We explore patterns and correlates of gun ownership in the United States, with a particular focus on differentiating those who will never own a gun (“nevers”) and those who are open to ownership in the future (“maybes”) from current‐owners. We use the Guns in American Life Survey (GALS), collected in September of 2018 (n = 3,103), to explore the role of several classes of factors in shaping experiences and attitudes, including socialization, fear and victimization, ideology (confidence in the police, punitiveness, justifiable violence, and gun “science” research), and preparedness. Descriptive findings suggest that maybe‐owners are similar to never‐owners in some ways in background factors (e.g., tending to be women, lower‐income, and not living in a rural area) and more like owners in other ways (e.g., conservative, Republican, and with children in the home). Regression results reveal some anticipated patterns and other unexpected ones. For example, past victimization differentiates the maybes from the nevers but not from the owners. Worry about mass and school shootings leads one away from gun ownership, while worry about terrorist attacks leads toward it. Curiously, greater confidence in the police is highest for the maybes. They are solidly in the middle on other ideological issues, including beliefs in justifiable violence and gun “science” research. We find different ideological issues come together as a continuum of gun ownership status. Finally, those most likely to buy a gun have owned one previously and cycle in and out of gun ownership. They have also used agency by taking other steps to protect themselves. Our findings identify a new subset of occasional owners and illuminate the process of moving toward gun acquisition.

中文翻译：

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谁可能会买枪？美国生活调查中枪支的结果

我们探索了美国枪支拥有权的模式和相关性，特别着重于将那些永远不会拥有枪支的人（“ nevers”）和那些将来对所有权持开放态度的人（“ maybes”）与当前拥有者区分开来。 。我们使用的枪支在美国生活调查（GALS），在2018年九月收集（ñ = 3,103），探索几种因素在塑造经验和态度中的作用，包括社会化，恐惧和受害，意识形态（对警察的信心，惩罚性，正当暴力和枪支“科学研究”）以及准备。描述性研究结果表明，在背景因素上，可能的所有者在某些方面类似于从未所有者（例如，倾向于是女性，低收入者，而不是在农村地区居住），而在其他方面，所有者则更类似于从未所有者（例如，保守的） ，共和党，以及有孩子的家庭）。回归结果揭示了一些预期的模式和其他意外的模式。例如，过去的受害使“可能”与“从不”区别开来，但与所有者没有区别。对群众和学校枪击事件的担心导致人们远离枪支拥有权，而对恐怖袭击的担忧则导致了枪支所有权的上升。奇怪的是，对警察的更大信心是最高的。他们在其他意识形态问题上居于中间，包括对正当暴力的信念和枪支“科学研究”。我们发现不同的意识形态问题成为枪支拥有地位的连续体。最终，那些最有可能购买枪支的人以前拥有了枪支，然后循环进出枪支所有权。他们还通过采取其他措施来保护自己，从而利用了代理权。我们的发现确定了偶尔拥有者的新子集，并阐明了购置枪支的过程。我们发现不同的意识形态问题成为枪支拥有地位的连续体。最终，那些最有可能购买枪支的人以前拥有了枪支，然后循环进出枪支所有权。他们还通过采取其他措施来保护自己，从而利用了代理权。我们的发现确定了偶尔拥有者的新子集，并阐明了购置枪支的过程。我们发现不同的意识形态问题成为枪支拥有地位的连续体。最终，那些最有可能购买枪支的人以前拥有了枪支，然后循环进出枪支所有权。他们还通过采取其他措施来保护自己，从而利用了代理权。我们的发现确定了偶尔拥有者的新子集，并阐明了购置枪支的过程。