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Category: All About Guns
Americans collectively own more firearms than ever before.
According to new estimates from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, civilian gun ownership in the United States has surpassed the 500 million mark, reaching an estimated 506.1 million firearms currently in private hands.
That figure is based on a review of federal manufacturing and import data compiled from 1990 through 2023 using records from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The estimate accounts for firearms manufactured domestically and sold within the United States, as well as firearms imported for the commercial market.
The data also sheds light on the continued growth of America’s modern sporting rifle inventory. Since 1990, more than 32 million AR-type rifles have entered circulation.
While production of these rifles declined sharply between 2022 and 2023, falling by roughly 46 percent, overall ownership continued to rise. Total AR-style rifles in civilian possession increased by approximately 4.5 percent over that period, growing from about 30.7 million to just over 32 million.
Looking specifically at 2023, a total of 13,574,653 firearms were made available to the U.S. market when imports are included. Handguns accounted for the majority, with 8,176,535 units, followed by 3,899,907 rifles and 1,498,211 shotguns.
Domestic firearm production for the year totaled 8,466,729 units, representing a 15.4 percent decline from 2022.
While production has cooled from the record-setting levels seen during the pandemic years, overall firearm sales remain historically strong. The market appears to have settled into what the industry describes as a new baseline rather than returning to pre-2020 norms.
That trend is reflected in adjusted data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Instant Criminal Background Check System. According to NSSF-adjusted NICS figures, more than 15 million firearms were sold in the United States during 2024.
That represents a modest 3.5 percent decrease from 2023, but still places annual sales well above levels seen before the surge in gun buying that began in 2020. For context, that year saw more than 21 million NICS checks that were likely tied to firearm purchases.
Taken together, the numbers paint a clear picture. Despite fluctuations in annual production, civilian firearm ownership in the United States continues to grow, reinforcing the reality that privately owned guns remain deeply embedded in American society and culture.
While much of Japan’s early history was dominated by cavalry battles that often involved only small numbers of men, the spread of warfare into cities caused the addition of the infantry or Ashigaru.
At Sekigahara this involved both spear men and also musketeers firing in organized volleys.
While the musket men, who fired from behind protective fences were the key to destroying the enemy cavalry charges.The straw jackets were an ancient form of rain gear similar to a grass roof on a hut.
Tokugawa Ieyasu defeats Toyotomi Hideyori, and many other clans of Western Japan at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, establishing the Tokugawa Shogunate, the last shogunate in Japan, and also bringing the country under a single ruler.
TheGunBlog.ca — Canada’s Liberal Party-led administration said today that gun owners targeted by its mass confiscation fantasy will soon be able to register the goods they want seized and destroyed, possibly without compensation.
Unworkable, Unenforceable
The Liberals published a statement and hosted a “technical briefing” for media including TheGunBlog.ca. They were unable to provide any specifics on their failing confiscation effort.
- They couldn’t say how they will enforce the seizures, given that they don’t know who owns most of the rifles and shotguns they want to confiscate. (The so-called “Non-Restricted” models.)
- They couldn’t say how they will enforce seizures that owners oppose.
- They couldn’t say how they will execute a program that most provinces oppose.
- They couldn’t say how they will execute a program that most police oppose.
- They couldn’t say if confiscation agents will visit homes, or if/when police will be involved.
- They reiterated their idea of “mobile-collection units,” without more details.
- They couldn’t provide a timeline for payment in case anyone does actually get paid.
Confiscation Without Compensation
The Liberals did confirm that you might be denied compensation, even if you register your firearms for confiscation and destruction by the new deadline of March 31.
“Please note that submitting a declaration does not guarantee you will receive compensation,” they say on several of the new webpages for the crackdown. The bold text is in the original.
Last year, the Liberals broke their promise to offer payment to everyone who participated. They expect a maximum of 136,000 gun owners to opt-in, far below industry estimates of the number of affected owners.
Most Provinces Oppose Confiscation
- Quebec is the only province that publicly supports the attacks unleashed by the Liberals in May 2020.
- Winnipeg, Halifax, and Cape Breton are the only municipalities that have said they support the seizures against government-licensed firearm owners.
- Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Yukon have said they won’t participate, or are actively working to block the crackdown.
No Surrender
TheGunBlog.ca isn’t aware of any individual who intends to surrender their gear, and is aware of many who intend to keep their gear.
It doesn’t matter at this point, because thankfully, the confiscation program is still only a confiscation fantasy.
So I see that America does not have a corner on having some real idiots in their Ruling Class! But I REALLY feel sorry for the average Canadian. As I seen myself, they are a really decent bunch of folks and some GREAT Allies! Grumpy
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