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According to a 2017 study by the Pew Research Center, 72 percent of American gun owners possess a handgun. Most say that personal defense is their primary reason for owning a handgun. To be effective for this purpose, proper instruction in firing a handgun, as well as regular shooting practice, are required.

Data from government agencies such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) indicates that Americans possess more than 360 million firearms. That’s an average of more than one gun per person (the US population was about 325 million in 2018). This represents

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Contemporary Issues: Gun Control