Why is the average firearm owner, an unsafe gun owner?

[Scatty Kitty]

There's no easy way to say this but the average gun owner in the US is not safe with their guns. Or at least, a large minority of American gun owners are not able safe with their firearms owners. Despite having millions of guns in the country, the average gun owner is not safe with them. What I mean by gun owners are not safe is three separate things;

1. They do not store their firearms safely. It's estimated more than half of gun owners do not properly store their firearms in a locked safe when not in use.

Survey: More Than Half of U.S. Gun Owners Do Not Safely Store Their Guns | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

More than half of gun owners do not safely store all their guns, according to a new survey of 1,444 U.S. gun owners conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

publichealth.jhu.edu

2. They do not store their ammo separately from their firearms when not in use. Almost half of gun owners do not keep their ammo separate from their firearms when not in use.

43% of U.S. Households Store Loaded Guns

About half of U.S. households that keep their firearms loaded do not store them in locked containers, a new CDC study found.

www.campussafetymagazine.com

3. They do not understand the actual risks of owning firearms. The simple fact of the matter is you're more likely to die if you have a firearm in the household than if you don't. Those who think that guns are used for personal defense against an intruder don't seem to realize they're more likely to die from an intimate partner killing them with a firearm.

Owning Guns Puts People in Your Home at Greater Risk of Being Killed, New Study Shows

A new study shows that people living in homes with guns face substantially higher risks of being fatally assaulted.

time.com

While these are simple examples, the thing is that I don't think I've met a single person here on DP that knows and takes into all three of these points. That's the thing, I'm safely using firearms by not having any in my household. That being said I want to know why does the average gun owner think they're safe with firearms, when there's a good chance they are not actually safe with their firearms?

 

[eman623]

It's impossible to walk down the street without having to step over all the dead bodies of people who have shot themselves or others due to improper gun safety.

 

[phoenix2020]

There's no easy way to say this but the average gun owner in the US is not safe with their guns. Or at least, a large minority of American gun owners are not able safe with their firearms owners. Despite having millions of guns in the country, the average gun owner is not safe with them. What I mean by gun owners are not safe is three separate things;

1. They do not store their firearms safely. It's estimated more than half of gun owners do not properly store their firearms in a locked safe when not in use.

Survey: More Than Half of U.S. Gun Owners Do Not Safely Store Their Guns | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

More than half of gun owners do not safely store all their guns, according to a new survey of 1,444 U.S. gun owners conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

publichealth.jhu.edu

2. They do not store their ammo separately from their firearms when not in use. Almost half of gun owners do not keep their ammo separate from their firearms when not in use.

43% of U.S. Households Store Loaded Guns

About half of U.S. households that keep their firearms loaded do not store them in locked containers, a new CDC study found.

www.campussafetymagazine.com

3. They do not understand the actual risks of owning firearms. The simple fact of the matter is you're more likely to die if you have a firearm in the household than if you don't. Those who think that guns are used for personal defense against an intruder don't seem to realize they're more likely to die from an intimate partner killing them with a firearm.

Owning Guns Puts People in Your Home at Greater Risk of Being Killed, New Study Shows

A new study shows that people living in homes with guns face substantially higher risks of being fatally assaulted.

time.com

While these are simple examples, the thing is that I don't think I've met a single person here on DP that knows and takes into all three of these points. That's the thing, I'm safely using firearms by not having any in my household. That being said I want to know why does the average gun owner think they're safe with firearms, when there's a good chance they are not actually safe with their firearms?

We are an extremely permissive society - we're irresponsible gun owners, car drivers, cooks, you name it. People not safely storing guns when not in use? Yeah, and they don't look both ways when crossing the street, they don't keep their eyes on the road when they'd rather keep their eyes on their phone, etc. Americans really value our God-given right to be irresponsible idiots.

 

[aociswundumho]

Americans really value our God-given right to be irresponsible idiots.

This but unironically.

 

[tshade]

There's no easy way to say this but the average gun owner in the US is not safe with their guns. Or at least, a large minority of American gun owners are not able safe with their firearms owners. Despite having millions of guns in the country, the average gun owner is not safe with them. What I mean by gun owners are not safe is three separate things;

1. They do not store their firearms safely. It's estimated more than half of gun owners do not properly store their firearms in a locked safe when not in use.

Survey: More Than Half of U.S. Gun Owners Do Not Safely Store Their Guns | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

More than half of gun owners do not safely store all their guns, according to a new survey of 1,444 U.S. gun owners conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

publichealth.jhu.edu

2. They do not store their ammo separately from their firearms when not in use. Almost half of gun owners do not keep their ammo separate from their firearms when not in use.

43% of U.S. Households Store Loaded Guns

About half of U.S. households that keep their firearms loaded do not store them in locked containers, a new CDC study found.

www.campussafetymagazine.com

3. They do not understand the actual risks of owning firearms. The simple fact of the matter is you're more likely to die if you have a firearm in the household than if you don't. Those who think that guns are used for personal defense against an intruder don't seem to realize they're more likely to die from an intimate partner killing them with a firearm.

Owning Guns Puts People in Your Home at Greater Risk of Being Killed, New Study Shows

A new study shows that people living in homes with guns face substantially higher risks of being fatally assaulted.

time.com

While these are simple examples, the thing is that I don't think I've met a single person here on DP that knows and takes into all three of these points. That's the thing, I'm safely using firearms by not having any in my household. That being said I want to know why does the average gun owner think they're safe with firearms, when there's a good chance they are not actually safe with their firearms?

The NRA used to focus on gun safety before they became wackos. I taught gun safety under the NRA Program in the 1970s---believe me, they ain't the same (anymore than the GOP ain't the same today, etc...)..........................all gun owners should have to buy special insurance to cover the law suits that SHOULD be allowed when gun owners are irresponsible.....

 

[RF667799]

There's no easy way to say this but the average gun owner in the US is not safe with their guns. Or at least, a large minority of American gun owners are not able safe with their firearms owners. Despite having millions of guns in the country, the average gun owner is not safe with them. What I mean by gun owners are not safe is three separate things;

1. They do not store their firearms safely. It's estimated more than half of gun owners do not properly store their firearms in a locked safe when not in use.

Survey: More Than Half of U.S. Gun Owners Do Not Safely Store Their Guns | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

More than half of gun owners do not safely store all their guns, according to a new survey of 1,444 U.S. gun owners conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

publichealth.jhu.edu

2. They do not store their ammo separately from their firearms when not in use. Almost half of gun owners do not keep their ammo separate from their firearms when not in use.

43% of U.S. Households Store Loaded Guns

About half of U.S. households that keep their firearms loaded do not store them in locked containers, a new CDC study found.

www.campussafetymagazine.com

3. They do not understand the actual risks of owning firearms. The simple fact of the matter is you're more likely to die if you have a firearm in the household than if you don't. Those who think that guns are used for personal defense against an intruder don't seem to realize they're more likely to die from an intimate partner killing them with a firearm.

Owning Guns Puts People in Your Home at Greater Risk of Being Killed, New Study Shows

A new study shows that people living in homes with guns face substantially higher risks of being fatally assaulted.

time.com

While these are simple examples, the thing is that I don't think I've met a single person here on DP that knows and takes into all three of these points. That's the thing, I'm safely using firearms by not having any in my household. That being said I want to know why does the average gun owner think they're safe with firearms, when there's a good chance they are not actually safe with their firearms?

Sounds like that's mostly a narrative you're telling yourself.

Out here in the real world, there are generally less than 500 accidental fatalities per year among about 100 million gun owners. That seems pretty safe.

 

[RF667799]

The NRA used to focus on gun safety before they became wackos. I taught gun safety under the NRA Program in the 1970s---believe me, they ain't the same (anymore than the GOP ain't the same today, etc...)..........................all gun owners should have to buy special insurance to cover the law suits that SHOULD be allowed when gun owners are irresponsible.....

In the 70s were when semiautomatic handguns were exotic, rare items?

I don't believe your NRA instructor stories.

 

[Moon]

There's no easy way to say this but the average gun owner in the US is not safe with their guns. Or at least, a large minority of American gun owners are not able safe with their firearms owners. Despite having millions of guns in the country, the average gun owner is not safe with them. What I mean by gun owners are not safe is three separate things;

1. They do not store their firearms safely. It's estimated more than half of gun owners do not properly store their firearms in a locked safe when not in use.

Survey: More Than Half of U.S. Gun Owners Do Not Safely Store Their Guns | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

More than half of gun owners do not safely store all their guns, according to a new survey of 1,444 U.S. gun owners conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

publichealth.jhu.edu

2. They do not store their ammo separately from their firearms when not in use. Almost half of gun owners do not keep their ammo separate from their firearms when not in use.

43% of U.S. Households Store Loaded Guns

About half of U.S. households that keep their firearms loaded do not store them in locked containers, a new CDC study found.

www.campussafetymagazine.com

3. They do not understand the actual risks of owning firearms. The simple fact of the matter is you're more likely to die if you have a firearm in the household than if you don't. Those who think that guns are used for personal defense against an intruder don't seem to realize they're more likely to die from an intimate partner killing them with a firearm.

Owning Guns Puts People in Your Home at Greater Risk of Being Killed, New Study Shows

A new study shows that people living in homes with guns face substantially higher risks of being fatally assaulted.

time.com

While these are simple examples, the thing is that I don't think I've met a single person here on DP that knows and takes into all three of these points. That's the thing, I'm safely using firearms by not having any in my household. That being said I want to know why does the average gun owner think they're safe with firearms, when there's a good chance they are not actually safe with their firearms?

That certainly explains the millions of accidental shootings every year.

 

[Scatty Kitty]

The NRA used to focus on gun safety before they became wackos. I taught gun safety under the NRA Program in the 1970s---believe me, they ain't the same (anymore than the GOP ain't the same today, etc...)..........................all gun owners should have to buy special insurance to cover the law suits that SHOULD be allowed when gun owners are irresponsible.....

That's fair, but it doesn't seem to make sense to me still. Like for example I had a kid once tell me that his parents let him have a firearm when he gets upset to help calm him down. They let him take his hunting rifle to his perch and just sit there with it. They're not uneducated either. One is a well experienced hunter and the other I know has a college education. It doesn't make sense to me why they would let him do it.

Sounds like that's mostly a narrative you're telling yourself.

Out here in the real world, there are generally less than 500 accidental fatalities per year among about 100 million gun owners. That seems pretty safe.

I get the feeling this will be a reoccurring question in this thread. But do you do the basic safety things I mentioned in the OP?

That certainly explains the millions of accidental shootings every year.

I don't believe there are millions. I've seen statistics go as high as a tens of thousand, but not millions.

 

[Scatty Kitty]

It's impossible to walk down the street without having to step over all the dead bodies of people who have shot themselves or others due to improper gun safety.

Don't worry as an American we are used to it. We got a lot of practice in school.

 

[Scatty Kitty]

We are an extremely permissive society - we're irresponsible gun owners, car drivers, cooks, you name it. People not safely storing guns when not in use? Yeah, and they don't look both ways when crossing the street, they don't keep their eyes on the road when they'd rather keep their eyes on their phone, etc. Americans really value our God-given right to be irresponsible idiots.

Right but that doesn't make sense to me. Like it's individualizing the problem if that makes sense.

 

[RF667799]

That certainly explains the millions of accidental shootings every year.

Meanwhile, in 2023 there were about 3500 fatalities directly resulting from distracted driving. So obviously, the average car owner is unsafe.

 

[Moon]

Meanwhile, in 2023 there were about 3500 fatalities directly resulting from distracted driving. So obviously, the average car owner is unsafe.

But that’s not a problem. Obviously.

 

[RF667799]

I get the feeling this will be a reoccurring question in this thread. But do you do the basic safety things I mentioned in the OP?

I noted the statistical results of gun owner habits and practices.

You note the subjective opinions of others regarding gun safety.

 

[Integrityrespec]

There's no easy way to say this but the average gun owner in the US is not safe with their guns. Or at least, a large minority of American gun owners are not able safe with their firearms owners. Despite having millions of guns in the country, the average gun owner is not safe with them. What I mean by gun owners are not safe is three separate things;

1. They do not store their firearms safely. It's estimated more than half of gun owners do not properly store their firearms in a locked safe when not in use.

Survey: More Than Half of U.S. Gun Owners Do Not Safely Store Their Guns | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

More than half of gun owners do not safely store all their guns, according to a new survey of 1,444 U.S. gun owners conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

publichealth.jhu.edu

2. They do not store their ammo separately from their firearms when not in use. Almost half of gun owners do not keep their ammo separate from their firearms when not in use.

43% of U.S. Households Store Loaded Guns

About half of U.S. households that keep their firearms loaded do not store them in locked containers, a new CDC study found.

www.campussafetymagazine.com

3. They do not understand the actual risks of owning firearms. The simple fact of the matter is you're more likely to die if you have a firearm in the household than if you don't. Those who think that guns are used for personal defense against an intruder don't seem to realize they're more likely to die from an intimate partner killing them with a firearm.

Owning Guns Puts People in Your Home at Greater Risk of Being Killed, New Study Shows

A new study shows that people living in homes with guns face substantially higher risks of being fatally assaulted.

time.com

While these are simple examples, the thing is that I don't think I've met a single person here on DP that knows and takes into all three of these points. That's the thing, I'm safely using firearms by not having any in my household. That being said I want to know why does the average gun owner think they're safe with firearms, when there's a good chance they are not actually safe with their firearms?

You don't have one, you aren't using one.

 

[Scatty Kitty]

I noted the statistical results of gun owner habits and practices.

You note the subjective opinions of others regarding gun safety.

I noted the statistical results of gun owners and their practices when it comes to basic gun safety. Seeing as how it's a 50/50 odds, maybe 60/40 if we're lucky, you are probably not being safe with your firearms. You own guns right? Are all of your guns locked up?

You don't have one, you aren't using one.

Correct. It's safer that way.

 

[soylentgreen]

There's no easy way to say this but the average gun owner in the US is not safe with their guns. Or at least, a large minority of American gun owners are not able safe with their firearms owners. Despite having millions of guns in the country, the average gun owner is not safe with them. What I mean by gun owners are not safe is three separate things;

1. They do not store their firearms safely. It's estimated more than half of gun owners do not properly store their firearms in a locked safe when not in use.

Survey: More Than Half of U.S. Gun Owners Do Not Safely Store Their Guns | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

More than half of gun owners do not safely store all their guns, according to a new survey of 1,444 U.S. gun owners conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

publichealth.jhu.edu

2. They do not store their ammo separately from their firearms when not in use. Almost half of gun owners do not keep their ammo separate from their firearms when not in use.

43% of U.S. Households Store Loaded Guns

About half of U.S. households that keep their firearms loaded do not store them in locked containers, a new CDC study found.

www.campussafetymagazine.com

3. They do not understand the actual risks of owning firearms. The simple fact of the matter is you're more likely to die if you have a firearm in the household than if you don't. Those who think that guns are used for personal defense against an intruder don't seem to realize they're more likely to die from an intimate partner killing them with a firearm.

Owning Guns Puts People in Your Home at Greater Risk of Being Killed, New Study Shows

A new study shows that people living in homes with guns face substantially higher risks of being fatally assaulted.

time.com

While these are simple examples, the thing is that I don't think I've met a single person here on DP that knows and takes into all three of these points. That's the thing, I'm safely using firearms by not having any in my household. That being said I want to know why does the average gun owner think they're safe with firearms, when there's a good chance they are not actually safe with their firearms?

Because the average american gun owner only acknowledges the safety rules of handling a gun. The safety rules of storing a gun are not a high priority because they do not allow for the american right to lethal self defense. Where as many of these pro gun will acknowledge that they do safely store their guns they will also acknowledge that it is their right to leave at least one gun always loaded and always within reach despite the fact that it is an unsafe practice. They will simply gambleon the odds rather than practice safety. But then such is the propaganda of fear that the pro gun crowd advertise that they easily fall into the belief that america is such a violent place they need to have a gun ready to kill at all times.

You can put it down to intense propaganda to create a fear of not having a gun. As well as a lack of safety laws but instead simply some rules that they can choose to ignore.

 

[RF667799]

I noted the statistical results of gun owners and their practices when it comes to basic gun safety. Seeing as how it's a 50/50 odds, maybe 60/40 if we're lucky, you are probably not being safe with your firearms. You own guns right? Are all of your guns locked up?

The observable results are less than 500 fatalities per year per 100 million or more gun owners.

Your "odds" are nothing more than a story based on opinion.

 

[PeacefulWarrior]

That certainly explains the millions of accidental shootings every year.

There are over 100,000 people shot in the USA each and every year.

 

[RF667799]

There are over 100,000 people shot in the USA each and every year.

Accidentally?

 

[EdwinWillers]

That certainly explains the millions of accidental shootings every year.

I thought it was more like the billions - well, to hear it told by anti-gun nuts. Consider the source I guess.

 

[EdwinWillers]

There are over 100,000 people shot in the USA each and every year.

Good grief; that is total BS.

​

It's no wonder there's so much unadulterated BS spewed over guns in this country. The ignorance is through the roof. Either that, or it's just plain lies because someone doesn't like guns.

 

[EdwinWillers]

Don't worry as an American we are used to it. We got a lot of practice in school.

I know that for a fact - inasmuch as I've seen both photos and the actual indoor ranges personally here in Denver.

 

[EdwinWillers]

While these are simple examples, the thing is that I don't think I've met a single person here on DP that knows and takes into all three of these points. That's the thing, I'm safely using firearms by not having any in my household. That being said I want to know why does the average gun owner think they're safe with firearms, when there's a good chance they are not actually safe with their firearms?

With all due respect, you haven't the slightest clue who here on DP owns guns, let alone how, or what they know about gun safety.

Frankly, it's insulting to have someone like you presume to know what you've claimed here about gun owners on DP. You've been here what, less than a year and a half?

Moreover, your bias against guns is CLEARLY the motive for this thread - and nothing else.

You "safely use firearms by not having any in your household." Profound, simply profound.

 

[PeacefulWarrior]

Good grief; that is total BS.

View attachment 67561573​

It's no wonder there's so much unadulterated BS spewed over guns in this country. The ignorance is through the roof. Either that, or it's just plain lies because someone doesn't like guns.

Numbers arent really your THANG eh Edwin? LOL.

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

• Total Gun Deaths: In 2022, there were 48,204 firearm deaths in the U.S., an average of one death every 11 minutes.
  
  
• Firearm Suicide: 27,032 people died by firearm suicide in 2022.
  
  
• Firearm Homicide: 19,651 people died by firearm homicide in 2022, which was the second-highest number of gun homicide deaths ever recorded.
  
  
• Non-fatal firearm injuries: There are approximately 115,000 non-fatal firearm injuries in the U.S. each year.
• 115,000 gun injuries, plus thousands of deaths. Thats a lot of people shot!
• Now: THANK ME.