A recently released firearms survey, designed to address criticisms of its 2021 predecessor, suggests that the ownership of "assault-style" rifles and magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds has increased, alongside a higher estimation of defensive gun uses and a notable rise in individuals carrying handguns for self-defense.
Georgetown professor William English's redesigned 2026 National Firearms Survey found that an estimated 26.4 million American adults currently own an AR-15 or a similarly styled semi-automatic rifle with a pistol grip. This figure is up from the 24.6 million estimated in the 2021 survey who had ever owned such a firearm. The new survey also indicates that approximately 44.5 million Americans currently own a magazine capable of holding more than 10 rounds, with 50.5% of gun owners possessing at least one, an increase from 48% in 2021.
Defensive Gun Use Estimates Rise
The 2026 survey estimates that firearms are used defensively by American adults an average of 2.2 million times annually. This figure surpasses the 1.67 million estimated defensive gun uses in the 2021 survey. Critics of the earlier report had argued that the previous estimate was implausible and potentially inflated by broad definitions of defensive use, including incidents where a gun was present but not displayed. The new data suggests the earlier survey may have underestimated the frequency of such events, with the inclusion of protection against animal attacks accounting for over 8% of reported uses in the latest findings.
Public Carry on the Rise
The survey also indicates a significant increase in Americans exercising their right to carry handguns. Seventy percent of gun owners report carrying a handgun for self-defense in at least some circumstances, up from 56% in 2021. The report estimates that 33.6 million Americans are "public carriers," meaning they have a concealed carry permit and carry for self-defense at least sometimes, a 60% increase in five years. This rise coincides with several states enacting permitless carry laws and the Supreme Court's 2022 decision that expanded public carry rights.
Demographics of Gun Ownership
Furthermore, the 2026 survey suggests that American gun owners represent an increasingly diverse demographic. The proportion of gun owners who are female increased by 3.5% compared to the 2021 survey, even after the survey design was modified to ensure respondents only counted firearms they personally owned, not those belonging to a spouse. This finding challenges previous claims by gun control activists that higher rates of female gun ownership in the original survey were due to misinterpretation of the questions.