How many gun owners are there???\
NOT ENOUGH!!!!

Well... let me elaborate on my comment of "I don't have reason to doubt these findings." I should have just said that it "wouldn't surprise me." I do have lots of reason to doubt statistics of any kind, since most statistics are collected to prove or disprove a point. Would I be surprised if only 22% of the US population owns firearms? No. Would I be surprised if 55% owned firearms? No. As long as gun owners don't fall for any propaganda laid out by statistical findings, then I really don't care what percentage owns guns. I've got mine, so I'm not worried. I guarantee you that nobody will ever take my guns from me while I am still breathing. That's why I have guns in the first place. ;)

Perhaps the people that do the research are big city folks. I moved to a more rural area a year ago and can't even find anyone that doesn't own several. Many carry for the protection against wildlife, or so they say. In all honesty, I did meet one person that told me he didn't own one, but wanted a recommendation on what to buy.

The funniest joke I always make is that if I have 7 rifles, and the government takes 7 away, how many do I have? 42! I have 42 that were bought before the 'registration' laws, I lied about only having 7.

LOL...

As for the numbers, I would probably dispute it. While there are at least that many firearms in the country, the 'government' would only have the 'who' figures based on polling or registration databases, neither of which would be accurate. People buy them as gifts for others, NRA raffles, Ducks Unlimited gives away 20 at every dinner I've ever been to, etc. On my street of 32 homes, I know personally that at least 30 of those have (significant) firearms. Where I grew up in Minnesota, we used to carry a rifle on the gun rack in the pickup truck during deer season, it was rather ubiquitous and not anything to be concerned about. Many of my firearms were bought by my father, who normally bought his at pawn shops and was always cash-and-carry back then, so literally, only 7 have been bought since the registration laws and he probably has a couple of military rifles that went through the current system.

Even working in an urban area of a very blue state, more than 1/5 of my coworkers have at least a handgun in the home.

I would generally dispute the 22% very heavily. I think it would be very low, I would be surprised if below 50% actually.

I don't have reason to doubt these findings. I for one have 36 guns and tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition. Most of the gun owners I know have many guns. I live in the extremely red state of Oklahoma, so maybe our numbers skew from other parts of the country, but from my experience, it seems to fall in line with these findings.

It is never a problem, for when any human starts to rely on himself rather than others [the state for instance] he then becomes infected with the idea of self sufficiency and liberty. It is a sure path away from "The road to serfdom". Something like buying a firearm and training at the range will be the first prick allowing entry of the Bacillum...Freedom...to enter.

I am actually Ok with some of the Liberals buying guns. If they also train with them at a range, I believe that they will loose they hoplohobia and may start reeling in toward the center. Just my hope. The ones that do not train and just keep a gun in a closet or a safe are not a threat to liberty, as they will not know which end to hold. As to the number of gun owners - I think the polls are as far off as predicting the next president.

I specifically bought several inexpensive and easy to use rifles to make them available to my neighbors in case of need. In case of need, I may be as effective as 5 or 10.

I have no idea where or how they arrived at this 22% quanity. Just on it's face, that seems very low and considering the source, suspect.

The only solid percentage I can assign to that number is that 100% of my personal friends and family who can legally own guns, do own guns. The exceptions being a uncle who was involved in a moonshine problem 40 years ago and most of the kids under 12 of age.

Let them estimate low. When Bloomberg and co make a plan, they budget X $'s per vote that they plan on overturning. This way they'll spend millions, but it won't be enough, so they'll fail.

Pretty funny....the women, gays and Trannies are running out to buy guns to protect themselves against all us racist misogynistic homophobic conservatives....who have been fighting for years to protect their rights to own those very firearms.
Hopefully you are correct about the manufacturers getting geared up finally....it sure took long enough!

I still would be surprised if the 22% figure was not true. [Based on my parameters]

Actual data (based on NICs checks) shows that gun sales have beaten all previous records. The industry expected a slowdown after Trump's win, but the opposite happened. More women, liberals and gays are buying guns. Prices have not dropped. The availability of 22 ammo in Walmart is due partially to the manufacturers producing more and partially because Walmart tries to hoard stock and sell it during holidays, as that attracts more customers. Notice that cheap bulk pack are almost never found anymore, replaced by smaller, more expensive packaging.

when they asked the Japanese Generals why they did not invade the west coast after Pear Harbor, they referred to the millions of guns in the U.S as the primary factor in staying away...

When I realized that the evil hag will not be Tyrant-In-Chief, me dino decided that I have more than enough of those bang-bang machines.
Gonna keep them all, though. Don't know what awaits down the road.

I cannot dispute their numbers. But, where I live, we would definitely have to have more than our share of guns and owners, making up for liberal population centers elsewhere. I am certain that this 22% will be more than willing to share with like-minded folk if they deem the cause to be worthy.

Given that news organizations have been so blatantly dishonest, I see no need and have no desire to be honest with them. What goes around comes around.

Gun sales have absolutely slowed down....I was in WalMart last week and for the first time in years they had .22 LR ammo. I have been in there when the shelves were literally bare. There was even .22 Short ammo....this has been extremely hard to find in the last 4 years. I would absolutely dump firearms stocks and prepare to by them back in 2 years, should the Democrats make any big gains in congressional elections.

I would not be surprised to find out that only 22% of Americans "Actively" own guns.....By actively I mean...I am discounting the ones that have an old shotgun in the attic. Active gun owners would be those who actually shoot at least once per year.

BS. They have no idea of the numbers of gun owners or guns. The real question is where are they trying to take the conversation by estimating such low numbers.

Well, the key to this article is the Harvard/Northwestern study. If that study is inaccurate, there are correspondingly more or less guns and/or gun owners.

I suspect that, like Heinleinian anarchists there are 'big mouthed gun owners' and 'small mouthed gun owners' (not sure if I am paraphrasing Heinlein accurately - corrections welcome); it is going to be a lot easier to count the former than the latter.

Jan

More than anyone knows. Just as people were less than forthcoming about their alcohol during prohibition, so too, people will avoid disclosure of any controversial material in their possession.

imo, most of the firearm innovation comes from smaller companies that sell more expensive and custom weapons. A downturn in the fear of confiscation under Trump will affect the big weapon companies more than the small innovators where most R & D is done.
(Just my opinion.)

In America, enough to make the corrupt Govt, and world, shit themselves.

Why do they think the numbers matter? They are worried about gun crime. But it seems obvious that the criminal with gun in hand does not decide to commit violence because other citizens have too many guns in their possession.