(p. A11) A new study of gun ownership in the United States notes a shift: Americans are increasingly interested in handguns, the types of small weapons that are easily hidden and used for self-defense, rather than rifles and shotguns used for hunting and shooting sports.
The study, conducted in 2015 by researchers from Harvard and Northeastern, sought to better understand the size and composition of the country’s gun inventory. It found that handguns made up 42 percent of the country’s privately owned firearms, up from 34 percent in 1994.
For the full story, see:
JULIE TURKEWITZ and TROY GRIGGS. “Looking for Security, More in U.S. Pick Up a Handgun.” The New York Times (Sat., OCT. 15, 2016): A11.
(Note: the online version of the story has the date OCT. 14, 2016, and has the title “Handguns Are the New Home Security.”)