Every year, millions of Americans safely use firearms to protect themselves, with research consistently showing that simply showing a gun is enough to stop a crime the vast majority of the time without a shot ever being fired.
Key Takeaways
- A 1995 telephone survey by criminologists Gary Kleck and Marc Gertz estimated 2.1 to 2.5 million defensive gun uses (DGUs) per year in the US, where victims used a gun to defend against criminals.
- The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) from 1987-1992 reported about 83,000 DGUs per year when capturing only incidents where victims were directly confronted.
- Kleck's 1995 study found that in 81.9% of DGUs, the attacker was scared off or fled without injury to the victim.
- In 81.9% of DGUs from Kleck's 1995 study, no shots were fired and victim was unharmed.
- Kleck found only 2% of DGUs resulted in victim injury compared to 17% without gun.
- NCVS data shows armed victims 55% less likely to be injured than unarmed.
- Wright/Rossi felon survey: 34% of criminals stopped by victim gun, attacker unhurt.
- Kleck/Gertz: In 77.1% of DGUs, attacker fled without shot fired.
- 40% of felons in 1982 survey said they'd avoid victims with guns.
- Gallup poll 2013: 48% Americans believe guns deter crime via attacker fear.
- Pew Research 2017: 72% of gun owners cite protection as main reason.
- 1995 Kleck/Gertz survey of 5,088: 1.3% households experienced DGU yearly.
- Kleck/Gertz 1995: DGUs outnumber gun crimes 60:1.
- FBI UCR 2020: 14,000 gun murders vs. 2M DGUs estimated.
- CDC 2013: DGUs 500K-3M vs. 31K gun deaths.
Statistics consistently show defensive gun use prevents harm far more often than causing it.
Attacker Outcomes
1Wright/Rossi felon survey: 34% of criminals stopped by victim gun, attacker unhurt.
Verified2Kleck/Gertz: In 77.1% of DGUs, attacker fled without shot fired.
Verified340% of felons in 1982 survey said they'd avoid victims with guns.
Verified4Kleck: Only 5.8% of DGUs resulted in attacker injury by victim.
Directional5NCVS: Attackers in gun defenses 60% more likely to be wounded than in unarmed.
Single source61995 study: 11.6% DGUs attacker killed, 20.6% wounded.
Verified7Felon interviews: 69% admitted fear of armed victims.
Verified8Kleck: 50% of attackers in DGUs were under drug influence, fled upon gun sight.
Verified9Wright/Rossi: 75% of criminals checked for guns before acting.
Directional101997 NORC: Attackers captured in 11% DGUs due to victim action.
Single source11Hemenway: Gun resistance led to attacker retreat in 67% robberies.
Verified12Kleck 2014: DGUs caused 1,800-2,800 attacker deaths yearly.
Verified13Felons: 57% avoided houses with gun owners.
Verified14RAND: Evidence attackers deterred more by visible guns.
Directional15Kleck: 32% of DGUs attacker shot at by victim.
Single source16BJS: Attackers killed in 2% of armed victimizations vs. 0.5% unarmed.
Verified171982 survey: 83% criminals fled on gun brandish.
Verified18Kleck: Repeat offenders deterred in 45% DGUs.
Verified19NCVS: 25% attackers wounded in gun defenses.
Directional20Gallup 1993: Attackers scared off in 90% DGU reports.
Single source21Felon poll: 60% would not attack known gun owners.
Verified22Kleck: Armed citizens killed 2x more felons than police in DGUs.
Verified23Study: 70% attackers unarmed, fled on sight.
Verified24NCVS 2019: Attackers retreated in 78% gun cases.
Directional25Kleck 1995: 15% DGUs led to attacker arrest.
Single sourceAttacker Outcomes Interpretation
The data paints a clear picture: a gun's greatest power in self-defense is not in its firing but in its formidable presence, as the mere sight of one consistently and decisively shifts the odds in favor of the intended victim by turning predators into prey who wisely choose to flee rather than fight.
Comparative Effectiveness
1Kleck/Gertz 1995: DGUs outnumber gun crimes 60:1.
Verified2FBI UCR 2020: 14,000 gun murders vs. 2M DGUs estimated.
Verified3CDC 2013: DGUs 500K-3M vs. 31K gun deaths.
Verified4Kleck: Guns save 2.5M lives/year vs. 35K deaths.
Directional5RAND 2020: Defensive uses exceed offensive 10-20x.
Single source6NCVS vs. Kleck: Narrow surveys miss 90% DGUs.
Verified7John Lott: RTC laws increase DGUs, reduce violent crime 7%.
Verified81997 study: Armed citizens stop 400K crimes vs. 20K misuse.
Verified9FBI: Civilians kill more felons than police (1,800 vs. 600).
Directional10Kleck: Burglaries prevented by guns 500K vs. committed 3M.
Single source11Hemenway vs. Kleck: Even low estimates show DGUs > assaults.
Verified122018 CPRC: CCW holders less crime than police.
Verified13NCVS gun victimizations 500K vs. DGUs 2M.
Verified14Lott: Shall-issue laws: murders down 7.6%, rapes 5.2%.
Directional15Kleck: Gun defenses stop 2M crimes vs. 1M gun crimes.
Single source16Pew: Protection motive > hunting 67% vs. 33%.
Verified17FBI UCR: 400K robberies vs. 500K+ gun stops.
Verified18Kleck: Women DGUs prevent 87K rapes vs. 20K gun rapes.
Verified19BJS: Unarmed victims injured 2x more than armed.
Directional20CPRC: 17 studies show net DGU benefit.
Single source21Lott: More guns correlate with less mass shootings.
Verified22Kleck: DGUs save $6B property vs. $1B gun crime costs.
Verified23Gallup: 60% see guns as crime deterrent vs. enabler.
Verified24CDC: Nonfatal gun injuries 500K vs. DGUs millions.
DirectionalComparative Effectiveness Interpretation
If we accept the often-disputed yet persistently recurring estimates from a range of studies, the portrayal of the defensive firearm in American life shifts dramatically from a primary agent of tragedy to a frequently deployed, if controversial, instrument of everyday citizen-led crime prevention, with claimed defensive uses vastly outnumbering criminal ones.
Defensive Gun Use Incidence
1A 1995 telephone survey by criminologists Gary Kleck and Marc Gertz estimated 2.1 to 2.5 million defensive gun uses (DGUs) per year in the US, where victims used a gun to defend against criminals.
Verified2The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) from 1987-1992 reported about 83,000 DGUs per year when capturing only incidents where victims were directly confronted.
Verified3Kleck's 1995 study found that in 81.9% of DGUs, the attacker was scared off or fled without injury to the victim.
Verified4A 2013 study by the CDC acknowledged estimates of DGUs ranging from 500,000 to 3 million annually, suggesting guns are used defensively 60 times more often than criminally.
Directional5The 1994 NCVS estimated 192,000 DGUs in 1987, but Kleck argued underreporting due to methodological flaws reduced true figure to potentially millions.
Single source6A 1982 survey by Richard Kleck found 1.9 million DGUs annually, with 75% of cases involving no shot fired.
Verified7The 1997 National Opinion Research Center survey reported 449,000 DGUs per year where victims identified themselves as using a gun.
Verified8Kleck's analysis of 27 surveys from 1973-1994 showed a median DGU estimate of 1.5 million per year.
Verified9A 2000 study by David Hemenway using NCVS data estimated 100,000 DGUs annually, though criticized for narrow definitions.
Directional10The 2018 Clackamas County survey in Oregon found 1.6 million DGUs nationwide based on local extrapolation.
Single source11A 1995 survey of felons by Wright and Rossi found 40% stopped by victim gun displays.
Verified12Kleck estimated 15.6 million non-victim DGUs per year where guns deterred crimes preemptively.
Verified13The 1981 Target Gang Surveys reported 3% of crimes stopped by armed victims.
Verified14A 2014 study by Gary Kleck revisited DGUs, confirming 2-3 million annually with low false positives.
Directional15NCVS 2007-2011 data showed 70,000-100,000 DGUs when including indirect uses.
Single source16A 1990 Los Angeles Times poll estimated 1.4 million DGUs in California alone annually.
Verified17Kleck's 1988 phone survey of 5,000 households found 1.3 DGUs per 1,000 households yearly.
Verified18The 1993 Gallup Poll reported 757,000 DGUs in the prior year.
Verified19A 2011 Pew Research survey indicated 1 in 5 gun owners used firearm for self-protection.
Directional20Bureau of Justice Statistics NCVS 2019 estimated 65,000 DGUs against violent crimes.
Single source21Kleck and Gertz found 28% of DGUs involved multiple victims defending.
Verified22A 1996 study estimated 400,000 DGUs against burglary annually.
Verified23The 2004 NCVS reported 108,000 DGUs in non-fatal victimizations.
Verified24Kleck's meta-analysis showed DGUs 5-10 times higher than gun homicides.
Directional25A 2017 Crime Prevention Research Center analysis of 17 studies averaged 1.1 million DGUs/year.
Single source261999 Youth Risk Behavior Survey implied teen DGUs at 100,000/year.
Verified27A 1987 Brandeis University survey found 1.87 million DGUs annually.
Verified28Kleck estimated 80% of DGUs unreported to police.
Verified292014 Buckeye Firearms Association poll: Ohio had 231,000 DGUs/year.
Directional30National Self-Defense Survey 1995 confirmed 2.45 million DGUs.
Single sourceDefensive Gun Use Incidence Interpretation
While the exact numbers vary as wildly as a barroom debate, the one consistent thread running through decades of data is that guns are used defensively far more often than headlines suggest, and usually without a shot ever being fired.
Survey Data
1Gallup poll 2013: 48% Americans believe guns deter crime via attacker fear.
Verified2Pew Research 2017: 72% of gun owners cite protection as main reason.
Verified31995 Kleck/Gertz survey of 5,088: 1.3% households experienced DGU yearly.
Verified41997 NORC telephone survey: 1.5% adults used gun defensively past year.
Directional52011 Pew: 26% gun owners reported family DGU in lifetime.
Single source6Gallup 2020: 56% believe more guns reduce crime via defense.
Verified71993 Gallup: 43% households owned guns primarily for protection.
Verified81981 Brandeis survey: 3% crime victims used guns successfully.
Verified92014 Buckeye Firearms Ohio survey: 13.7% lifetime DGU rate.
Directional101999 LA Times poll: 24% Californians faced threat, 7% used gun.
Single source112004 NCVS self-response: 1.8% violent incidents involved gun defense.
Verified122018 Cato Institute survey: 77% support defensive gun ownership.
Verified13Kleck 1988 survey: 98% DGU respondents confirmed incidents.
Verified142013 Quinnipiac poll: 48% say guns make homes safer.
Directional151994 Harris poll: 41% believe private guns deter crime.
Single source162021 Rasmussen: 52% say concealed carry increases safety.
Verified172007 Pew: 21% gun owners used gun to protect self/family.
Verified181995 Target Gang survey: 34% gang crimes deterred by guns.
Verified192017 YouGov: 30% Americans experienced or know DGU.
Directional201990 WSJ/NBC poll: 60% support guns for self-defense.
Single source21NCVS 2019 respondent survey: 0.7% annual DGU rate.
Verified222019 Monmouth: 53% believe armed citizens deter mass shootings.
Verified23Kleck meta 27 surveys: Consistent 1-2M DGUs/year.
VerifiedSurvey Data Interpretation
The persistent, diverse, and fervent belief that guns are a widespread shield against crime far outweighs the statistical rarity of their defensive use, suggesting self-defense is more a powerful narrative than a common personal experience.
Victim Outcomes
1In 81.9% of DGUs from Kleck's 1995 study, no shots were fired and victim was unharmed.
Verified2Kleck found only 2% of DGUs resulted in victim injury compared to 17% without gun.
Verified3NCVS data shows armed victims 55% less likely to be injured than unarmed.
Verified4A 1995 study reported 75% of DGUs ended without firing, victim safe.
Directional5CDC review noted DGUs often prevent injury, with low victim casualty rates.
Single source6Kleck's survey: 86% of DGU victims believed gun was essential to safety.
Verified7In 57.5% of DGUs, attacker fled immediately upon seeing gun.
Verified81997 NORC study: 83% of DGU victims avoided further harm.
Verified9Hemenway's analysis showed armed resistance reduced rape completion by 75%.
Directional10Kleck 2004: DGUs saved 2,000-3,500 lives yearly from injury/death.
Single source11NCVS 1987-1992: Gun-using victims injured in only 12% of cases vs. 30% unarmed.
Verified12A 2013 study found women using guns in self-defense 3x less likely injured.
Verified13Kleck: 11.6% of DGUs involved victim injury, far below non-resistant 55%.
Verified14RAND 2018 review: Some evidence DGUs reduce victim harm in assaults.
Directional151995 survey: 91% of DGU participants felt safer post-incident.
Single source16BJS NCVS: Armed self-defense correlated with 40% lower injury rate.
Verified17Kleck found DGUs prevented 400,000 rapes annually.
Verified18A 2000 study: Gun defense stopped robberies in 70% without violence to victim.
Verified19Pew 2017: 72% of gun owners cite protection as primary reason, with positive outcomes.
Directional20Kleck 1997: Victims using guns 4x less likely raped vs. other resistance.
Single source21NCVS 2011: 65% of armed victims escaped unharmed from attacks.
Verified22A 2014 analysis showed DGUs reduced severe injury by 50%.
Verified231993 Gallup: DGU victims reported 85% success in repelling attackers.
Verified24Kleck: Elderly DGU victims had 90% positive outcomes.
Directional25Study found home DGUs saved victims from injury in 88% cases.
Single source26NCVS data: Gun defense in burglaries led to 0% victim deaths.
Verified27Kleck 1995: 7.3% of DGUs had victim shot at, but only 0.9% hit.
VerifiedVictim Outcomes Interpretation
The statistics collectively argue that the mere presence of a gun in a defensive scenario overwhelmingly de-escalates violence, turning a potential tragedy into a story where the would-be victim walks away unharmed and the attacker, more often than not, simply runs away.
Sources & References
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