Report Highlights:

• Republicans are 2.25 times more likely to own firearms than Democrats.
• Independent voters reported 29% ownership rate in 2000 and 2023, lower than Republicans and higher than Democrats.
• Republican women are 14% more likely to own guns than Democrat men.
• Protection is the main reason for gun ownership across all political parties.

Methodology

Gun ownership data were drawn from nationally representative surveys conducted by Pew Research Center, Gallup, the General Social Survey, and YouGov between 2000 and 2024.

Figures reflect self-reported, personal firearm ownership among voters who identified as Democrats, Republicans, or independents. Where only household data were available, this is noted. Trend comparisons used consistent question wording across survey years.

Gun Ownership by Political Party in 2025

According to surveys in 2024, Republicans are 2.5 times more likely to own firearms than Democrats.1, 2, 4, 5

Nearly half (45%) of Republican voters stated they own a firearm, while less than one quarter (20%) of Democrats said the same.

What Percentage of Democrats Own Guns?

In 2024, 20% of Democrat voters reported owning firearms, making them the voter group least likely to own firearms.

What Percentage of Republicans Own Guns?

In 2024, 45% of Republican voters reported owning firearms. Republicans were 2.25 times more likely to own guns than Democrats, and 1.55 times more likely to own guns than independents.

What Percentage of Independents Own Guns?

Between 2019 and 2024, 29% of independents reported owning firearms. Independent voters reported a spike in ownership in 2013, with some surveys showing rates as high as 44%.

Gun Ownership by Political Party: Trends Over Time



In 2000, 32% of Republicans reported owning firearms, compared to 23% of Democrats and 29% of independents.

The gap between gun ownership among political parties has broadened over the past 25 years. Democrat gun ownership has declined by three percentage points since 2000, while Republican ownership has increased by 13 percentage points.

Independents reported 29% ownership in 2000 and 29% ownership in 2023 (when they were last surveyed), with spikes in ownership reported in 2013 ( 48%) and 2017 (36%).

Gun Ownership by Political Party: Gender



In 2024, Republican males were most likely to own firearms (60%) of all genders and voters. Independent male voters followed at 39% ownership.

Republican women (33%) were more likely to own guns than Democrat men (29%), Democrat women (12%), and independent women (18%).

Learn more https://ammo.com/research/gun-ownership-by-political-party