Since the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) began operating in 1998, it has processed nearly 500 million checks. While a check does not mean a gun was transferred (background checks can often be for concealed carry permits, suppressors, or the check can result in a denial to purchase a firearm), it is the best measure of gun sales. While a check can be denied, multiple guns can be purchased on a single check. Since its inception, there have been over 2.2 million denials.
Americans possess more firearms than any other nation on earth, and gun ownership is a deeply rooted part of U.S. culture. But how many people in America actually own guns? Recent data indicates that approximately one-third of U.S. adults – roughly 80 million individuals – are gun owners. This share has held relatively steady over the past two decades, even as the number of firearms in circulation has climbed to unprecedented levels (over 390 million guns by some estimates in 2017).
In this article, we’ll break down the latest gun ownership statistics (2024/2025) – including who owns guns, why they own them, trends in first-time buyers, public attitudes, and how U.S. gun ownership compares globally – and discuss what these trends mean for the ammunition industry.
Total Number of Gun Owners in America (2025 Statistics)
About 32% of American adults say they personally own a firearm. With the U.S. adult population around 250–260 million, this translates to roughly 80–83 million gun owners nationwide. An additional 10% of adults live in a household with firearms owned by someone else, meaning around 42% of U.S. households have a gun present. In other words, tens of millions of Americans exercise their Second Amendment rights, making civilian gun ownership a common aspect of life in the United States.
Historically, household gun ownership in the U.S. has fluctuated between about 37% and 47% since the 1970s. Over the last two decades, the overall rate of gun ownership has been remarkably stable – Gallup polls show no clear increase or decrease in gun ownership from 2007 to 2020. For example, in 2007 about 44% of Americans lived in a gun-owning household (28% personally owned a gun) versus 44% in 2020 (32% personally owned). While the percentage of Americans who own guns has not skyrocketed, the absolute number of gun owners has grown modestly in line with population growth and recent surges in first-time buyers (discussed later).
It’s worth noting that Americans collectively own an astonishing number of firearms – by 2017, civilian-owned guns in the U.S. were estimated at 393 million, exceeding the U.S. population of 326 million that year. That means the nation has more guns than people, and a small subset of gun owners possess multiple firearms. (One study found that 3% of American adults own half of all guns in private hands) Nonetheless, the “typical” gun owner profile has been gradually broadening, as we see next in the demographic breakdown.
Demographics of American Gun Owners
Gun ownership spans a diverse cross-section of Americans, but certain demographic groups are more likely to own guns than others. Surveys by Pew Research and Gallup reveal clear patterns by gender, age, race/ethnicity, region, and political affiliation:
Gender
Men are about twice as likely as women to be gun owners. Approximately 40–45% of men in the U.S. say they own a gun, compared to 19–25% of women. The gender gap, while still large, has narrowed somewhat in recent years as women increasingly become first-time buyers. (In the late 2000s, female ownership was closer to ~10–15%.) Today, women make up a growing share of new gun owners, contributing to the closing of this.
Age
Gun ownership tends to increase with age (up to a point). Young adults under 30 are the least likely to own firearms – only about 22% of 18–29 year-olds own a gun – whereas people in their 30s, 40s, and beyond are more likely to be gun owners. For example, around 35% of Americans in their 30s/40s have a gun, and about 36% of seniors 65+ do. Many adults who don’t own guns in their youth eventually become gun owners later in life (often when they have families or feel a greater need for home protection).
Race/Ethnicity
White Americans have a higher rate of gun ownership than other racial groups. According to Pew Research, roughly 38% of White adults in the U.S. say they own a gun, compared to about 24% of Black adults, 20% of Hispanic adults, and 10% of Asian adults. These differences may reflect cultural and regional factors – for instance, gun ownership is more prevalent in rural and suburban areas (where White Americans are a larger share of the population) than in big cities.
Location
Where Americans live plays a big role in gun ownership rates. Per Pew Research, rural residents are the most likely to own guns – nearly 50% of adults in rural areas are gun owners. Suburban residents are in the middle (~25–30%), while those in urban centers are least likely (~20%). Regionally, the American South has the highest gun ownership levels – about 40% of adults in Southern states personally own a firearm. The Midwest and Mountain West also have higher-than-average ownership (~30%+). By contrast, the Northeastern U.S. has the lowest gun ownership: only around 18–21% of adults in New England/Mid-Atlantic states are gun owners. Gun ownership rates by region vary significantly. Southern states and rural areas have the highest share of adults who own firearms (around 40–50%), whereas the Northeast and large urban cities have the lowest (around 18–20%).
Political Affiliation
Gun ownership is strongly correlated with politics. Conservatives and Republicans are far more likely to own guns than liberals or Democrats. Approximately 45–50% of self-identified Republicans say they personally own a gun, versus only about 18–20% of Democrats. In fact, being a Republican (or living in a Republican-leaning household) is one of the best predictors of gun ownership. This partisan divide has widened – Gallup found the ownership gap between Republicans and Democrats grew from 16 points in the mid-2000s to 28 points by the early 2020s. Political culture, along with local gun laws, likely influences these rates.
It’s important to remember that gun owners are not a monolith – they include people of all genders, races, and backgrounds. The “average” gun owner in America today is still likely to be a middle-aged white male who lives in a rural or suburban area and leans Republican. However, new trends (discussed next) show that first-time gun buyers in recent years have brought greater diversity to the gun-owning population, including more women, minorities, and urban residents than before.
Why Americans Own Guns: Top Motivations
Americans cite a variety of reasons for owning firearms, but one motivation clearly stands above the rest: personal protection. In a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, 72% of U.S. gun owners said that protection or self-defense is a major reason they own a gun. This makes protection the most common and salient motivation by far. Other reasons – such as hunting, sport shooting, collecting, or work requirements – lag significantly behind.
Personal protection is by far the leading reason that Americans own guns, with about 3 in 4 gun owners citing it as a major factor. Many gun owners also cite hunting (32%) or sport shooting (30%) as key reasons, while fewer point to gun collecting (15%) or job-related needs (7%). The emphasis on self-defense has grown slightly over time – for example, in 2017 about 67% of gun owners cited protection as a major reason, rising to 72% in 2023. High-profile events and concerns (rising crime rates, civil unrest, or mass shootings) tend to reinforce the appeal of owning a gun for personal safety. Surveys find that 81% of gun owners say owning a gun makes them feel safer in general.
Aside from protection, hunting remains an important tradition for many gun owners (especially in rural areas), though its role has diminished as the number of Americans who hunt has declined over the decades. Roughly one-third of gun owners today say hunting is a major reason for owning firearms. Target shooting and sport is another common reason (30%) – this includes activities like competitive shooting, skeet, or simply recreational range time. A smaller segment of owners are collectors who value guns as a hobby or part of historical collections (15%), and a minority (7%) need firearms for their jobs such as law enforcement or security personnel.
It’s worth noting that most gun owners have multiple reasons for owning guns – protection may be primary, but many also enjoy the sporting aspects or keep guns passed down through family. Overall, though, the self-defense narrative dominates American gun culture today. This aligns with the surge in concealed carry permits and the growing market for personal-defense handguns over the last 20 years. When asked to choose the single biggest reason for owning a gun, a majority of Americans consistently choose protection over hunting or other factors.
Surge in First-Time Gun Buyers (Recent Trends)
One of the most significant trends of the past few years has been a wave of first-time gun buyers entering the market. Millions of Americans became new gun owners during 2020–2022, driven by a confluence of events – the COVID-19 pandemic, social unrest, rising violent crime in some cities, and political concerns about future gun restrictions. This period saw record-breaking gun sales and an influx of people who decided to purchase their very first firearm.
In 2020 alone, an estimated 8.4 million people bought a firearm for the first time, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). That year saw over 21 million background checks for gun sales (the highest ever recorded in a single year, nearly double the 14 million a decade prior). The surge continued into 2021, when another 5.4 million first-time gun buyers joined the ranks of gun owners. All told, industry data indicate that from 2020 through 2022, more than 13 million Americans became new gun owners. By early 2023, NSSF reported the number of new gun owners since 2020 had grown to over 22.3 million – roughly equivalent to “a population the size of Florida” taking up gun ownership for the first time.
Why the sudden influx of new buyers? Surveys and anecdotes suggest these Americans were motivated largely by personal safety concerns during uncertain times. The onset of the pandemic in spring 2020 brought lockdowns and economic anxiety; this, combined with a summer of civil unrest and calls to “defund the police,” led many to worry about their security. Gun stores saw a rush of customers – including many who had never owned a gun before – looking to purchase a firearm for home defense. High-profile incidents and political events also played a role. For instance, the 2020 election (and subsequent talks of new gun control measures) spurred panic buying in late 2020 and into 2021.
Notably, the demographics of these first-time buyers were broader than the traditional gun-owner base. Retailer surveys showed increased participation by women and minorities among new gun purchasers. The NSSF estimates in 2020 found that 40% of first-time buyers were women, and retailers reported larger numbers of Black and Hispanic customers than in prior years. This means the recent surge has made the gun-owning population more diverse. It also adds a cohort of novice owners who may be seeking training, education, and plenty of ammunition to practice with.
The impact of these new owners is significant: millions of households that previously had no firearms now have one or more guns. Many of these first-timers have since become repeat buyers or regular shooters. This surge has expanded the overall gun owner population (even if national ownership percentages moved only slightly, the absolute number of owners hit new highs). It also contributed to extraordinary demand in the firearm and ammunition markets - as discussed in the next section.
Public Attitudes Toward Gun Ownership
Gun ownership in America is not only widespread, it’s also a topic of intense public debate. Attitudes toward guns are deeply polarized – often splitting along political and urban/rural lines. Broadly speaking, America is split nearly 50/50 on key questions about gun rights and gun control, reflecting a longstanding divide in public opinion.
According to Pew Research, as of 2024, 51% of U.S. adults say it’s more important to protect the right of Americans to own guns, while 48% say it’s more important to control gun ownership. This essentially even split has persisted, with slight fluctuations, for many years. (In 2022, the split was 47% pro-gun rights vs 52% pro-gun control, so opinion shifted a bit in favor of gun rights by 2024.) These averages mask enormous partisan differences: about 83% of Republicans prioritize gun rights, whereas 79% of Democrats prioritize controlling gun ownership. In other words, one’s political identity often predicts their stance on guns.
Americans are also divided on the effects of gun ownership on society. When asked whether gun ownership increases safety or reduces safety, about 52% of Americans say having guns in the household does more to increase safety, while 47% believe it reduces safety by introducing risk. This slight majority viewing guns as protective is a change from 2023, when opinion was evenly split 49%–49% on this question. Here again, divisions are stark: roughly 81% of Republicans assert that gun ownership makes people safer, whereas 74% of Democrats say it makes society more dangerous. Likewise, people in rural areas overwhelmingly feel guns increase safety, while those in urban areas are more inclined to see guns as a safety hazard.
Despite these differences, there is some common ground. Most Americans, gun owners and non-owners alike, support certain gun policy measures (like background checks), even if they disagree on others. However, the overall climate around guns is highly contentious. About 49% of Americans view gun violence as a major problem in the country (as of 2024). And when asked whether the rising number of guns in America is good or bad for society, a majority (54%) said it’s bad for society for more guns to be in circulation, while about 21% said it’s good for society (the rest were neutral). For gun owners, firearms are often tied to personal identity and values. 74% of gun owners say owning a gun is “essential to their freedom,” according to a 2021 survey by Pew Research.
Many owners take pride in the responsibility and see gun ownership as a constitutional right that underpins their security and liberty. On the flip side, non-owners – especially those who favor gun control – often express concerns about the risks that widespread gun ownership poses (e.g. the U.S. has higher rates of firearm homicide and accidents than other developed nations). This push-and-pull of public sentiment ensures that guns remain a hot-button issue. As the country’s gun owner base grows (with first-time buyers, etc.), these attitudes will continue to evolve, but sharp polarization is likely to persist.
How U.S. Gun Ownership Compares Globally
The United States is truly an outlier when it comes to civilian gun ownership. No other nation
has as many privately owned guns – both in absolute number and per capita – as America
does. To put it in perspective, the U.S. has about 120.5 firearms per 100 residents, meaning there are more guns than people in the country. The country with the next highest gun ownership rate is a distant second: Yemen has around 53 guns per 100 people (as of 2017). Most other developed nations have far lower rates. For example, Canada has ~35 guns per 100 people, Germany about 20 per 100, and Australia around 15 per 100. At the extreme low end, countries like Japan have virtually no private gun ownership (close to 0.3 guns per 100 residents), due to strict laws. The chart below highlights the gap:
The United States far surpasses other countries in civilian gun ownership per capita. With roughly 120 guns per 100 people, Americans own guns at nearly double the rate of the next closest country (Yemen, ~53 per 100). In contrast, other Western countries like Canada (34.7), Germany (19.6), and Australia (14.5) have much lower gun ownership rates. Japan, with strict gun laws, has almost zero civilian guns (0.3 per 100 people). The U.S. also has about 40% of all civilian-owned guns in the world.
There are a few reasons for America’s unique status. First, the United States is one of only three countries in the world that explicitly protect gun ownership as a constitutional right (the other two are Mexico and Guatemala). The U.S. Second Amendment – and Supreme Court interpretations of it (e.g. the 2008 Heller decision affirming an individual right to bear arms) – create a legal environment highly favorable to private gun ownership. In most other nations, gun ownership is treated as a privilege rather than a right, and is heavily regulated or restricted.
Secondly, American history and culture have long been intertwined with guns – from the frontier era to modern sport shooting – fostering a robust gun industry and advocacy movement. The result is that the U.S. has an estimated 400 million guns in civilian hands, accounting for about 40% of all civilian-owned firearms in the world. (despite Americans being only 4% of the global population). No other nation comes close in sheer volume. For comparison, India has the second-largest number of civilian firearms (estimated ~71 million) but with a population four times larger than the U.S., its per capita rate is only ~5 guns per 100 people.
It’s also instructive to compare gun ownership culture: In many European and Asian countries, handguns and semi-automatic rifles are heavily restricted or banned, and private ownership if allowed at all is often limited to hunting weapons kept under strict storage rules. In the U.S., by contrast, law-abiding citizens in most states can purchase handguns, AR-15s, and hundreds of other models with relative ease (after a background check) and carry them for personal defense in public (with a permit, or even without one in “constitutional carry” states). This freedom is virtually unparalleled internationally, which is why America’s gun ownership rates stand apart.
Growth in Gun and Ammo Sales (Pandemic Spike and Beyond)
The past few years have been a roller coaster for the firearms industry, with record-setting sales during the pandemic followed by continued strong (if slightly reduced) demand in subsequent years. These surges in gun purchases have had a direct impact on ammunition sales, leading to shortages and booming business for ammo manufacturers and retailers. As noted earlier, 2020 saw an unprecedented spike in gun buying. The FBI’s background check system recorded nearly 39.7 million firearm background checks in 2020, up from 28 million in 2019 and just 14.4 million a decade prior. While not every background check equals a sale, industry analysts estimate around 20–21 million guns were sold in 2020 – an all-time high. This wave was driven by first-time buyers and existing gun owners stocking up. 2021 also remained very high, with roughly 18–19 million guns sold (NSSF reported 22.2 million checks just through June 2021). There was a slight cooling by 2022 and 2023, but gun sales have continued at historically elevated levels compared to pre-2020 norms.
Several factors have historically driven surges in firearm sales in the U.S.:
Political Events and Fear of Gun Control
Gun sales often jump when buyers sense potential restrictions coming. For instance, sales spiked after the 2008 and 2012 elections of President Obama (amid fears of new gun laws), and again in early 2021 with a new administration pushing for gun control. The possibility of bans on certain guns or magazines prompts enthusiasts to purchase while they still can.
High-Profile Crimes and Civil Unrest
Periods of social instability tend to boost self-defense gun purchases. The year 2020 combined a pandemic (which strained emergency services) with civil unrest after George Floyd’s death and an uptick in violent crime in some areas. This “perfect storm” led many Americans to arm themselves who might not have otherwise. Even localized riots or natural disasters (e.g. hurricanes) have been known to drive short-term gun sale increases in affected regions.
Pandemic Uncertainty
The COVID pandemic itself was a unique driver – in early 2020, as lockdowns began, gun and ammo sales soared. People worried about societal breakdown or simply had more time to buy guns as other activities ceased. The fact that shooting ranges and gun shops were swamped in 2020 (with many reporting lines out the door) underscores how unusual that year was.
General Crime Concerns
Beyond specific incidents, a broader rise in violent crime rates (as seen in 2020–2021 in many cities) can motivate people to buy firearms for personal protection. Polls show that personal safety is a top reason for new gun purchases, and indeed some cities that saw crime spikes also saw more guns sold. For the ammunition industry, these surges in gun ownership translated to unprecedented demand for ammo. Starting in mid-2020 and through 2021, the U.S. experienced a severe ammunition shortage across many popular calibers. Store shelves were often bare, and prices for rounds (if you could find them) were significantly higher than normal.
Several dynamics contributed to this shortage:
•Record numbers of new gun owners = new ammo buyers. If 8+ million people bought their first gun in 2020, that’s millions of new customers needing ammo to practice with. The NSSF noted that if each new owner simply bought one box of 50 rounds, that alone would be an additional 420 million rounds of demand. In reality, many people were buying much more than a single box.
•Existing gun owners stockpiling. During uncertain times, gun enthusiasts tend to stock up on ammunition (fearing shortages or future regulations). This hoarding behavior further strained supply. By late 2020, it wasn’t uncommon for customers to grab whatever ammo was available, even for guns they didn’t yet own, just because it was on the shelf.
•Manufacturing and supply chain constraints. Ammo manufacturers ramped up production to meet demand – for example, Vista Outdoor (maker of Federal and CCI ammunition) reportedly increased production by 30–40% in 2020. Imports of ammunition surged as well. Despite running factories 24/7, the supply couldn’t catch up for many months. Compounding the issue, raw material prices (for lead, copper, etc.) rose and there were occasional pandemic-related labor or transport disruptions. At one point, even law enforcement agencies reported difficulties obtaining training ammo because civilian buying had consumed so much supply.
All these factors resulted in what one could call the “Great Ammo Shortage” of 2020–2021. By mid-2022, the shortage began to ease as demand normalized and manufacturing caught up, but ammo prices remained somewhat higher than pre-pandemic levels. Manufacturers have since expanded capacity, and new entrants have joined the market, which should help buffer future demand spikes. However, the pandemic surge was a wake-up call for the industry about how quickly the market can be upended by external events.
Implications for the Ammunition Industry
The trends in U.S. gun ownership and sales carry significant implications for ammunition producers and retailers. An expanding base of gun owners – especially millions of recent first-timers – means a larger long-term customer pool for ammunition. New gun owners don’t just buy a firearm; they need to buy ammo repeatedly to use that firearm (for training, practice, hunting, or defense). This can lead to sustained higher demand even after the initial gun purchase surge. Indeed, as of 2023, the NSSF estimates over 50 million Americans participate in shooting sports or practice shooting annually, which represents a huge ongoing market for ammunition.
From a business perspective, the ammunition industry is experiencing growth but also pressure to adapt. True Shot Ammo, like many ammo retailers, saw demand skyrocket in 2020–2021. Such surges test the limits of supply chains and highlight the importance of inventory management. Ammo companies have had to invest in increased production capacity, while retailers needed to allocate products efficiently and find reliable sources (including imports) when domestic supplies ran tight. The shortage also underscored the value of customer education – helping new gun owners find the right ammo and encouraging them not to panic buy more than they need so that supply can be shared.
On the flip side, after a surge, there’s always the risk of a slight downturn or market saturation. Gun and ammo sales cooled somewhat from their 2020 peak as the immediate drivers (pandemic, unrest) receded. Ammunition manufacturers must balance ramping up production with not overshooting and creating a glut if demand falls. So far, demand remains healthy; many of the new owners from 2020–2021 are continuing to shoot and buy ammunition. Additionally, external events (like calls for new gun regulations or spikes in crime) can still spur mini-surges in buying at any time.
For companies like True Shot Ammo, the key is to stay agile and well-stocked. The events of the last few years brought millions of new customers into the market, and maintaining their business requires offering a wide selection of calibers at reasonable prices. It also means providing resources – from safety training information to guides on ammo selection – to support those customers. We’ve seen that when people decide to become gun owners, they also seek knowledge on how to use and maintain their firearms responsibly, which includes understanding ammunition. Retailers who foster that education and community (for example, through blogs like this one or training programs) can build loyalty with the growing gun-owning public.
In summary, gun ownership in America remains at historically high levels and shows no sign of abating. Roughly 80+ million Americans own guns, and recent surges have diversified this group and heightened demand for firearms and ammunition. The U.S. stands out globally for its high rate of gun ownership, underpinned by unique legal protections and cultural norms. Most owners cite self-defense as their primary reason, reflecting current attitudes about safety and personal responsibility. At the same time, the nation remains split on the broader impact of so many guns, which ensures that firearms will continue to be debated in the public arena.
For the ammunition industry, all these factors translate to a robust but dynamic market. True Shot Ammo and other suppliers are adapting to serve an expanding customer base of recreational shooters, hunters, and armed citizens. Whether it’s ensuring product availability during demand spikes or keeping prices competitive, the industry is learning from recent years and innovating to meet Americans’ ammunition needs. If you’re a new gun owner or even just a curious reader, staying informed on gun ownership trends – as we’ve covered here – is valuable. It provides context for your rights and responsibilities, and it highlights how a decision made by millions of individuals (to own a gun) can collectively shape an industry and a national conversation.
