TABLE 2—
Firearm-Related Characteristics and Behaviors Among Current Adult Gun Owners by Duration of Firearm Ownership: United States, 2015
| Characteristics and Behaviors | New Gun Owners, % (95% CI) | Long-Standing Gun Owners, % (95% CI) | Unadjusted OR,a (95% CI) | Age-Adjusted OR (95% CI) |
| Number of gunsb | ||||
| 1 | 52.2 (41.7, 62.6) | 24.3 (21.7, 27.1) | 3.4 (2.2, 5.3) | 3.6 (2.2, 5.7) |
| 2 | 28.8 (19.9, 39.7) | 18.8 (16.5, 21.3) | 1.7 (1.1, 2.9) | 1.6 (1.0, 2.8) |
| ≥ 3 | 19.0 (12.3, 28.1) | 56.9 (53.8, 60.0) | 0.2 (0.1, 0.3) | 0.2 (0.1, 0.3) |
| Type of guns owned | ||||
| Handgun only | 44.2 (34.1, 54.8) | 22.8 (20.2, 25.6) | 2.7 (1.7, 4.2) | 2.8 (1.7, 4.4) |
| Long gun only | 20.1 (13.1, 29.6) | 20.0 (17.7, 22.5) | 1.0 (0.6, 1.7) | 0.9 (0.5, 1.6) |
| Both | 35.7 (26.3, 46.4) | 57.2 (54.1, 60.2) | 0.4 (0.3, 0.7) | 0.4 (0.3, 0.7) |
| Where most recent firearm was acquired | ||||
| Purchase | ||||
| Store | 53.1 (42.5, 63.4) | 48.8 (45.7, 51.8) | 1.2 (0.8, 1.8) | 1.1 (0.7, 1.8) |
| Gun show | 2.6 (0.8, 8.1) | 3.0 (2.2, 4.1) | 0.9 (0.3, 2.9) | 0.7 (0.2, 3.0) |
| Family/acquaintance | 11.7 (6.5, 20.4) | 9.4 (7.8, 11.2) | 1.3 (0.7, 2.5) | 1.4 (0.7, 2.7) |
| Pawnshop | 4.6 (1.4, 13.7) | 4.2 (3.1, 5.7) | 1.1 (0.3, 3.7) | 0.8 (0.2, 2.7) |
| Online | 2.5 (0.7, 8.7) | 0.9 (0.5, 1.6) | 2.8 (0.7, 11.4) | 2.6 (0.4, 18.3) |
| Other | 2.8 (0.5, 14.9) | 3.1 (2.3, 4.3) | 0.9 (0.1, 5.4) | 1.3 (0.2, 7.1) |
| Nonpurchase transfer | 22.7 (15.0, 32.8) | 30.6 (27.9, 33.5) | 0.7 (0.4, 1.1) | 0.7 (0.4, 1.2) |
| Underwent background check with most recent firearm acquisition | ||||
| No | 21.0 (11.3, 35.8) | 17.8 (13.7, 22.8) | 1.2 (0.6, 2.7) | 1.4 (0.6, 3.1) |
| Yes | 70.6 (54.6, 82.7) | 75.5 (69.7, 80.4) | 0.8 (0.4, 1.6) | 0.7 (0.3, 1.6) |
| Don’t know | 8.4 (2.4, 25.4) | 6.7 (4.0, 11.2) | 1.3 (0.3, 5.1) | 1.1 (0.3, 5.1) |
| Number of reasons for gun ownership | ||||
| Single reason | 57.4 (46.6, 67.6) | 38.8 (35.8, 42.0) | 2.1 (1.4, 3.3) | 2.3 (1.5, 3.8) |
| Multiple reasons | 42.6 (32.4, 53.4) | 61.2 (58.0, 64.2) | 0.5 (0.3, 0.7) | 0.4 (0.3, 0.7) |
| Reasons for gun ownership | ||||
| Protectionc | 68.6 (58.0, 77.6) | 69.0 (66.2, 71.7) | 1.0 (0.6, 1.6) | 1.0 (0.6, 1.6) |
| Only protection | 37.7 (28.2, 48.3) | 22.4 (19.8, 25.2) | 2.1 (1.3, 3.3) | 2.4 (1.5, 3.8) |
| Hunting | 20.0 (12.7, 30.1) | 43.6 (40.6, 46.6) | 0.3 (0.2, 0.6) | 0.3 (0.2, 0.5) |
| Only hunting | 3.2 (1.1, 8.7) | 6.0 (4.8, 7.4) | 0.5 (0.2, 1.5) | 0.6 (0.2, 1.6) |
| Sporting | 26.7 (18.6, 36.7) | 39.5 (36.5, 42.4) | 0.6 (0.3, 0.9) | 0.4 (0.3, 0.7) |
| Only sporting | 5.6 (2.7, 11.1) | 3.7 (2.8, 4.9) | 1.5 (0.7, 3.4) | 1.1 (0.5, 2.7) |
| Collection | 8.3 (4.5, 14.8) | 23.9 (21.4, 26.6) | 0.3 (0.1, 0.6) | 0.3 (0.1, 0.6) |
| Only collection | 1.0 (0.2, 4.8) | 2.5 (1.7, 3.8) | 0.4 (0.1, 2.0) | 0.4 (0.1, 2.8) |
| Other | 13.5 (7.6, 22.9) | 13.9 (12.0, 16.0) | 1.0 (0.5, 1.9) | 1.3 (0.7, 2.6) |
| Only other | 9.2 (4.4, 18.5) | 5.3 (4.2, 6.8) | 1.8 (0.8, 4.2) | 2.7 (1.2, 6.3) |
| Storage | ||||
| Any unlocked | 49.5 (39.1, 60.0) | 63.3 (60.2, 66.3) | 0.6 (0.4, 0.9) | 0.7 (0.5, 1.1) |
| Any loaded | 36.0 (26.3, 46.9) | 46.9 (43.8, 50.0) | 0.6 (0.4, 1.0) | 0.6 (0.4, 0.9) |
| Loaded and unlocked | 15.7 (9.3, 25.3) | 33.1 (30.3, 36.1) | 0.4 (0.2, 0.7) | 0.4 (0.2, 0.7) |
| Loaded and locked plus unloaded and unlocked | 54.0 (43.4, 64.2) | 44.0 (41.0, 47.1) | 1.5 (1.0, 2.3) | 1.5 (0.9, 2.3) |
| Unloaded and locked | 30.3 (21.5, 40.7) | 22.8 (20.3, 25.5) | 1.5 (0.9, 2.4) | 1.4 (0.8, 2.3) |
| Among those living with children aged < 18 y | ||||
| Any unlocked | 38.2 (22.7, 56.6) | 52.0 (45.5, 58.4) | 0.6 (0.3, 1.2) | 0.5 (0.2, 1.2) |
| Any loaded | 40.3 (23.9, 59.2) | 46.7 (40.4, 53.2) | 0.8 (0.4, 1.7) | 0.6 (0.2, 1.4) |
| Loaded and unlocked | 8.7 (2.2, 28.8) | 24.5 (19.3, 30.6) | 0.3 (0.1, 1.2) | 0.2 (0.0, 0.8) |
| Loaded and locked plus unloaded and unlocked | 61.2 (43.2, 76.6) | 49.7 (43.3, 56.2) | 1.6 (0.8, 3.4) | 1.8 (0.8, 4.0) |
| Unloaded and locked | 30.2 (17.1, 47.5) | 25.8 (20.6, 31.6) | 1.2 (0.6, 2.7) | 1.4 (0.6, 3.3) |
| Do you have a concealed-carry permit? | ||||
| No | 68.7 (57.7, 77.8) | 70.1 (67.2, 72.8) | 0.9 (0.6, 1.5) | 1.1 (0.7, 1.8) |
| Yes | 31.3 (22.2, 42.3) | 29.9 (27.2, 32.8) | 1.1 (0.7, 1.8) | 0.9 (0.6, 1.5) |
| Have you carried a loaded handgun on your person in the last 30 days? | ||||
| No | 82.9 (72.9, 89.8) | 78.1 (75.4, 80.5) | 1.4 (0.7, 2.5) | 1.9 (1.0, 3.5) |
| Yes | 17.1 (10.2, 27.1) | 21.9 (19.5, 24.6) | 0.7 (0.4, 1.3) | 0.5 (0.3, 1.0) |
Note. CI = confidence interval; OR = odds ratio.
a
Odds of a given row characteristic among new gun owners divided by odds of that same row characteristic among long-standing gun owners.
b
The mean number of guns owned was 2.2 (95% CI = 1.8, 2.7) for new gun owners and 5.4 (95% CI = 4.8, 6.1) for long-standing gun owners.
c
Of new and long-standing gun owners, 97.0% (95% CI = 90.8%, 99.0%) and 93.8% (95% CI = 91.7%, 95.4%), respectively, who own for protection do so for protection against strangers.