A more diverse group of people, including core Democratic constituencies, took up the shooting sports in recent years, according to a biennial survey released Tuesday by the firearm industry’s trade group.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation’s survey, which covers the year 2022, adds new clarity to a trend that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic: Firearm use continues to grow, with new interest coming from women, liberals, younger people, urbanites and people of color.
That trend might complicate the polarized politics of gun reform in coming years, as firearm use becomes more widespread among Democratic voters, who have historically supported restrictions aimed at ensuring public safety.
“Across all walks of life, all political persuasions, all lifestyles, we’re seeing a growing acceptance and participation in gun ownership and the shooting sports,” said NSSF spokesman Mark Oliva. “Today’s gun owner, today’s recreational shooter, is more like everyone else in America.”
Some 25% of American adults went sport or target shooting over the two-year period, which the survey projects to a whopping 63.5 million people ― up from 34 million back in 2009, when the biennial surveys began.
But the percentage of new shooters, defined as those who shot a gun for the first time in at least five years, jumped five points to 17%, compared to the last survey in 2020. And more significantly, the percentage of new shooters who identified as Democrats nearly doubled to 31% — more than 3 million people.
Female new shooters also saw major gains, jumping from 17% of new shooters in 2020 to 25% in 2022. A quarter of new shooters live in urban or suburban areas, marking a 71% rise. The survey also showed marginal increases of firearm use among Black (2%) and Hispanic (1%) shooters.
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