Some interesting fact’s about guns and ammo
Firearms (handguns, rifles, and shotguns) owned by civilians…235,000,000
So how are these bullets and guns used each year:
* Fatal firearms accidents per year…1,100
* Suicides by firearm, per year…18.000
* Murders by firearm, per year…14,000
* Crimes committed with guns, per year…1,000,000
Let’s assume that each incident involves a separate gun. This will increase the number of guns claimed in this calculation, but we know the thought to be silly – a actor may commit multiple acts using the same gun: Total guns employed, 1,033,100.
Out of a total of 235,000,000 guns, that comes to 0.44% of the guns in the public’s hands used for purposes not as designed.
Bullets? Assume one per accident shooting and suicide, three per murder, and that 20% of the other crimes discharge a bullet (probably high). Total bullets employed, 161,100. Aw, let’s triple the number for fun! 483,300
Out of a total of 10 billion sold each year, that comes to 0.0048% used for purposes not as designed.
As a side note (from the link immediately above), how about guns used on an inter-personal basis but as designed?
Defensive gun uses (DGUs) by civilians, per year…2,500,000 to 3,500,000
Fraction of DGUs in which no shot is fired…92%
That’s two to three times are many guns employed and about half as many bullets in an “as designed” capacity – and if even half prevented a crime, then it at least equals the number of incidents in which a gun was used inappropriately.
So, 99.56% of guns in circulation are used as designed, as are 99.52% of bullets.
So what’s the argument?
The argument that guns are bad and kill Innocent people is no more relevant than anything else. The anti-gun crowd always likes to point at headline articles and say “Look, if that guy didn’t have a gun so-and-so wouldn’t have died”. That has about as much relevancy as me pointing out a plane crash and saying flying should be banned. The point is you can’t look at a small fraction of incidents or crimes and apply it across the board.
You don’t like my guns? Fine, I don’t like your hate speech. Perhaps that should be banned too?
