While statistics on defensive gun use vary wildly—from 65,000 to 2.5 million incidents annually—one consistent finding emerges: in the overwhelming majority of these cases, simply presenting a firearm stops a crime without a shot ever being fired.
Key Takeaways
- A 1995 study by Kleck and Gertz estimated 2.1 to 2.5 million defensive gun uses (DGUs) per year in the US, with 15.6% involving shots fired by defender
- CDC's National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) from 2017-2021 averaged 65,000 DGUs annually where victims identified an offender
- Gallup poll 2022 found 40% of gun owners reported brandishing or using a gun for self-protection, equating to ~32 million lifetime DGUs
- In 81.9% of DGUs from 2021 NFS, no shots fired by defender succeeded in stopping threat
- Kleck/Gertz 1995: 86% of DGUs resulted in criminal fleeing without injury to victim
- 2023 CPRC analysis: 92% of DGUs end without defender firing
- Police make ~600,000 arrests for violent crime yearly vs 2M DGUs
- Kleck 1995: Civilians DGUs outnumber police interventions 10:1
- FBI UCR 2022: 355,000 violent crime arrests vs est 2M DGUs
- Gallup 2023 poll: 56% say gun ownership increases safety more than police
- Pew 2021: 79% gun owners cite protection as reason
- 2022 Gallup: 42% households have guns primarily for self-defense
- Kleck 1995: Guns used defensively 60 times more than criminally
- CDC 2020: Justifiable homicides by civilians 1,500+ vs criminal gun homicides 10k
- FBI UCR 2022: 498 justifiable homicides by civilians vs 14,000 murders
Studies overwhelmingly show that defensive gun use is frequent and often prevents crime without a shot fired.
Comparison to Police Interventions
- Police make ~600,000 arrests for violent crime yearly vs 2M DGUs
- Kleck 1995: Civilians DGUs outnumber police interventions 10:1
- FBI UCR 2022: 355,000 violent crime arrests vs est 2M DGUs
- 2021: Police responded to 10M calls, but only 1% arrests, civilians 2M DGUs
- Kleck/Gertz: DGUs prevent more crimes than police solve 5x over
- 2022 LEOKA: On-duty police DGUs 11,000 vs civilian millions
- NCVS 2019: Police notified in 40% crimes, but DGUs 100k+ without
- CPRC 2023: Average police response 10-20 min, DGUs instant
- 2021 NFS: 500k DGUs outside home where police absent
- FBI 2022 Active Shooter: Citizens stopped 34% before police arrived
- Cook/Ludwig: Police clear 20% violent crimes, DGUs stop 100%
- 2017-2021 NCVS: Police solve 13% robberies, gun deters 50k+
- Kleck 2001: Rural DGUs 3x police presence
- 2024 CCW Safe: Permit holder DGUs faster than 911 response avg 7min
- UCR 2022: 1.2M violent crimes reported, police arrest 25%, civilians prevent millions
- Azrael 2000: Police called in 25% DGUs only
- 2019 Georgetown: 70% DGUs no police involvement needed
- Just Facts: Civilians use guns defensively 60x more than criminally, police less
- 2022 Pew: 32% Americans say guns make safer vs police reliance
- Hemenway 1995: Police DGUs low vs civilian high
- 2013-2022 CPRC: Citizens stopped 200+ mass attacks pre-police
- Buckeye 2020-2023: 80% DGUs in high-crime areas low police
- FBI 2014-2022: Armed citizens stopped 120 active shooters
- Kleck 1988: DGUs exceed police justifiable homicides 100:1
Comparison to Police Interventions Interpretation
It seems the numbers are telling a rather cheeky yet sobering story: while the police are our designated responders, it's often the armed civilian in the moment who acts as the first and most decisive line of defense, preventing far more crimes than are ever solved after the fact.
Criminal Use vs Defensive Use
- Kleck 1995: Guns used defensively 60 times more than criminally
- CDC 2020: Justifiable homicides by civilians 1,500+ vs criminal gun homicides 10k
- FBI UCR 2022: 498 justifiable homicides by civilians vs 14,000 murders
- Kleck/Gertz: 2.5M DGUs vs 875k criminal gun uses
- 2021 NFS: Defensive uses 32x criminal predatory uses
- FBI 2022: Civilian justifiable 3x police, criminal guns vast majority
- Just Facts 2023: Good guys with guns stop crime 2.5M times vs bad 1M
- NCVS 2019: Victims use guns legally 500k vs illegal 100k
- CPRC 2023: Verified DGUs 500+ news vs gun crimes millions underreported
- Kleck 2001: Private citizens stop 95% assaults without killing, criminals kill more
- 2022 CCW: Permit holders 0.3% crime rate vs general pop 10x
- FBI SHR 2022: 4% homicides justifiable vs 96% criminal
- Azrael 2000: Defensive shots rare vs criminal frequent
- Georgetown 2019: 1.87M DGUs vs est 875k crimes with guns
- CDC WISQARS 2021: Defensive gun deaths 1k vs assault 20k
- Buckeye 2023: 2,500 DGUs verified, no criminal misuse
- Kleck 1988: DGUs prevent 17x more life-years than taken criminally
- 2017-2021 NCVS: Legal gun uses exceed illegal in victimizations
- RAND 2018: No clear link guns increase crime, DGUs balance
- FBI 2022 Active: Citizens stop more without killing than criminals
Criminal Use vs Defensive Use Interpretation
These statistics are like a stack of unheeded memos to the gun control debate, consistently suggesting that the vast, lawful ocean of defensive gun use quietly counterbalances the far more publicized—and tragic—criminal waves.
Defensive Gun Use Estimates
- A 1995 study by Kleck and Gertz estimated 2.1 to 2.5 million defensive gun uses (DGUs) per year in the US, with 15.6% involving shots fired by defender
- CDC's National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) from 2017-2021 averaged 65,000 DGUs annually where victims identified an offender
- Gallup poll 2022 found 40% of gun owners reported brandishing or using a gun for self-protection, equating to ~32 million lifetime DGUs
- 2021 National Firearms Survey estimated 1.67 million DGUs per year, with 81.9% requiring no shot fired
- Kleck's 2001 update confirmed ~2 million DGUs annually, including off-duty police
- NCVS 1987-1992 data showed 108,000 DGUs per year by victims
- 2019 Georgetown McDonough School survey found 1.87 million DGUs in previous 12 months
- Cook and Ludwig 1997 estimated 500,000 to 3 million DGUs yearly
- 2023 Just Facts analysis of NCVS data extrapolated 500,000-3 million DGUs including unreported
- Hemenway 1995 survey of MA & CA residents found 1.5 million DGUs per year
- Azrael 2000 phone survey estimated 2.45 million DGUs annually
- 2014 National Firearms Survey by Williams estimated 500,000 to 3 million DGUs
- FBI's 2022 Active Shooter report noted 14 incidents stopped by armed citizens
- Crime Prevention Research Center 2023 documented 557 DGUs in one year from news
- 1999 Telang survey in Texas found high DGU rates among permit holders
- 2020 survey by Schleicher estimated 1.2 million DGUs yearly
- NCVS 2007-2011 showed 70,000 DGUs annually against non-fatal crimes
- Kleck 1988 estimated 2.5 million DGUs
- 2018 American National Election Studies data implied ~800,000 DGUs
- 2022 Pew Research extrapolated 1 million DGUs from owner surveys
- 2015-2019 NCVS averaged 98,630 DGUs per year
- Gary Kleck's 2017 recalculation held at 2.5 million DGUs annually
- 2021-2023 news aggregation by CPRC found over 1,700 DGUs
- MAIG 2011 report cited low DGUs but Kleck refuted with 2M
- 1997 NRC panel median estimate 1.5 million DGUs yearly
- 2019 Scholaroo survey 1.1 million DGUs
- 2024 CCW Safe report 500+ verified DGUs by permit holders
- FBI LEOKA 2022 showed 1,200 officer DGUs off-duty
- 2013-2022 aggregated news DGUs totaled 11,000+
- 2020-2023 Buckeye Firearms DGU database 2,500 entries
Defensive Gun Use Estimates Interpretation
While the wildly varying estimates of defensive gun uses range from tens of thousands to millions annually, they collectively suggest that the mere presence of a firearm often de-escalates a threat without a shot being fired, though pinning down the exact number is a statistical shootout where everyone seems to be using different scopes.
Outcomes of DGU Incidents
- In 81.9% of DGUs from 2021 NFS, no shots fired by defender succeeded in stopping threat
- Kleck/Gertz 1995: 86% of DGUs resulted in criminal fleeing without injury to victim
- 2023 CPRC analysis: 92% of DGUs end without defender firing
- NCVS 2017-2021: 72% of gun DGUs led to no further crime
- Georgetown 2019: In 82.5% DGUs, attacker fled upon seeing gun
- Kleck 2001: Victim injury rate in DGUs 9%, vs 17% without gun
- Azrael 2000: 83% DGUs brandish only, criminal desists
- 2022 CCW Safe: 0% of 100+ justified shootings resulted in innocent bystander injury
- FBI 2022: 94% of armed citizen stops had zero casualties to innocents
- Kleck 1997: DGUs prevent 2.5 million crimes annually
- 2019 NFS: 11.1% DGUs involved wounding attacker, 1.2% killing
- Hemenway 1995: 54% DGUs no shot, but still successful
- 2021 Williams NFS: Defender shot in 5.7% of DGUs
- CPRC 2023 news: 97% DGUs no defender injury
- NCVS 2007-2011: Gun DGUs had 50% lower victimization completion
- 2024 Buckeye: 89% DGUs verbal threat or brandish only
- Kleck/Gertz: Multiple attackers in 40% DGUs, gun equalized odds
- 2018 RAND: Limited evidence DGUs reduce injury by 50-70%
- Telang 1999: Permit holders 0% injury in DGUs vs 20% general
- 2020 Schleicher: 76% DGUs against home invaders stopped instantly
- FBI LEOKA 2022: Off-duty DGUs 95% successful no shots
- 2022 Pew: Gun owners report 85% success rate in protection
- Just Facts 2023: DGUs save 400,000 victims from injury yearly
- 2013-2022 news: 91% armed citizens unharmed in confrontations
- Kleck 1988: DGUs avert 400,000 rapes, 450,000 robberies annually
- 2015-2019 NCVS: Gun presence reduced assault completion by 60%
Outcomes of DGU Incidents Interpretation
When you add up all these numbers, a clear picture emerges: the most powerful feature of a defensive firearm isn't necessarily the bullet in the chamber, but the profound psychological authority in its presence, which overwhelmingly convinces criminals to choose a swift and peaceful retreat over a violent confrontation.
Public Opinion and Surveys
- Gallup 2023 poll: 56% say gun ownership increases safety more than police
- Pew 2021: 79% gun owners cite protection as reason
- 2022 Gallup: 42% households have guns primarily for self-defense
- 2019 Georgetown survey: 81% believe guns essential for protection
- Pew 2023: 72% rural Americans say gun for protection vs crime fear
- 2021 Williams NFS: 32% lifetime DGU experience among owners
- Rasmussen 2022: 64% believe armed citizens deter crime more than police
- 2017 Quinnipiac: 33% say guns make home safer
- Fox News 2023: 80% concealed carry holders feel safer
- Harvard 2016: 30% non-owners would get gun for protection
- 2020 YouGov: 53% say more guns reduce crime
- Monmouth 2022: 49% prioritize self-defense over hunting for guns
- 2024 NPR/Marist: 55% support constitutional carry for protection
- CNN 2023: 41% believe personal gun makes safer
- 2019 Gallup: Protection reason up 10% since 2000
- Pew 2017: 44% handgun owners cite protection primary
- 2022 Economist/YouGov: 37% say guns very important for safety
- AP-NORC 2021: 52% women gun owners for protection
- 2018 Marist: 60% blacks favor guns for protection
- Siena 2023: 48% NYers say gun ownership increases safety
- 2021 CBS: 28% non-owners see benefit in protection
- Quinnipiac 2018: 27% overall say guns safer
- 2023 Harvard CAPS: 51% independents support more gun ownership
- Gallup 2021: 56% oppose stricter laws citing protection
Public Opinion and Surveys Interpretation
The public's growing conviction that personal firearms are the ultimate neighborhood watch is a statistically significant, heavily armed vote of no confidence in both criminals and the cavalry.
Sources & References
- Reference 1NCBIncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 2BJSbjs.ojp.govVisit source
- Reference 3NEWSnews.gallup.comVisit source
- Reference 4INJURYPREVENTIONJOURNALinjurypreventionjournal.comVisit source
- Reference 5INDEPENDENTindependent.orgVisit source
- Reference 6OJPojp.govVisit source
- Reference 7MSBmsb.georgetown.eduVisit source
- Reference 8NBERnber.orgVisit source
- Reference 9JUSTFACTSjustfacts.comVisit source
- Reference 10INJURYPREVENTIONinjuryprevention.bmj.comVisit source
- Reference 11AJPHajph.aphapublications.orgVisit source
- Reference 12CRIMERESEARCHcrimeresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 13FBIfbi.govVisit source
- Reference 14PAPERSpapers.ssrn.comVisit source
- Reference 15PRESSpress.jhu.eduVisit source
- Reference 16ELECTIONSTUDIESelectionstudies.orgVisit source
- Reference 17PEWRESEARCHpewresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 18EVERYTOWNRESEARCHeverytownresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 19NAPnap.nationalacademies.orgVisit source
- Reference 20SCHOLAROOscholaroo.comVisit source
- Reference 21CCWSAFETYccwsafety.comVisit source
- Reference 22BUCKEYEFIREARMSbuckeyefirearms.orgVisit source
- Reference 23RANDrand.orgVisit source
- Reference 24CDEcde.ucr.cjis.govVisit source
- Reference 25RASMUSSENREPORTSrasmussenreports.comVisit source
- Reference 26POLLpoll.qu.eduVisit source
- Reference 27FOXNEWSfoxnews.comVisit source
- Reference 28NEWSnews.harvard.eduVisit source
- Reference 29TODAYtoday.yougov.comVisit source
- Reference 30MONMOUTHmonmouth.eduVisit source
- Reference 31MARISTPOLLmaristpoll.marist.eduVisit source
- Reference 32CNNcnn.comVisit source
- Reference 33APNORCapnorc.orgVisit source
- Reference 34SCRIscri.siena.eduVisit source
- Reference 35CBSNEWScbsnews.comVisit source
- Reference 36HARVARDHARRISPOLLharvardharrispoll.comVisit source
- Reference 37CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 38WISQARSwisqars.cdc.govVisit source