* As of 2009, the United States has a population of 307 million people.[5]
* Based on production data from firearm manufacturers,[6] there are roughly 300 million firearms owned by civilians in the United States as of 2010. Of these, about 100 million are handguns.[7]
* Based upon surveys, the following are estimates of private firearm ownership in the U.S. as of 2010:
| Households With a Gun | Adults Owning a Gun | Adults Owning a Handgun | |
| Percentage | 40-45% | 30-34% | 17-19% |
| Number | 47-53 million | 70-80 million | 40-45 million |
* A 2005 nationwide Gallup poll of 1,012 adults found the following levels of firearm ownership:
| Category |
Percentage Owning a Firearm |
| Households | 42% |
| Individuals | 30% |
| Male | 47% |
| Female | 13% |
| White | 33% |
| Nonwhite | 18% |
| Republican | 41% |
| Independent | 27% |
| Democrat | 23% |
* In the same poll, gun owners stated they own firearms for the following reasons:
| Protection Against Crime | 67% |
| Target Shooting | 66% |
| Hunting | 41% |
