Locked, Loaded, and Proud: The Strongholds of US Gun Culture

If you’re at all familiar with America and its gun culture, you know that guns are very much a passion of millions of residents in the country who strongly believe in the Second Amendment. As a result, there are close to 120 guns for every 100 people living in America, which is a number that means millions of weapons are owned by Americans in all 50 states. 

With so many guns in America, it begs the question as to which guns Americans want to own the most. To make this determination, we can look at some of the most searched guns in America.

This list surprisingly includes the AK-47, Glocks, the ever-popular AR-15, 1911 Colt models, and many others. These guns are hugely popular not just with gun enthusiasts, but the Glock is a very popular handgun for self-defense among homeowners.

It won't come as any surprise to learn that America is one of the largest nations for gun ownership. Gun ownership is so widespread in the US that there are 120 guns for every 120 people. The United States accounts for around 46% of civilian-owned firearms worldwide.

A similar number, approximately 42% of Americans own at least one gun, which hasn't changed much since the 1970s. According to various surveys, around 40% of men in the US say they own a gun, with around 25% of women claiming the same thing.

• Firearm stores in state: 272 total; 2.9 per 100,000 people (the fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 8.9% of households (the lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: A

• Firearm stores in state: 297 total; 4.3 per 100,000 people (2nd fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 9.0% of households (2nd lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: A-

• Firearm stores in state: 97 total; 6.7 per 100,000 people (5th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 9.1% of households (3rd lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: A-

• Firearm stores in state: 1,763 total; 4.5 per 100,000 people (3rd fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 16.3% of households (6th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: A

• Firearm stores in state: 1,644 total; 8.4 per 100,000 people (6th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 14.5% of households (5th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: A-

• Firearm stores in state: 412 total; 11.4 per 100,000 people (9th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 18.8% of households (8th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: A

• Firearm stores in state: 548 total; 8.9 per 100,000 people (7th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 16.7% of households (7th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: A-

• Firearm stores in state: 70 total; 6.4 per 100,000 people (4th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 13.9% of households (4th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: B+

• Firearm stores in state: 1,138 total; 9.0 per 100,000 people (8th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 22.6% of households (9th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: A-

• Firearm stores in state: 938 total; 12.0 per 100,000 people (10th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 32.1% of households (11th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: A-

• Firearm stores in state: 1,485 total; 17.1 per 100,000 people (16th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 35.3% of households (13th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: B+

• Firearm stores in state: 124 total; 12.2 per 100,000 people (11th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 38.7% of households (21st lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: B+

• Firearm stores in state: 1,520 total; 26.0 per 100,000 people (19th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 37.9% of households (19th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: A-

• Firearm stores in state: 444 total; 14.0 per 100,000 people (13th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 32.9% of households (12th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: B-

• Firearm stores in state: 1,132 total; 26.7 per 100,000 people (18th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 41.4% of households (24th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: A-

• Firearm stores in state: 2,403 total; 18.5 per 100,000 people (18th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 40.2% of households (25th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: B

• Firearm stores in state: 1,291 total; 22.6 per 100,000 people (24th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 39.1% of households (23rd lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: B

• Firearm stores in state: 1,847 total; 18.4 per 100,000 people (17th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 38.9% of households (22nd lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: B-

• Firearm stores in state: 497 total; 23.5 per 100,000 people (21st most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 35.9% of households (15th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: C+

• Firearm stores in state: 2,800 total; 12.6 per 100,000 people (12th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 28.8% of households (10th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: D+

• Firearm stores in state: 2,158 total; 20.2 per 100,000 people (24th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 37.1% of households (17th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: C-

• Firearm stores in state: 1,329 total; 22.6 per 100,000 people (25th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 47.1% of households (17th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: C

• Firearm stores in state: 657 total; 33.4 per 100,000 people (11th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 39.2% of households (24th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: C-

• Firearm stores in state: 264 total; 40.8 per 100,000 people (8th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 50.3% of households (15th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: B-

• Firearm stores in state: 5,586 total; 18.6 per 100,000 people (19th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 35.5% of households (14th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 1,988 total; 16.9 per 100,000 people (15th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 41.9% of households (23rd highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: D-

• Firearm stores in state: 1,764 total; 16.2 per 100,000 people (14th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 37.7% of households (18th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 1,397 total; 19.0 per 100,000 people (20th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 36.0% of households (16th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 1,312 total; 19.2 per 100,000 people (23rd fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 42.4% of households (21st highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: D-

• Firearm stores in state: 1,014 total; 19.2 per 100,000 people (22nd fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 45.0% of households (20th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: D-

• Firearm stores in state: 766 total; 22.7 per 100,000 people (22nd most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 39.7% of households (25th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 359 total; 25.7 per 100,000 people (20th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 46.3% of households (19th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: D-

• Firearm stores in state: 1,349 total; 19.1 per 100,000 people (21st fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 46.9% of households (18th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 1,166 total; 36.4 per 100,000 people (9th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 38.5% of households (20th lowest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 424 total; 30.6 per 100,000 people (13th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 47.7% of households (16th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: D-

• Firearm stores in state: 954 total; 32.5 per 100,000 people (12th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 42.3% of households (22nd highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 1,057 total; 20.8 per 100,000 people (25th fewest of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 52.8% of households (10th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 1,038 total; 22.6 per 100,000 people (23rd most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 52.3% of households (13th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 1,230 total; 27.3 per 100,000 people (17th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 52.5% of households (12th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 1,875 total; 30.3 per 100,000 people (14th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 52.8% of households (11th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 836 total; 28.4 per 100,000 people (16th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 54.1% of households (8th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 1,190 total; 29.6 per 100,000 people (15th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 54.9% of households (7th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 1,098 total; 36.1 per 100,000 people (10th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 51.8% of households (14th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 813 total; 41.9 per 100,000 people (7th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 57.8% of households (4th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 812 total; 45.7 per 100,000 people (6th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 60.0% of households (3rd highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 491 total; 54.0 per 100,000 people (5th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 55.0% of households (6th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 443 total; 56.8 per 100,000 people (4th most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 53.3% of households (9th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 446 total; 60.8 per 100,000 people (3rd most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 57.2% of households (5th highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 848 total; 75.5 per 100,000 people (2nd most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 65.0% of households (the highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F

• Firearm stores in state: 537 total; 92.4 per 100,000 people (the most of 50 states)
• Est. firearm ownership rate: 60.7% of households (2nd highest of 50 states)
• Stater gun safety law grade: F