Americans Own & Carry 10+

Here’s a little info to help you win the gun control argument at your next happy hour or barbecue, courtesy of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). The NSSF Detachable Magazine Report shows magazine capacity exceeding 10 rounds comprise the overwhelming standard for US gun owners.

NSSF Detachable Magazine Report

The report surveyed 30-plus years of detachable magazine production and distribution. It demonstrated a conservative estimate of 936,772,000 detachable magazines supplied from manufacturers and aftermarket sales. A whopping 717,9000,000 come with capacity exceeding 10 rounds.

Consider the fact several states and local restrictions ban ownership of such magazines. That fact makes it easy to conclude American shooters want and use the actual standard magazines – 30-rounders, for example, in semi-auto rifles like the AR-15. Further, Americans use these commonly-owned magazines lawfully for recreational target shooting, hunting and self-defense.

“The data establishes that law-abiding gun owners overwhelming choose magazines that have a capacity to hold more than ten rounds for lawful purposes including self-defense, target shooting and hunting,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President & General Counsel.

Nearly 46 percent of the magazines estimated in this study came from magazines with 30+round capacity. Fifty-five percent came from 11+round pistol magazines. The consumer market totals of rifle magazines show 30+capacity magazines at more than 413 million. That number ranks 30-times the amount available in 10-round and below capacity rifle magazines.

Further data shows 717,900,000 detachable magazines for pistols and rifles with a capacity greater than 10 rounds, including 209,145,000 pistol magazines in circulation. Rifle mags over 10 rounds accounted for 508,755,000, while 30-round or greater magazines totaled an estimated 448,369,000.

The real story: Americans own what you could colloquially call a “metric ton” of magazines with capacity greater than 10 rounds. They aren’t so-called high-capacity mags. They are indeed the standard. And we’re all safer because of it.