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US gun industry is thriving. Seven key figures.

As the debate over gun control rages on, the firearms industry in the United States is thriving. Here are seven key figures. 

6. 47 percent

Seth Perlman/AP/File
In this March 2012 file photo, gun owners and supporters participate in an Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day rally at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield.

The percentage of Americans who reported having at least one gun in their home, according to a 2011 Gallup poll. Of those, a majority – 62 percent – admitted to owning multiple guns. 67 percent of those polled said they owned guns for self-defense, while 58 percent used them for hunting, and 66 for target shooting.

Recreational use seems to be driving record sales, at least according to some within the firearms business. “The industry has entered a golden era, a renaissance of gun ownership that transcends a dedicated segment of Americans who consider firearms a natural part of their lives,” Russ Thurman wrote in the July 2012 issue of Shooting Industry Magazine.  “The remarkable level of firearms sales that are exceeding previous lofty projections go beyond political- or fear-motivated factors. Yes, those elements are still present, but the dominating factor is a culture revival.”

“The American citizenship has got it--gun ownership is OK!" he adds.  "Gun ownership has gone mainstream. It's the fun factor of firearms that has been restored to the culture.”

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

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