Pew: Protection now tops hunting for gun ownership

**ShooterInPA1** · March 13th, 2013, 06:19 PM

There has been a surge in Americans buying guns for protection over the past 14 years, a trend that now beats hunting as the main reason for owning a firearm, according to a new Pew Research Center poll.

"The vast majority of gun owners say that having a gun makes them feel safer. And far more today than in 1999 cite protection - rather than hunting or other activities - as the main reason they own guns," said Pew.

According to the non-partisan polling agency, 48 percent say they have a gun for protection. Just 32 percent said they own a gun for hunting or target shooting. In 1999, said Pew, 49 percent said they owned a gun mostly for hunting, while 26 percent cited protection as the biggest factor.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/pew-pr...rticle/2524059

**Shisno** · March 13th, 2013, 06:46 PM

I have never hunted. Been a gun owner ever since I legally could.

**scruff** · March 13th, 2013, 07:08 PM

All of the clubs need to take note. They need to start catering to the non-hunters, or they're going to shrivel up and die. Can't shoot a carbine offhand at less than 50 yds, can't draw from a holster, can't load more than "X" number of rounds, blah, blah...

**ShooterInPA1** · March 13th, 2013, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by scruff

All of the clubs need to take note. They need to start catering to the non-hunters, or they're going to shrivel up and die. Can't shoot a carbine offhand at less than 50 yds, can't draw from a holster, can't load more than "X" number of rounds, blah, blah...

I can relate to this. One of the clubs where I am a member requires you to give 2 seconds between each pistol shot. Because that is what we are going to do the real world when confronted by a BG, right?

**scruff** · March 13th, 2013, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by ShooterInPA1

I can relate to this. One of the clubs where I am a member requires you to give 2 seconds between each pistol shot. Because that is what we are going to do the real world when confronted by a BG, right?

Wow, that's just petty & stupid. As if they want to drive drive people away for no good reason. Doesn't that just piss you off?

My club caters just as much to tactical shooters & action pistol competitors as hunters, trap & skeet shooters, etc. But it's 50 minutes from my house; as far as I know, all the nearby clubs are Fudd.

**ShooterInPA1** · March 13th, 2013, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by scruff

Wow, that's just petty & stupid. As if they want to drive drive people away for no good reason. Doesn't that just piss you off?

My club caters just as much to tactical shooters & action pistol competitors as hunters, trap & skeet shooters, etc. But it's 50 minutes from my house; as far as I know, all the nearby clubs are Fudd.

I think they do it because of the **new** houses across the street. The gun club was there first, but amazingly, people still complain.

**Emptymag** · March 13th, 2013, 07:58 PM

Well, DUH...

If they paid more than twenty bucks for that study they got ripped off.

**PA Rifleman** · March 13th, 2013, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by ShooterInPA1

There has been a surge in Americans buying guns for protection over the past 14 years, a trend that now beats hunting as the main reason for owning a firearm, according to a new Pew Research Center poll.

"The vast majority of gun owners say that having a gun makes them feel safer. And far more today than in 1999 cite protection - rather than hunting or other activities - as the main reason they own guns," said Pew.

According to the non-partisan polling agency, 48 percent say they have a gun for protection. Just 32 percent said they own a gun for hunting or target shooting. In 1999, said Pew, 49 percent said they owned a gun mostly for hunting, while 26 percent cited protection as the biggest factor.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/pew-pr...rticle/2524059

The left needs to read this. To wit:

Guns? No Thanks. The Number Of Households With Gun Hits A 40 Year Low

Data from the General Social Survey–a public opinion survey conducted every two years by the University of Chicago–has tracked gun ownership since 1973. The number of gun-owning households peaked in 1977, at 54%, and has steadily declined ever since, reaching 32% in 2012.

Source

**schr8er2000** · March 13th, 2013, 11:36 PM

Since this was from the University of Chicago they are probably true... since Illinois and especially Chicago have almost totally eliminated the rights of its citizens to be armed.... That is like saying " SINCE WE DONT ALLOW GUNS HERE THEY HAVE DECREASED FOR THE NORMAL, LAW ABIDING CITIZEN"..... Duhhhhhhhhh