# Update: 533 Million Privately Owned Firearms in the United States **URL:** \ **Category:** News & Current Events\ **Created:** [May 28, 2025, 12:33pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579 "2025-05-28T12:33:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don102](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/don102/32/165939_2.png) [@Don102](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Don102)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 12:33pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/1 "2025-05-28T12:33:48Z")
[https://www.ammoland.com/2025/05/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/?utm\_source=Ammoland+Subscribers&utm\_campaign=ecae39e650-RSS\_EMAIL\_CAMPAIGN&utm\_medium=email&utm\_term=0\_6f6fac3eaa-ecae39e650-21598679](https://www.ammoland.com/2025/05/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/?utm_source=Ammoland+Subscribers&utm_campaign=ecae39e650-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6f6fac3eaa-ecae39e650-21598679) There are about 533 million firearms in private hands in the United States of America in 2025. The current population is estimated at 343 million people. This gives a record number of 1.55 firearms for every person in the United States. The number of privately owned firearms in the United States is growing by 15-20 million firearms a year. #### Gary Kleck, in his seminal work, [Point Blank Guns and Violence in America](https://www.amazon.com/Point-Blank-Guns-Violence-America/dp/020230762X), extended the work of Newton and Zimring through 1987, using data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). As of 1987, the total was over 198 million. This correspondent has used the ATF numbers from 1988 to 2023 to reach a figure of over 530 million firearms in the private stock in the USA in 2025. The work was [previously done through 2015](https://www.ammoland.com/2017/09/270-million-firearms-number-wrong-over-400-million-in-u-s-a/). In the decade from 2015 to 2024, a combination of ATF numbers and estimates from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) were used. This resulted in an estimate of 516 million firearms in the private stock as of the end of 2024, with another three million added in the first three months of 2025. The recent publication of [Firearms Commerce in the United States Statistical Update 2024](https://www.ammoland.com/2024/11/firearms-commerce-report-discontinued-by-bidens-atf/) gave access to the official numbers of firearms manufactured, imported, and exported in the United States for the last decade through 2023. These are definitive numbers reported as required by law to the ATF. These numbers were used to update the estimate of the firearms in the private stock given in March 2024. The official ATF numbers were calculated and added to the previous work done through 2015. The change in the estimate is a few million. #### As of the end of 2023, the estimate was 513 million firearms. An estimate of firearm sales calculated by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, based on the NICS data, reported by the FBI, adds another 16.5 million in 2024. NICS data for the first four months of 2025 adds another five million. The number of firearms which are privately owned in the United States is not clear and obvious or easily measured. There has [never been a registry of firearms for the United States](https://www.ammoland.com/2019/09/gun-registration-is-gun-confiscation-updated-2019-edition/#). A national firearms registry is forbidden by law. There are partial state registration systems in a few states. Data on manufacture, importation, and exportation of firearms was not kept as a matter of record until after World War II. #### Researchers Newton and Zimring pioneered the estimation of private firearms numbers in the United States. They researched the number of firearms manufactured, imported, and exported in the United States from 1899 through 1945 and estimated a total of 46.9 million modern firearms as of 1945. For the years 1946 to 1972, individual figures were calculated for each year. Shipments of firearms to the military were not included. ‘533 MILLION HUH?’ It’s like we’re an Army…? 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![Don102](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/don102/32/165939_2.png) [@Don102](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Don102)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 1:21pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/3 "2025-05-28T13:21:52Z")
I know you get it Ryan but here’s my take on this. We’re DIFFERENT TODAY, the Country has changed we’ve moved on from the Woke/ MSLSD was trying to cram down our throats. We want to prosper, live FREE, SAFE, in PEACE. the Left wants ANARCHY (old energy). Negative energy—We don’t want that (we never did) The Left is falling father and father away from the democracy message. I’ve said this here for years The Socialist is a miserable creature (and it never works). Just look at history man, then look at Blu-Cities today same same. How can they ‘justify’ Antifa ‘Attacking’ a Christian Concert in a public park? How can they try and ‘Mandate’ and Restrict our freedoms in the name of WOKENESS? That dog don’t hunt and even the Dem’s are seeing this now. In their death throes they continue to spout Trump is a Facist, he’s Hitler even though this is exactly who they are. We have 533 MILLION Guns in circulation if they continue down this road spouting unhinged anger and ANARCHY! They WILL FAFO. ---
**Author:** ![Robert1246](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/robert1246/32/39522_2.png) [@Robert1246](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Robert1246)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 1:56pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/4 "2025-05-28T13:56:43Z")
IDK I don’t judge people by their political views. I have some very democratic friends that were anti gun and seem to be changing there minds about guns and getting more excepting of people that have them. ---
**Author:** ![Richard56](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e4f/32.png) [@Richard56](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Richard56)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 4:00pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/5 "2025-05-28T16:00:46Z")
They must know or BE someone who has been robbed lately… ---
**Author:** ![Ray109](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/ray109/32/144426_2.png) [@Ray109](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Ray109)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 4:20pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/6 "2025-05-28T16:20:20Z")
> [@Don102](#): > > There are about 533 million firearms And once again I ask… “How do they know??” Figures like this mean next to nothing to me, since they aren’t based on any hard facts. ---
**Author:** ![Robert1246](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/robert1246/32/39522_2.png) [@Robert1246](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Robert1246)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 5:04pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/7 "2025-05-28T17:04:58Z")
I think they are seeing it on the media, but they could have friends that were confronted. ---
**Author:** ![Larry130](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/larry130/32/38689_2.png) [@Larry130](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Larry130)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 6:55pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/8 "2025-05-28T18:55:00Z")
I feel bad now, as I am apparently keeping 20+ people from buying a weapon. ---
**Author:** ![Michael2103](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Michael2103](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Michael2103)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 9:03pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/9 "2025-05-28T21:03:22Z")
533 million with a population of 343 million. Apparently, I’m doing way more than my fair share. The rest of you better step up your game 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![BruceE](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/brucee/32/77365_2.png) [@BruceE](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/BruceE)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 9:24pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/10 "2025-05-28T21:24:44Z")
I have a fe…err…I mean…I **HAD** a few, before the unfortunate stripper-mudslide incident in Bora Bora. ---
**Author:** ![Robert1246](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/robert1246/32/39522_2.png) [@Robert1246](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Robert1246)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 9:24pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/11 "2025-05-28T21:24:56Z")
Or you are encouraging 20 people to buy weapons. ---
**Author:** ![OldDude49](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/olddude49/32/40194_2.png) [@OldDude49](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/OldDude49)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 9:55pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/12 "2025-05-28T21:55:30Z")
GASP!!! so no canoe was involved??? ---
**Author:** ![BruceE](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/brucee/32/77365_2.png) [@BruceE](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/BruceE)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 10:01pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/13 "2025-05-28T22:01:46Z")
> [@OldDude49](#): > > GASP!!! so no canoe was involved??? Not a canoe, but a Spanish Galleon. Check out this title “Humorous satire and true stories of loss.” in the miscellaneous portion of this forum. ---
**Author:** ![Don102](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/don102/32/165939_2.png) [@Don102](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Don102)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 10:11pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/14 "2025-05-28T22:11:36Z")
> [@BruceE](#): > > Not a canoe, but a Spanish Galleon. Check out this title “Humorous satire and true stories of loss.” in the miscellaneous portion of this forum. Yup Bruce…Brings back memories (Gulp! read Nightmare’s) of that Horrible ‘Boating Accident’ I had on Elephant Butte Lake a few years back! 🤣 Hey it’s May already maybe another trip needs to be planned----oh, nevamind! 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![BruceE](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/brucee/32/77365_2.png) [@BruceE](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/BruceE)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 10:19pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/15 "2025-05-28T22:19:07Z")
I’m glad you made it back from that one alive, Brother. It was quite the harrowing experience. ---
**Author:** ![Don102](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/don102/32/165939_2.png) [@Don102](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Don102)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/16 "2025-05-28T22:20:20Z")
Your’s also Brother, but I thinkI met that Stripper last night! Woooooooooooooooooo! ---
**Author:** ![Larry130](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/larry130/32/38689_2.png) [@Larry130](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Larry130)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 10:22pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/17 "2025-05-28T22:22:58Z")
No. Apologetic for taking so many out of circulation (not). ---
**Author:** ![Daniel603](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Daniel603](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Daniel603)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/18 "2025-05-28T23:00:35Z")
I think the term you are looking for is “well regulated militia” ---
**Author:** ![Scott52](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/scott52/32/160942_2.png) [@Scott52](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Scott52)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 11:09pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/19 "2025-05-28T23:09:35Z")
> [@Don102](#): > > 533 MILLION HUH?’ It’s like we’re an Army…? Yes! But it’s a divided army! That gives me great concern. Our country seems to be 1/3 pro Constitution, American and freedoms 1/3 are socialist liberal pigs anti-American and the other 1/3 are HAMAS! How’s that going to work? ---
**Author:** ![Papa\_Zed](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/papa_zed/32/139967_2.png) [@Papa\_Zed](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Papa_Zed)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/20 "2025-05-28T23:11:39Z")
I can guarantee the number is way higher than 533 Million, my family has kept every firearm ever purchased since my great grandfather purchased his first firearm. There is zero way they have records that go back that far. ---
**Author:** ![Don102](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.usconcealedcarry.com/don102/32/165939_2.png) [@Don102](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/u/Don102)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 11:28pm UTC](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579/21 "2025-05-28T23:28:24Z")
> [@Scott52](#): > > 1/3 pro Constitution, American and freedoms > 1/3 are socialist liberal pigs anti-American and the other > 1/3 are HAMAS! I kinda disagree Bruh, We’re more like 60/40—60% being Patriots, Military, Trumpers, Gunners (both sides of the isle) actually. 30% Lefty’s and 10% HARD CORE Radical Left/Sh!t Stirrers, Anarchists/Protestor’s . The Left is bleeding numbers (MOO!) Some just can’t see past their ‘TDS’. Mainly because they’ve seen they’ve been LIED TOO! The final nail was ‘Auto-Pen Joey’ who they thought they voted for. That is why they are ANGRY, Confused, Rudderless and INFIGHTING. Like watching a really bad car accident you can’t take your eyes off. This won’t be long till the plug is pulled and the final draining of the swamp begins. I picture Helo’s, Tanks, APC’s, and the final dance! WHERE WE GO 1 WE GO ALL ! [Next page](https://community.usconcealedcarry.com/t/update-533-million-privately-owned-firearms-in-the-united-states/116579.md?page=2)