Arkansas ranks 2nd in gun ownership
SHERWOOD (KATV) — After a holiday weekend of multiple shootings in the Little Rock metro area, new research from Business Insider ranks Arkansas as the second highest state for gun ownership.
The study used data from a nationally representative sample of 4,000 U.S. adults from 50 states and the District of Columbia. State-level firearm policy information was also obtained from the Brady Law Center and Injury Prevention and Control Center.
The study ultimately found a strong association between social gun culture and gun ownership.
At Fort Thompson Sporting Goods Inc. in Sherwood, Jerry Chism, 54, learned of the study while shopping for a holster for his handgun.
"I'm not surprised by that," said Chism.
Fort Thompson manager, Taylor Denniston said gun sales vary by season at his store off Highway 67/167.
He said shotguns and rifles tend to sell more during the fall or hunting seasons, but handguns always sell year round.
"You see a lot of mix use there, people using hunting guns for protection," said Denniston.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Census Bureau, the hunting industry is responsible for $877 million annually. Steve Wilson of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission cites the source by saying Arkansas ranks seventh in total retail sales by hunters. He said Texas ranks first with 2.3 billion.
Arkansas State Police spokesman Bill Sadler said there are 179,902 active concealed carry licenses in Arkansas. The law allows up to four months for state police to process a concealed carry application.
"If everything is clear, you can take the firearm home with you that day," said Denniston.
The Business Insider research show 58 percent of Arkansans own a gun. Alaska is the number one state for gun ownership at 67.7 percent.
Of the 17 states the research labels as southern states, Arkansas is the number one state for gun ownership.
