Self-Defense Statistics

More people are exercising their right of personal self defense than at any time in our nation’s history!

The news media love to report on the criminal use of guns. But they seldom report on the legal and responsible use of firearms by ordinary citizens. The fact is, as gun ownership has gone up, crime has gone down in the U.S. And one of the reasons is that more and more law-abiding citizens like you are choosing to buy, own, and carry firearms to defend themselves and their family.

• After a record year in 2020, gun sales in the U.S. dipped slightly in 2021. Still, with nearly 19 million guns sold, 2021 was the second-highest year, all time, for gun sales in the U.S., second only to 2020. Consumer demand for firearms surged in 2020, with more than 23 million guns purchased in 2020. This represents a more than 60 percent increase over the 14 million firearms purchased in 2019 and was called a “record-breaking” year for the firearm industry. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, 2021 data currently estimates that more than 469 million firearms are in civilian possession, with over half, 253million of those firearms entering the market since 1991.
• From 2019 through 2021, due largely because of the current rise in violent crimes nationwide, with more and more large cities seeing spikes in crime, and civil unrest, over 11.6 million citizens have purchased firearms for the first time for their own personal protection.
• The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, 2020 data currently estimates that 434 million firearms are in civilian possession, with about half, 214 million, of those firearms entering the market since 1991
• Gun ownership is at an all-time high, with over 125 million U.S. households owning firearms in 2021. That’s over 1 of every 3 households.
• The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) for new firearm purchases has shown double-digit increases in recent years. A key factor driving this trend is increased first time gun buyers, and more women who are choosing to own or carry firearms. In 2019, over 28 million, in 2020 over 39 million, and in 2021 over 38 million NICS checks were performed.
• The Center for Disease Control estimated a high of 2.5 million defensive gun incidents per year. That’s about 208,333 per month and well over 6,800 per day.
• After many years of legal and political battles, all 50 states now have laws allowing citizens to carry concealed firearms in public. As of March 2022, 25 States have adopted some form of permitless carry, not requiring a license to carry a firearm concealed.
• Estimates suggest there are over 21.5 million permit holders in the U.S. The number of permit holders in the United States, has exponentially increased, from 2.7 million in 1999 to over 21.5 million in the most recent count. In March 2022, with 25 States authorizing “permit-less or Constitutional Carry,” not requiring a permit to carry a firearm outside of the home, that 21.5 million number of people who carry a firearm outside the home is undoubtedly much higher.

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