%. And I take it to be that's 20% of the one-third. So it's acually only about six percent of all gun owners that have shot their gun for a self-defense incident, as I understand the survey results. And actually, that statistic would make more sense and be more believable to me.

 

[twarr1]

If someone contacted me asking about my gun ownership and use, I’d decline. That’s me. How many others would also decline telling a stranger about their firearm use and ownership?
I would think the ‘results’ aren’t truly representative.

 

[danez71]

The rate of ownership by state is not what many perceive it would be.

 

[buck460XVR]

I find that part particularly hard to believe.

^^^I gotta agree. Other than LEOs, I know of no one personally that has used their gun in self defense, nor do I hear of it happening very often, outside of gun forums. Grabbing your nightstand gun when you hear a random "bump in the night" shouldn't count.

 

[danez71]

I find that part particularly hard to believe. Admittedly, based on my experiences and when talking with others, still 3 in 10 is a lot. I could also just be wrong and the study could just be right.

This part seems odd to me that, if true, doesn't seemed to be reported much on the news or word of mouth.

.....and about one out of twenty (4.8%) occurred at work

 

[edwardware]

A whopping 31.1 percent of gun owners—estimated to be about 25.3 million American adults—have used a gun in self-defense, according to the 2021 National Firearms Survey, by Prof. William English, PhD., at Georgetown University.

"Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics" - attrib S. Clemens

That fails the sniff test from 10 feet, but it's an easy lie to justify. Define "have used for" as "I perceive my gun as useful for" self defense, and viola!

"Literally everything is a weapon" - attrib R. Swanson

 

[Gun4Fun90]

^^^I gotta agree. Other than LEOs, I know of no one personally that has used their gun in self defense, nor do I hear of it happening very often, outside of gun forums. Grabbing your nightstand gun when you hear a random "bump in the night" shouldn't count.

well that was my gut reaction also but I am currently skimming through the relevant sections of the paper and use in defense seems to mean something more along the lines of had a gun present during a situation that the user feels the presence of the firearm assisted in the resolution of the situation.

so like trespasser is on your land, trespasser notices you have a gun, trespasser decides to leave without confrontation. This seems like it would qualify as “use” for the purposes of this survey as long as the presence of the firearm was a contributing factor.

 

[Idahou]

That conclusion is based on that survey from february to march? Sorry, didnt have time to read all paper.

Anyway its... alarming,very, very, very much

 

[film495]

then there is the element of passive function. nobody has robbed me or broken into my home, cause ownership - by some percentage of the population is a general deterrent that works. they don't know where the easy target is, so - even if you are an easy target, someone else owning a firearm does also work to protect you from crime. So, I would argue that 100% of people, have used firearms in self defense, if they know it or not, not just the people who actually own them.

 

[Rule3]

Baloney and I am not even gonna read it!

 

[TomJ]

If there are 81 million gun owners in the country and 1.67 million uses of guns in self defense annually, that's 2% of gun owners using their guns for self defense annually. I guess if they're asking if people had ever used their guns and respondents thought back 15 or more years they could get to that 31% number. Someone who's more knowledgable in math could maybe answer that. I must run in different circles, as I know a lot of gun owners and as others stated, other than LEO's I don't know of anyone who's had to use their gun. Until recently I lived in the Chicago area, hardly a crime free area.

 

[Idahou]

... even if you are an easy target, someone else owning a firearm does also work to protect you from crime...

That could be in really gun flooded area were everyone have fullauto and you get adventage only in tank, but you can directly compare it to countries where is gun owning very restricted or just not so popular. For example in Czech Republic we have 300k gun owners (including gamekeepers and policmens, soldiers) per 10 mil. citizens and direct violent crimes are pretty low.
I mean what that survey says is, that 30% of responders were targets of direct crime like robbery, assault and so. Thats insane, no offence i just cant imagine it

Just to illustrate it - i were asking my mate about his guess of % (of US gun owners who had to use gun) and he, as policman, did gues just 0,5%

 

[The Glockodile]

That could be in really gun flooded area were everyone have fullauto and you get adventage only in tank, but you can directly compare it to countries where is gun owning very restricted or just not so popular. For example in Czech Republic we have 300k gun owners (including gamekeepers and policmens, soldiers) per 10 mil. citizens and direct violent crimes are pretty low.
I mean what that survey says is, that 30% of responders were targets of direct crime like robbery, assault and so. Thats insane, no offence i just cant imagine it

Just to illustrate it - i were asking my mate about his guess of % (of US gun owners who had to use gun) and he, as policman, did gues just 0,5%

Shh!!!

That's a very, very sensitive topic here in the U.S.A.

Be very careful!

 

[CraigC]

A third seems VERY high unless they have a far different definition of "use" than I do.

 

[daniel craig]

The cynic in me says “well yeah….having a gun on you increases the odds you’re going to use it…”

 

[JeffG]

That figure seems inflated. However, when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Drama and "Oh my God-ing " has no place in this type of reality.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

I gotta read through this later. I have a few questions as to how they arrive at those numbers, where they source their data, and what constitutes using a firearm in self defense.

Thanks for the posting! Comments to follow later...

 

[rust collector]

This is an example showing that polls are easily manipulated. Here, the sampling, self reporting and definitions detract from its conclusions. Of course other polls may exhibit these problems or worse. I would not rely on it heavily, but it is food for thought and discussion.

 

[Rule3]

Yet another "survey" by some University Professor

The actual sample was: 16,708 gun owners

Abstract
This report summarizes the findings of a national survey of firearms ownership and use conducted between February 17th and March 23rd, 2021 by the professional survey firm Centiment. This survey, which is part of a larger book project, aims to provide the most comprehensive assessment of firearms ownership and use patterns in America to date. This online survey was administered to a representative sample of approximately fifty-four thousand U.S. residents aged 18 and over, and it identified 16,708 gun owners who were, in turn, asked in-depth questions about their ownership and their use of firearms, including defensive uses of firearms.

Maybe they can use the question of Family Feud, Survey says!!

 

[Gun4Fun90]

A third seems VERY high unless they have a far different definition of "use" than I do.

They do have a very broad definition of “use” not how you would use it in every day speech. The use of a firearm in a defensive situation is not limited to self defense and does not require you to even fire the gun.

 

[GBExpat]

A whopping 31.1 percent of gun owners—estimated to be about 25.3 million American adults—have used a gun in self-defense, according to the 2021 National Firearms Survey, by Prof. William English, PhD., at Georgetown University. ...

My initial reaction is that the folks that compiled this report may have gone to school with the folks that compile statistical reports for "the other side". Y'know? Multiple courses in "creative statistics", "crafting unique definitions" and the like.