most armed civilian population?

[jimmyj]

Here's one for the experts, what nation do you think has the most heavily armed civilian population? My pal and I were discussing this and could not come to a clear agreement. We seem to think it's probably Israel, but what do you think?

Note: We have no idea what we are talking about for the record, just guessing.

 

[Ridgewalker]

If you're talking about the total number of firearms in private possession it has to be the United States. Our pop. is much larger than Israels.

If you're talking about percentage of pop. that has a firearm...you could be right although every person I know has a gun or 15 laying around.

 

[jk96]

As of 07

U.S. most armed country with 90 guns per 100 people | Reuters

 

[jimmyj]

Interesting. We started off thinking it was the US because the population can afford a lot of guns but we didn't think we were right. Thanks for the speedy replies. Niether of us wins any bragging rights over the other though!

 

[chh]

The report was on civilian ownership. Israel and Switzerland(I think I remembered that one right) have a mandatory militia with the firearms kept at home, but the weapons are not civilian owned. The last time I saw a ranking that figuired that in they both ranked pretty high per capita. The US still ranked #1 as best I remember.

 

[ShenandoahJoe]

Wikipedia says USA, Yemen, Switzerland, Iraq, and Serbia are the top 5, with the USA far ahead. That's guns per person, not percentage of households with guns.

 

[jdbower]

Some of it also depends on how you want to count (and what you're looking to show...). For example, if there are 9 guns for every 10 citizens but each gun owner averages 4-5 guns each then only 2 out of 10 citizens is armed. Another country with an equal population where there are 6 guns per 10 people but the average collection size is 2 would have 30% of the population armed. It depends on how you want to count "most heavily armed" to decide who the winner is.

And then we can get into the differences between the definition of firearms (an airgun in NJ needs a firearm permit, for example) and how we'd weight a military-grade weapon vs a handgun vs. a squirrel-hunting rifle to make things even more complicated. Plus what estimates they use for guns that exist outside the system (legally or illegally) can skew the results. So, if you let us know who you want to win I'm sure we can arrange the stats accordingly

 

[chh]

if you let us know who you want to win I'm sure we can arrange the stats accordingly

That is probably the most truthful statement in the entire thread/

 

[jimmyj]

Our chat was about which county has the most guns per person. That said, all if this is interesting and I would not want to mess with any at the top of the list!

 

[2manyrocks]

Ted Nugent is on the board of the NRA? The Ted Nugent?

Ted Nugent

 

[RadarTech]

Ya know- I remember an old law from growing up of an area where gun ownership is high....
Gun Ownership - It's The Law In Kennesaw

anyone from Kennesaw, GA around that wants to comment?

per the link-- 1982- every head of household was required to own a firearm..
I even remember them saying send your weapons to Kennesaw on the news...

J

 

[chh]

Ted Nugent is on the board of the NRA? The Ted Nugent?

Ted Nugent

Yep, he has been a big supporter for years. If I remember correctly he kind of put off a lot of the old timers with his music and style, but he will sure tell you what he thinks.
As a side note, How many of you remember Fred Bear? I have read several time that he was a mentor(bow hunting wise) and friend of Ted Nugent back when he was still alive. I always that would have been an interesting pair to see together. Clean cut Fred and Wild man Ted together.

 

[DIRTROAD]

I think this picture speaks volumes:

 

[2manyrocks]

Do you mean Fred Bear, the archery guy? I hadn't heard his name mentioned since the 70s.

 

[Sigarms]

Yep, he has been a big supporter for years. If I remember correctly he kind of put off a lot of the old timers with his music and style, but he will sure tell you what he thinks.

It wasn't his music, but the fact that he skipped on his country during war and the fact that the courts had to make him pay child support

Do you mean Fred Bear, the archery guy?

My first bow as a child. Still see him with that hat.

but each gun owner averages 4-5 guns each

Sorry, but once you get past two guns, you're more than likely to have more than 10.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Gents you don't know what you have been missing.

The guys I hunt with and I always listen to this song the night before opening day of deer season. Guaranteed to get your blood pumping.

BTW on the soundtrack you can hear Mr. Bear speak at the end of the song, he would have been a blast to hunt with.

The original soundtrack is way better than this video but it will give you the idea.

YouTube - TED NUGENT [ FRED BEAR ] LIVE,