Share of Homes With Guns Shows 4-Decade Decline

Quote from JackHandey : So, essentially you are having an argument of splitting hairs of magnitude. Only those that know me know anything re: my stance on gun ownership and whether I actually own them. I feel no need to provide media outlets with that knowledge, nor compelled to provide random strangers that are unable to verify their identity with me, nor their compelling reason to know anything about what I own. Such polls are really unnecessary. It's not that hard to follow trends of CCW applications and BGC's.

Exactly but what do CCW apps and BGC apps show? Do they show that more people are buying guns, that existing gun owners are buying more guns, or simply that some unknown combination of the two is occurring?

Quote from JackHandey : So, essentially you are having an argument of splitting hairs of magnitude. Only those that know me know anything re: my stance on gun ownership and whether I actually own them. I feel no need to provide media outlets with that knowledge, nor compelled to provide random strangers that are unable to verify their identity with me, nor their compelling reason to know anything about what I own. Such polls are really unnecessary. It's not that hard to follow trends of CCW applications and BGC's.

Just to clarify, one can get a CCW permit but have no intention to carry (in CT you need a CCW to even buy a pistol), and although BGC<>gun purchase, I'd bet there's a strong correlation.

Quote from Dr. J : Just to clarify, one can get a CCW permit but have no intention to carry (in CT you need a CCW to even buy a pistol), and although BGC<>gun purchase, I'd bet there's a strong correlation.

My point is that BGC doesn't prove whatsoever that more and more people are out there owning guns, just that more guns are being owned.

If I own 50 guns I would have gone through 50 BGCs... Those that claim the increase in BGCs is a direct and irrefutable fact showing that more people/households are owning guns are not correct. Personally, of the people I know not one person who hasn't recently owned a gun has gone out and purchased one. Now, who has gone out and purchased more are the people who have already owned guns because they're afraid the supply is going to dry up.

Quote from LivninSC : My point is that BGC doesn't prove whatsoever that more and more people are out there owning guns, just that more guns are being owned. If I own 50 guns I would have gone through 50 BGCs... Those that claim the increase in BGCs is a direct and irrefutable fact showing that more people/households are owning guns are not correct. Personally, of the people I know not one person who hasn't recently owned a gun has gone out and purchased one. Now, who has gone out and purchased more are the people who have already owned guns because they're afraid the supply is going to dry up.

You are somewhat correct. An increase in BGC could just mean more people buying a second (or more) gun. However, you aren't correct in that 50 guns means 50 checks. If you buy more than one gun at a time you only need one BGC (assuming an FFL purchase).

Quote from LivninSC : My point is that BGC doesn't prove whatsoever that more and more people are out there owning guns, just that more guns are being owned. If I own 50 guns I would have gone through 50 BGCs... Those that claim the increase in BGCs is a direct and irrefutable fact showing that more people/households are owning guns are not correct. Personally, of the people I know not one person who hasn't recently owned a gun has gone out and purchased one. Now, who has gone out and purchased more are the people who have already owned guns because they're afraid the supply is going to dry up.

Oh I agree however as I pointed out earlier - if we have proof more guns are being sold but it's the contention of the OP that ownership (per household) is going down, then the increase in number of households must exceed the rate at which gun sales to non-owners is increasing, which isn't likely to be the case. IOW if the numerator of a ratio is increasing but the ratio itself is decreasing (or said to do so), the denominator (in this case total # of homes) must be outpacing the numerator. do we have any evidence of this? If anything I'd say it's flat or decreasing.