Gun Control Group Admits Far More Defensive Gun Uses Than Previously Claimed

A recent analysis has highlighted a clash over how often Americans use guns for self-defence. The debate centres on figures from Everytown for Gun Safety, a leading gun control advocacy group. Their own training materials now suggest defensive gun uses (DGUs) occur far more frequently than previously claimed by the organisation itself.

Everytown's online gun safety course stated that DGUs happen roughly 69,000 times a year in the U.S. This figure, though much lower than other estimates, still contradicts the group's earlier position. Previously, Everytown had argued that only around 3,000 justifiable homicides by private citizens annually could serve as a proxy for all defensive uses.

Legal fellow Amy Swearer of The Heritage Foundation pointed out the inconsistency. She noted that Everytown's admission undermines their long-standing claim that gun ownership increases crime rather than prevents it.

The discrepancy becomes clearer when compared to broader research. The 2021 National Firearms Survey by William English estimated 1.67 million DGUs per year. Other major studies place the range between 500,000 and 3 million annually. These numbers far exceed Everytown's earlier assertions, raising questions about their stance on defensive gun use.

Everytown's training materials now acknowledge a higher frequency of DGUs than their public statements once suggested. The shift exposes a gap between advocacy claims and internal data. For researchers and policymakers, the inconsistency may complicate ongoing debates about gun ownership and self-defence.