Gun Numbers, Laws, Ownership, and Gun-Related Deaths

1.) U.S. Gun Numbers
As of 2009, there were 310 million firearms in the United States. There were 114 million handguns, 86 million shotguns and 110 million rifles. Firearms were responsible for 71% of all murders in 2015.

2.) Gun Laws
California has the most restrictive gun laws in the United States, followed most closely by Illinois and New York. By region, the Northeast has the most restrictive gun laws.

The states with the least restrictive gun laws are Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida, Kentucky, and Virginia, with Arizona having the least restrictive laws.

3.) Gun Ownership
Gun ownership tends to be higher where gun laws are least restrictive. At 62%, Alaska has the highest rate of gun ownership in the U.S. and, at 5%, Delaware has the lowest rate of gun ownership. High gun ownership states, besides Alaska, are: New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota, Arkansas, Alabama and West Virginia.

Except for California, Nebraska, Indiana and Ohio, which fall into the lowest of five categories for households owning a firearm, all of the Northeast states fall into the two lowest of these five categories.

4.) Gun-Related Deaths
Gun-related deaths are more prevalent in the Southern states. Those states that fall into the highest of five categories of gun-related deaths are: Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Louisiana (the highest at 19%).

Hawaii, at 3%, has the lowest rate of gun-related deaths. Others in the lowest of five categories are: California, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, New York, New Hampshire, Nebraska, Maryland, New Jersey and Connecticut.

5.) Matches in Categories
The states that display a match  between the most restrictive gun laws and the lowest rate of gun-related deaths are all in the Northeast, with the single exception of California.

The states that display a match between the least restrictive gun laws and the highest rate of gun-related deaths are: Montana, Wyoming, Arkansas and Louisiana.

6.) Background Checks
There were 9 million background checks in 2000 and 23 million in 2015.

The percentage increase in gun-owning households from 39% in 2000 to 41% in 2015, a growth rate far lower than that of background checks, suggests that those in gun-owning households are stocking up.

ADDENDUMS:
*More people die from guns than from car accidents. In 2016 there have been 1,622 accidental shootings, and 515 children have been shot.

*About half of owners say they own guns for protection, followed by hunting (32%).

*More than 60% of gun-related deaths are suicides, while about a third are homicides.

The sources for the information provided above can be found in: Emily Barone, "One  nation, up in arms," TIME, October 24, 2016.