# accidental gun-related deaths

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidental-gun-related-deaths/283401>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 6, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidental-gun-related-deaths/283401 "2005-01-06T15:40:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DOsbornejr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DOsbornejr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DOsbornejr)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidental-gun-related-deaths/283401/1 "2005-01-06T15:40:56Z")

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Hello. I’m looking for information concerning accidental gun deaths in the leading industrialized nations. I am curious to see where the United States ranks in the number of deaths per 100,000. I’ve been through many web sites and books, but can’t come up with any data. Thanks

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**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidental-gun-related-deaths/283401/2 "2005-01-06T16:17:09Z")

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John Lott is the author to look up on that. He’s an economist and quite rigorous w/ his numbers, IIRC.

[http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0895261146/qid=1105028612/sr=1-1/ref=sr\_1\_1/104-6619042-8473537?v=glance&s=books](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0895261146/qid=1105028612/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-6619042-8473537?v=glance&s=books)

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**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidental-gun-related-deaths/283401/3 "2005-01-06T17:20:49Z")

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According to the US National Safety Council page at:

[http://www.nsc.org/lrs/statinfo/odds.htm](http://www.nsc.org/lrs/statinfo/odds.htm)

The 2001 accidental firearms deaths were 802. Other firearms deaths were 231 undetermined intent, 16,869 intentional(self inflicted) and 11,348 assault.

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**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidental-gun-related-deaths/283401/4 "2005-01-06T17:29:00Z")

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To get the rate per 100,00, you would divide 100,000 by the number shown in the second collumn.

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**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accidental-gun-related-deaths/283401/5 "2005-01-06T17:39:17Z")

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I can give you a cite for non-accidental deaths, with linkage to gun ownership per 100k persons, and although its not showing accidental gun deaths, it might help you in other ways.

[http://www.guncontrol.ca/Content/international.html#grey](http://www.guncontrol.ca/Content/international.html#grey)

Its completely difficult to find any websites discussing guns in an objective manner, with straight reporting of facts, numbers are hugely distorted by both sides of the argument, and when international comparisons might be meaningful, the figures gathered by governmental agencies are not quoted, though no doubt each and every country does gather such information, I only assume such figures that are more likely to be accurate, and are not quoted as it causes the publisher of the website some difficulties in the case they are proposing.