The number of guns manufactured in the U.S. grew to 5.5 million in 2010, up 86 percent from 2001. 310 million firearms are in civilian hands.
The government estimates there were 310 million firearms for sale or owned by U.S. civilians in 2009. Thats almost one for every citizen, and more firearms than adults.
The number of firearms manufactured in the U.S. grew from about 2.9 million in 2001 to nearly 5.5 million firearms in 2010. Thats an increase of 86 percent.
Another 2.84 million foreign-made guns were imported in 2010.
Over 30,000 firearm fatalities occur in the U.S. on average each year, or about 82 deaths per day.
Half of the gun deaths are suicides and over one-third are murders. The rest include other homicides, accidents and law enforcement shootings.
8,775 murders, 128,793 robberies and 138,403 assaults with firearms occurred in 2010.
Federal law prohibits the sale of firearms to the mentally ill, but state rules and laws make the federal laws difficult to enforce. Mental illness often plays a role in murder sprees, such as the 2012 movie theater shootings in Aurora, Colo., and the 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech.
Guns are back in the news this week after the recent failure of the latest gun control measures in Congress and the latest in a series of fatal accidental shootings involving children. It's an issue Americans are increasingly tuned in to, partially because we have so many guns on hand.
The number of guns manufactured each year in the U.S. grew from 2.9 million in 2001 to nearly 5.5 million in 2010, which was one of the highest-volume years in history. Another 2.84 million foreign-made guns were imported in 2010.
The government estimated there were 310 million firearms in civilian hands in 2009 - nearly as many weapons as American citizens.
More than 30,000 firearm fatalities occur in America each year. About one-half are suicides, one-third criminal homicides.
Click through today's photo gallery to learn more, then take your turn in the discussion thread below. Why do you think firearms are growing more common? How do you feel about the trend?