How Many Guns in the U.S.: All About America's Firearms in 2024

Asking how many guns are in the U.S. is like asking how many grains of salt are in the Dead Sea—there are simply too many to count. Due to privacy rights and the right to keep and bear arms, which governments in the U.S. are bound to respect, it's nearly impossible to determine the exact number of firearms. The Supreme Court's decision in Haynes v. U.S. (1968) ruled that firearm registrations are unconstitutional, further complicating any attempt at an accurate count.

However, we can make an educated estimate using NICS records, surveys, and import data. The following sections will explore everything you need to know about the number of guns in the U.S.

Methodology

The United States government does not require firearm registration, so the total number of firearms in the country is unknown. However, we have studies, sales reports, and self-reporting surveys to validate estimates.

The following sections contain all available information from reputable sources. We’ve compared the year-over-year self-reporting trends to NICS background checks and NSSF sales reports to accurately analyze the number of guns in the U.S.

Furthermore, we accounted for privately manufactured firearms and firearms that are no longer in circulation based on ATF and DOJ reports over various years.

How Many Guns in America?

More than 490 million firearms have been imported or manufactured in the United States for civilian use since 1899. ¹

However, this figure includes firearms that may have been destroyed or are no longer in circulation. Despite the known number of manufactured guns in the U.S., estimates suggest that the actual number is even higher.

Due to the rise of ghost guns, the ability to produce unregistered firearms, and the lack of reporting requirements for lost, stolen, or damaged guns, we must rely on NICS records and surveys to estimate the number of firearms in America.

The growth of firearms in America began gradually. In 1996, the ATF estimated there were 242 million firearms in the U.S. By 2000, that number had increased to 259 million.

In 2007, the estimate rose to 294 million; by 2009, it had surpassed 310 million. ²

By 2018, the reported number of firearms in the U.S. was 393 million. ³

Our most recent estimates suggest there are now more than 500 million civilian-owned firearms in the U.S.

• The most recent estimates (2024) suggest there are over 500 million civilian-owned firearms in the United States.
• In 2000, the ATF estimated there were 259 million firearms in the U.S.
• The largest surge in gun purchases occurred between 2020 and 2023, with over 1 million NICS background checks for purchases each month for 57 consecutive months.

Note: This data assumes that a purchase was made. It does not include permits and rechecks.

How Many Guns per Person in America?

Population estimates for 2024 show that the U.S. has approximately 345.4 million people, of which 258.3 million are adults. ¹¹

Firearms in circulation are estimated to be over 500 million in the U.S., meaning there are roughly 1.5 firearms for every person in the country and about 1.93 firearms per adult.

Guns per Person in 2024:

• There are 1.93 firearms for every adult in the U.S.
• There are 1.5 firearms for every American, including both adults and children.

How Many Registered Gun Owners in the U.S.

Americans generally do not register their firearms. In fact, very few types of firearms require registration at all.

Unlike other countries that track the number of guns within their borders using registration data and mandatory registration for all gun owners, the U.S. does not.

In this section, we'll focus on concealed carry permits.

As of 2023, 22.9 million Americans held a concealed carry permit. Despite the growing trend of permitless carry laws, the number of concealed carry permits increased by 2.3% from 2021 to 2022. ⁴

Note: Concealed carry permits are not an indicator of the number of gun owners in America. They are not required in every state.

How Many Illegal Guns in the U.S.

In the United States, there is no such thing as an "illegal gun." The right to keep and bear arms belongs to the people, so the focus is on "prohibited persons" rather than illegal firearms.

Therefore, the number of "illegal guns" in the U.S. depends on how many prohibited persons unlawfully possess them.

If we assume every prohibited person in the U.S. owns at least one firearm (which is possible given the vast number of guns in the country), there would be more than 28,407,758 illegal guns, based on the number of individuals on the FBI's prohibited person list. However, this scenario is highly unlikely.

Moreover, in 2021, the ATF traced only 456,571 firearms. Given the millions of guns available, it’s even less likely that the majority of prohibited individuals possess firearms. ¹⁰

Now, let’s examine the facts we do know.

Ghost Guns and Unregistered Guns

Ghost guns, by nature, are impossible to track. This term generally describes a firearm that is manufactured with no serial number or paperwork. Therefore, we can only assess the number seized by the ATF and other agencies.

The Number of Ghost Guns Recovered from 2017 to 2021

Unregistered guns, also known as ghost guns, have become increasingly popular since 2020. As new laws and regulations make purchasing more difficult, people tend to find other ways to make guns.

While we can’t say how many PMFs (privately manufactured firearms) are in America, we do know how many were recovered by the ATF.

There has been a 175% increase in PMFs recovered by the ATF in recent years. In 2017, the ATF recovered fewer than 2,000 firearms. In 2022, the agency recovered more than 25,000. ^{8, 9, 10}

Furthermore, we can examine firearm seizures used in the commission of a crime to better understand unregistered gun patterns. To do this, we must determine how many guns were not registered to a purchaser.

Percentage of Unregistered Guns Recovered from 2017-2021

• 2021 - 20.5% (of 460,240)
• 2020 - 21.6%
• 2019 - 23.9%
• 2018 - 24%
• 2017 - 25.3% (of 337,903)

How Many Guns Per Household in America

As of 2024, there were 123.6 million households in the U.S. The latest surveys reflect that 52% of American households have at least one firearm. ¹⁴

Current estimates show that 65,190,000 households in America have at least one firearm.

How Many Handguns in the U.S.

It’s nearly impossible to determine the exact number of handguns in the U.S. However, by analyzing data over the years, it’s clear that handguns are the most common type of firearm in the country.

While we don't have complete information about handguns in the U.S., we do have some reliable data to consider.

Between 1986 and 2012, 49,451,152 handguns (including pistols and revolvers) were produced in the U.S. In comparison, only 40,287,087 rifles and 23,234,262 shotguns were manufactured during the same period. ¹³

In 2000, the ATF estimated that there were 92 million handguns and 92 million rifles in circulation.

By 2017, 72% of gun owners reported owning at least one handgun, translating to approximately 66.3 million gun owners and 45.7 million handguns. ⁷

It’s important to note that 66% of gun owners say they own two or more firearms.

Currently, there are estimated to be at least 157,580,794 handguns in the United States, although this figure includes firearms that may have been broken or destroyed.

Number of Guns Through the Years

After the 1993 Brady Act, tracking firearm manufacturing and possession became more challenging due to a decline in the number of FFL dealers and the emergence of new, creative ways for people to obtain firearms.

However, based on NICS records, surveys, and import logs, the number of firearms in the U.S. increased from about 250 million in 2000 to 500 million by 2024.²

While gun ownership rates have remained relatively steady, hovering between 42% and 45% from the 1980s to the present, the number of guns in circulation has grown substantially. ^{7, 8}

Between 1899 and 2022, at least 494,060,285 firearms were manufactured for civilian use, and 130,720,841 firearms were imported into the U.S. Note: These figures include firearms that may have been destroyed or exported at a later date. ¹

From 1986 to 2012, millions of firearms were manufactured each year, and this trend has continued to rise in the years since.

Guns in America

The United States has a significant number of firearms compared to most other countries, with current estimates suggesting there are around 500 million firearms in circulation. This translates to approximately 1.5 firearms per person, making the U.S. unique in having more guns than people.

However, accurately determining the exact number of firearms is challenging due to factors such as unregistered guns, private sales, and reporting constraints. These complexities mean that the true number of firearms in the country could be higher than the current estimates.

This situation highlights the challenges in tracking gun ownership and distribution in the U.S., where the right to own firearms is both widely exercised and protected.

Sources

1. How Many Guns Are Circulating in the U.S.
2. April Marks 57 Months Of Million-Plus Firearm Sales Figures
3. Small Arms Survey 2018
4. Gun Ownership by State
5. ATF Number of Guns in 2000
6. ATF Firearms 1998-2012
7. Gun Ownership 2017
8. ATF Ghost Guns 2022
9. DOJ Report on Ghost Guns and Unregistered Guns
10. ATF Trace Data
11. U.S. Population 2017
12. U.S. Household and Population Data
13. Firearms Commerce in the United States
14. Poll: Gun ownership reaches record high with American electorate