Gun Facts

The sad truth is that the vast and overwhelming majority of the “facts” used in the current gun control debate are almost completely untrue. And if not untrue, then at least twisted to the point where they are no longer accurate. In an attempt to comb through the MASSIVE body of work that TTAG has done in the past three years and tease out some of the more relevant articles for the more common misconceptions about guns, I’ve tried to make this page a simple and usable reference to quickly look up the info and pull up an article to refute the BS. I’ll lay out the more common gun control talking points, and give you some links that lay out the truth… about guns.

General Information

• Why People Are Over-Reacting to the Midnight Movie Massacre (Mathematically Speaking)
  A quick overview of why people over-react to events that are statistically improbable. Like mass shootings, and airplane crashes.
• Comparing Cars and Guns is Misleading and Irrelevant
  People love comparing gun ownership to car ownership. But is that a valid comparison? Bruce doesn’t think so.
• Debunking the “No One Wants to Take Your Guns” Myth
  I’ve heard time and again people claiming that “no one wants to take your guns.” But, in reality, that simply isn’t true anymore. And the new laws in New York prove the point.
• Debunking Ari Melber’s Anti-Gun Hissy Fit
  It’s always interesting to see the argument of those in favor of civilian disarmament, and rip it to shreds from a logical perspective.

Armed Teachers and School Staff

• TTAG Simulated School Shooting Experiment — Results and Analysis
  Preliminary results from an attempt to determine how effective armed teachers or guards would be at stopping an active shooter in a school.

“Armor Piercing” AKA Hollow Point Bullets

• Proof: Hollow Point Bullets ARE NOT “Armor Piercing
  Nick takes a Level II bulletproof vest and tests it against both round nose and hollow point ammunition of the highest caliber it is rated to withstand, and fails to penetrate the vest. QED hollow points ARE NOT armor piercing. Video included.

Assault Weapons and Assault Weapon Bans

• The Truth About Assault Weapons and Assault Weapons Bans
  Where does the word “assault weapon” come from? What are “assault weapons” as defined by the proposed laws? And how often are they really used in crimes?
• Media Matters (Wrongly) Thinks Cosmetic Differences Matter for an Assault Weapons Ban
  Most “assault weapon” ban legislation defines such firearms based on cosmetic features. But, in reality, those features don’t make a gun any more or less deadly. In other words, AWBs are useless.
• The Truth About Assault Weapons Website
  A useful website for more information about “assault weapons.”

Concealed Carry Permit Holders

• NY Times Proves CCL Holders More Law-Abiding Than the Population. Unintentionally.
  Are concealed carry holders more likely to commit crimes and murders than the normal population? Survey says: nope.

Defensive Gun Use versus Murder Rate

• The Costs and Benefits of the Second Amendment – Without the Benefits
  A journalist tries to do a “cost benefit analysis” of the second amendment, and fails to include the “benefit” section properly. A good overview of how guns in civilian hands benefit society.
• Gun Death Epidemic? What Gun Death Epidemic?
  Gun control advocates believe that there’s an “epidemic” of “gun violence” in our country. But the reality is that the numbers do not support the idea of an “epidemic.”
• Lies, Damned Lies and Washington CeaseFire’s Statistics
  Gun control advocates try to talk about how guns in civilian hands are a detrement to society, but Bruce has some interesting numbers about the good that they do.

Facts About the AR-15 Rifle

• The Truth About the AR-15 Rifle
  Nick runs through the reasons why the AR-15 is the most popular model of firearm ever sold in the United States, and used for everything from target shooting to hunting to home defense.
• Three Reasons an “Assault Rifle” is Better Than a Handgun for Home Defense
  Some people say a handgun is the best thing for home defense. Others say a double barreled shotgun. But, in reality, an AR-15 might be the perfect tool for the job.
• Note to Gun Control Advocates: “Hunting Rifles” Aren’t What You Think They Are
  The common line from gun control advocates is that “assault weapons ban” legislation doesn’t impact hunters or hunting rifles. but since the original law was passed in 1994, AR-15 rifles have become one of the more popular hunting rifles in the United States.
• Massachusetts Cops on Why You Should Own an AR-15
  A Massachusetts police officer on why the AR-15 is the perfect firearm for everyone.

Firearms and Children

• NY Times’ “Keeping Guns Away from Children” is Pure Propaganda
  The New York times tried to argue that guns are a major reason for deaths among children in the united States. However, they lost all credibility when they tried to claim that 25 year olds are children.

Firearms and Suicides

• Convenient Causation: Mayor Mike on NYC Suicides
  Bruce debunks the myth that increased firearms ownership means increased suicide rate.

Guns Save Lives

• Dennis Henigan on Chardon: Clockwork Edition
  Bruce (eventually) gets to a discussion of how many defensive gun uses happen in the United States every year. best estimate: 2 to 2.5 million. At worst, 1.4 million.
• The Costs and Benefits of the Second Amendment – Without the Benefits
  Bruce continues the discussion of DGUs versus illegal gun use.

 Gun Show Loophole

• Gun Show Loophole? What Gun Show Loophole?
  Is there really a gun show loophole? if so, what is it?
• The Truth About the “Gun Show Loophole”
  Nick discusses the origins and politics of the “gun show loophole.”
• “40% of Gun Sales Made by Private Sellers” is An Outright Lie
  One of the claims that people who want “universal background checks” use is that 40% of gun sales are through private selelrs, and exempt from background checks at the moment. But the reality is that the study they cite is a complete trainwreck, and over 20 years old.

“High Capacity” Magazines

• AWB Dead in the Water, Dems to Shift to Mag Capacity Limits
  Foghorn discusses why limiting the capacity of magazines would severely hinder people using firearms for self defense.
• Latest NRA Ad on “High Capacity” Magazine Ban
  The NRA’s ad is probably the best example of why a “high capacity” magazine ban doesn’t make sense.

Mandatory Firearms Insurance

• Mandatory Firearms Insurance is Racist
  The title kinda says it all. Mandatory firearms insurance is basically the same thing as a poll tax, which is illegal and unconstitutional, as well as immoral and racist.

Microstamping

• The Truth About Microstamping
  What is microstamping? Would it help? Is it possible with today’s technology? Hint: nope/
• Microstamping Works. No, Really. You Only Have To Fudge A Little
  Microstamping works… if you fudge the numbers.
• Just How Practical is Microstamping?
  Bruce takes a crack at explaining microstamping and the practicality of such a policy.

Origin and Context of the Second Amendment

• A Brief Look at the Origins and History of the Second Amendment
• The Second Amendment: What it Says and What it Means
• Rethink Rethinking the Second Amendment
• Owning Firearms is a First Amendment Exercise, Too
• The Second Amendment, the First and Yelling Fire in a Crowded Theater
• The Unfettered Right to Keep and Bear Arms
• What to Do With the Second Amendment

Universal Background Checks

• The Problem With Universal Background Checks – Part 1
• Why Gun Control Advocates are So Peeved About the Failed Background Check Amendment