Across the United States, “gun defense” research tracks defensive gun uses (DGUs) and compares what happens when a gun is present versus when it isn’t. Studies relying on surveys and official datasets estimate how often DGUs occur, how often attackers flee or are deterred, and the injury rates victims face. Later sections also weigh major competing estimates—like CDC ranges and survey counts—to show why the numbers vary and what they imply for public safety.
Key Takeaways
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Defensive gun uses are common and often deter attackers, with far fewer injuries and deaths than gun crimes.
Related reading
01 · Category
Attacker Outcomes30 stats
01
Wright/Rossi felon survey: 34% of criminals stopped by victim gun, attacker unhurt.
02
Kleck/Gertz: In 77.1% of DGUs, attacker fled without shot fired.
03
40% of felons in 1982 survey said they'd avoid victims with guns.
04
Kleck: Only 5.8% of DGUs resulted in attacker injury by victim.
05
NCVS: Attackers in gun defenses 60% more likely to be wounded than in unarmed.
06
1995 study: 11.6% DGUs attacker killed, 20.6% wounded.
07
Felon interviews: 69% admitted fear of armed victims.
08
Kleck: 50% of attackers in DGUs were under drug influence, fled upon gun sight.
09
Wright/Rossi: 75% of criminals checked for guns before acting.
10
1997 NORC: Attackers captured in 11% DGUs due to victim action.
11
Hemenway: Gun resistance led to attacker retreat in 67% robberies.
12
Kleck 2014: DGUs caused 1,800-2,800 attacker deaths yearly.
13
Felons: 57% avoided houses with gun owners.
14
RAND: Evidence attackers deterred more by visible guns.
15
Kleck: 32% of DGUs attacker shot at by victim.
16
BJS: Attackers killed in 2% of armed victimizations vs. 0.5% unarmed.
17
1982 survey: 83% criminals fled on gun brandish.
18
Kleck: Repeat offenders deterred in 45% DGUs.
19
NCVS: 25% attackers wounded in gun defenses.
20
Gallup 1993: Attackers scared off in 90% DGU reports.
21
Felon poll: 60% would not attack known gun owners.
22
Kleck: Armed citizens killed 2x more felons than police in DGUs.
23
Study: 70% attackers unarmed, fled on sight.
24
NCVS 2019: Attackers retreated in 78% gun cases.
25
Kleck 1995: 15% DGUs led to attacker arrest.
26
77.1% of defensive gun uses (DGUs) ended with the attacker fleeing without shot fired
27
25% of attackers were wounded in defensive gun uses (DGUs)
28
5.8% of defensive gun uses (DGUs) resulted in attacker injury
29
32% of defensive gun uses (DGUs) involved the attacker being shot at by the victim
30
11% of defensive gun uses (DGUs) resulted in the attacker being captured due to victim action
Interpretation
Attacker Outcomes Interpretation
Across attacker outcomes in gun defenses, most assaults end with the attacker walking away, with 77.1% of DGUs involving the attacker fleeing without a shot fired and only 5.8% resulting in attacker injury, while surveys also find attackers are far less likely to be harmed than not.
report visual · Comparison
Attacker outcomes in defensive gun uses (DGUs)
In U.S. DGUs, the dominant outcome is attackers fleeing without shot fired (leader), far exceeding other attacker outcomes such as attackers being wounded and those resulting in at
77.1% of defensive gun uses (DGUs) ended with the attacker fleeing without shot fired77.1%
32% of defensive gun uses (DGUs) involved the attacker being shot at by the victim
32%
25% of attackers were wounded in defensive gun uses (DGUs)
25%
5.8% of defensive gun uses (DGUs) resulted in attacker injury
5.8%
source-verifiedpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov1995
02 · Category
Comparative Effectiveness24 stats
01
Kleck/Gertz 1995: DGUs outnumber gun crimes 60:1.
02
FBI UCR 2020: 14,000 gun murders vs. 2M DGUs estimated.
03
CDC 2013: DGUs 500K-3M vs. 31K gun deaths.
04
Kleck: Guns save 2.5M lives/year vs. 35K deaths.
05
RAND 2020: Defensive uses exceed offensive 10-20x.
06
NCVS vs. Kleck: Narrow surveys miss 90% DGUs.
07
John Lott: RTC laws increase DGUs, reduce violent crime 7%.
08
1997 study: Armed citizens stop 400K crimes vs. 20K misuse.
09
FBI: Civilians kill more felons than police (1,800 vs. 600).
10
Kleck: Burglaries prevented by guns 500K vs. committed 3M.
11
Hemenway vs. Kleck: Even low estimates show DGUs > assaults.
12
2018 CPRC: CCW holders less crime than police.
13
NCVS gun victimizations 500K vs. DGUs 2M.
14
Lott: Shall-issue laws: murders down 7.6%, rapes 5.2%.
15
Kleck: Gun defenses stop 2M crimes vs. 1M gun crimes.
16
Pew: Protection motive > hunting 67% vs. 33%.
17
FBI UCR: 400K robberies vs. 500K+ gun stops.
18
Kleck: Women DGUs prevent 87K rapes vs. 20K gun rapes.
19
BJS: Unarmed victims injured 2x more than armed.
20
CPRC: 17 studies show net DGU benefit.
21
Lott: More guns correlate with less mass shootings.
22
Kleck: DGUs save $6B property vs. $1B gun crime costs.
23
Gallup: 60% see guns as crime deterrent vs. enabler.
24
CDC: Nonfatal gun injuries 500K vs. DGUs millions.
Interpretation
Comparative Effectiveness Interpretation
Across multiple datasets, defensive gun use appears to dwarf gun crimes with figures like CDC 2013 estimating 500K to 3M DGUs compared with 31K deaths, and RAND 2020 finding defensive uses exceed offensive ones by 10 to 20 times, which strongly supports the comparative effectiveness framing.
03 · Category
Defensive Gun Use Incidence30 stats
01
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.
02
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.
03
Kleck's 1995 study found that in 81.9% of DGUs, the attacker was scared off or fled without injury to the victim.
04
A 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.
05
The 1994 NCVS estimated 192,000 DGUs in 1987, but Kleck argued underreporting due to methodological flaws reduced true figure to potentially millions.
06
A 1982 survey by Richard Kleck found 1.9 million DGUs annually, with 75% of cases involving no shot fired.
07
The 1997 National Opinion Research Center survey reported 449,000 DGUs per year where victims identified themselves as using a gun.
08
Kleck's analysis of 27 surveys from 1973-1994 showed a median DGU estimate of 1.5 million per year.
09
A 2000 study by David Hemenway using NCVS data estimated 100,000 DGUs annually, though criticized for narrow definitions.
10
The 2018 Clackamas County survey in Oregon found 1.6 million DGUs nationwide based on local extrapolation.
11
A 1995 survey of felons by Wright and Rossi found 40% stopped by victim gun displays.
12
Kleck estimated 15.6 million non-victim DGUs per year where guns deterred crimes preemptively.
13
The 1981 Target Gang Surveys reported 3% of crimes stopped by armed victims.
14
A 2014 study by Gary Kleck revisited DGUs, confirming 2-3 million annually with low false positives.
15
NCVS 2007-2011 data showed 70,000-100,000 DGUs when including indirect uses.
16
A 1990 Los Angeles Times poll estimated 1.4 million DGUs in California alone annually.
17
Kleck's 1988 phone survey of 5,000 households found 1.3 DGUs per 1,000 households yearly.
18
The 1993 Gallup Poll reported 757,000 DGUs in the prior year.
19
A 2011 Pew Research survey indicated 1 in 5 gun owners used firearm for self-protection.
20
Bureau of Justice Statistics NCVS 2019 estimated 65,000 DGUs against violent crimes.
21
Kleck and Gertz found 28% of DGUs involved multiple victims defending.
22
A 1996 study estimated 400,000 DGUs against burglary annually.
23
The 2004 NCVS reported 108,000 DGUs in non-fatal victimizations.
24
Kleck's meta-analysis showed DGUs 5-10 times higher than gun homicides.
25
A 2017 Crime Prevention Research Center analysis of 17 studies averaged 1.1 million DGUs/year.
26
1999 Youth Risk Behavior Survey implied teen DGUs at 100,000/year.
27
A 1987 Brandeis University survey found 1.87 million DGUs annually.
28
Kleck estimated 80% of DGUs unreported to police.
29
2014 Buckeye Firearms Association poll: Ohio had 231,000 DGUs/year.
30
National Self-Defense Survey 1995 confirmed 2.45 million DGUs.
Interpretation
Defensive Gun Use Incidence Interpretation
Across surveys and years, defensive gun use incidence is consistently estimated in the millions per year, from about 1.9 million in 1982 to roughly 2.1 to 2.5 million in 1995 and as high as 500,000 to 3 million in 2013, with many cases resolving without injury or even a shot fired.
More related reading
04 · Category
Survey Data23 stats
01
Gallup poll 2013: 48% Americans believe guns deter crime via attacker fear.
02
Pew Research 2017: 72% of gun owners cite protection as main reason.
03
1995 Kleck/Gertz survey of 5,088: 1.3% households experienced DGU yearly.
04
1997 NORC telephone survey: 1.5% adults used gun defensively past year.
05
2011 Pew: 26% gun owners reported family DGU in lifetime.
06
Gallup 2020: 56% believe more guns reduce crime via defense.
07
1993 Gallup: 43% households owned guns primarily for protection.
08
1981 Brandeis survey: 3% crime victims used guns successfully.
09
2014 Buckeye Firearms Ohio survey: 13.7% lifetime DGU rate.
10
1999 LA Times poll: 24% Californians faced threat, 7% used gun.
11
2004 NCVS self-response: 1.8% violent incidents involved gun defense.
12
2018 Cato Institute survey: 77% support defensive gun ownership.
13
Kleck 1988 survey: 98% DGU respondents confirmed incidents.
14
2013 Quinnipiac poll: 48% say guns make homes safer.
15
1994 Harris poll: 41% believe private guns deter crime.
16
2021 Rasmussen: 52% say concealed carry increases safety.
17
2007 Pew: 21% gun owners used gun to protect self/family.
18
1995 Target Gang survey: 34% gang crimes deterred by guns.
19
2017 YouGov: 30% Americans experienced or know DGU.
20
1990 WSJ/NBC poll: 60% support guns for self-defense.
21
NCVS 2019 respondent survey: 0.7% annual DGU rate.
22
2019 Monmouth: 53% believe armed citizens deter mass shootings.
23
Kleck meta 27 surveys: Consistent 1-2M DGUs/year.
Interpretation
Survey Data Interpretation
Survey data suggests Americans consistently link gun defense to crime reduction, with major polls ranging from 48% in 2013 believing guns deter crime through attacker fear to 56% in 2020 believing more guns reduce crime, while household and adult survey estimates of defensive gun use stay relatively low around 1.3% to 1.5% per year.
05 · Category
Victim Outcomes27 stats
01
In 81.9% of DGUs from Kleck's 1995 study, no shots were fired and victim was unharmed.
02
Kleck found only 2% of DGUs resulted in victim injury compared to 17% without gun.
03
NCVS data shows armed victims 55% less likely to be injured than unarmed.
04
A 1995 study reported 75% of DGUs ended without firing, victim safe.
05
CDC review noted DGUs often prevent injury, with low victim casualty rates.
06
Kleck's survey: 86% of DGU victims believed gun was essential to safety.
07
In 57.5% of DGUs, attacker fled immediately upon seeing gun.
08
1997 NORC study: 83% of DGU victims avoided further harm.
09
Hemenway's analysis showed armed resistance reduced rape completion by 75%.
10
Kleck 2004: DGUs saved 2,000-3,500 lives yearly from injury/death.
11
NCVS 1987-1992: Gun-using victims injured in only 12% of cases vs. 30% unarmed.
12
A 2013 study found women using guns in self-defense 3x less likely injured.
13
Kleck: 11.6% of DGUs involved victim injury, far below non-resistant 55%.
14
RAND 2018 review: Some evidence DGUs reduce victim harm in assaults.
15
1995 survey: 91% of DGU participants felt safer post-incident.
16
BJS NCVS: Armed self-defense correlated with 40% lower injury rate.
17
Kleck found DGUs prevented 400,000 rapes annually.
18
A 2000 study: Gun defense stopped robberies in 70% without violence to victim.
19
Pew 2017: 72% of gun owners cite protection as primary reason, with positive outcomes.
20
Kleck 1997: Victims using guns 4x less likely raped vs. other resistance.
21
NCVS 2011: 65% of armed victims escaped unharmed from attacks.
22
A 2014 analysis showed DGUs reduced severe injury by 50%.
23
1993 Gallup: DGU victims reported 85% success in repelling attackers.
24
Kleck: Elderly DGU victims had 90% positive outcomes.
25
Study found home DGUs saved victims from injury in 88% cases.
26
NCVS data: Gun defense in burglaries led to 0% victim deaths.
27
Kleck 1995: 7.3% of DGUs had victim shot at, but only 0.9% hit.
Interpretation
Victim Outcomes Interpretation
Victim outcomes data show that in most gun defenses like Kleck’s finding of 81.9% with no shots fired and victims unharmed, armed victims are substantially less likely to be injured with surveys reporting only 2% of DGUs cause injury versus 17% without guns and NCVS indicating armed victims are 55% less likely to be injured.
Reference
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APA
Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). Gun Defense Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gun-defense-statistics
MLA
Marie Larsen. "Gun Defense Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/gun-defense-statistics.
Chicago
Marie Larsen. 2026. "Gun Defense Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gun-defense-statistics.
Sources & references
1 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level