How Frequently Are Guns Used For Self-Defense? Breaking Down The Stats

Gun ownership has always been a sensitive and contentious matter especially when self-defense is the topic of discussion. The gun fanatics and enthusiasts advocate and propose that acquiring a gun helps people to protect themselves and their loved ones. According to the Second Amendment Act, every citizen of the USA has the right to acquire a gun. The gun lovers and manufacturers want to pitch this idea and want to blow it out of proportion that having a firearm is a great way to defend yourself, your loved ones and others around you from any kind of danger, assault or homicide. But is that really true?

 According to the statistics, this scenario is very rare and far between. There is a much bigger number of guns that are used for mass shootings or theft or have been in accidents than being used as a self-defense weapon. There are a number of guns that can be great for self-defense like California legal rifles for home defense or property defense, handguns for car defense or similar purposes and other guns for activities like  hunting, recreational shooting and training.

 

According to another survey conducted by the National Crime Victimization Survey from 2007 to 2011, only 0.9 percent of the people actually defended against a crime with a firearm. The benefits that we can want to reap with owning a gun are far outweighed by the negative effects.  An average person doesn’t ever get a chance to use California legal guns   to protect themselves against any danger but the chances of using a firearm wrongfully is almost every single day!

Defining Defensive Gun Use (DGU)

Before diving into the numbers, it's essential to define what constitutes a defensive gun use. The term refers to instances where a firearm is used to protect oneself, another person, or property from harm, theft, or aggression. Importantly, the mere display of a firearm to ward off a threat can be classified as defensive use, even if the gun is not fired. This broad definition can significantly influence the number of reported DGUs, as not every incident results in injury or death.

The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

According to the National Crime Victimization Survey from 2007 to 2011, only 0.9 percent of the people actually defended against a crime with a firearm. There are around 100,000 to 120,000 defensive gun uses per year in the United States. This figure comes from survey responses where victims report using a gun to defend themselves during a criminal encounter.

The Kleck and Gertz Study

On the other side of the spectrum is a study conducted by criminologists Gary Kleck and Marc Gertz in 1995, which has become one of the most controversial pieces of research on defensive gun use. The estimated data of Kleck-Gertz suggest a whopping number of over 200k attackers shot by civilians but the number of people killed, hospitalized or treated for gun wounds is nearly half of it! However, many experts criticize the Kleck and Gertz study for what they see as methodological flaws.

One of the primary criticisms is that the study relied on a relatively small sample size and extrapolated the results to the entire U.S. population. Critics also argue that survey respondents may exaggerate or misremember incidents, leading to inflated numbers. Additionally, some argue that respondents could have included non-criminal situations (e.g., disputes between neighbors or family members) that might not qualify as legitimate self-defense.

Best Weapons for Self-Defense

Now that we have somewhat come to a reasonable number for self-defense with firearms , we now need to pay heed to the guns that actually qualify to be defensive firearms. Self-defense basically means defending your personal belongings like your property, home, car, office, shop or your own personal self. For properties, a handgun like a pistol or revolver won’t be enough; you'd need something like a rifle or shotgun. In order to get these you need to have California legal guns  to stay out of legal trouble. Same goes for California legal rifles, they need to be California compliant in order to qualify as a self-defense weapon.

Conclusion

When it comes to how frequently guns are used for self-defense, the numbers vary widely depending on the source and the methodology used. While studies like the NCVS estimate around 100,000 to 120,000 DGUs per year, other research, like the Kleck and Gertz study, suggests that the number could be as high as 2.5 million. The truth likely lies somewhere in between, and the discrepancies highlight the need for more comprehensive and transparent data collection on defensive gun use.


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