NCJ Number
205105
Date Published
2004
Length
138 pages
Annotation
This report presents basic information on handgun commerce in California in 2000, with a focus on the handguns sold that year, characteristics of handgun purchasers, denied sales, handgun manufacturers, and commercial firearm licensees.
Abstract
The information and data presented are primarily from the Dealer's Record of Sales (DROS) archive that is maintained by the California Department of Justice. A DROS record is created each time an individual seeks to purchase a new or used handgun from a firearm licensee. A total of 193,489 handguns were sold in California in 2000, approximately 8.4 sales per 1,000 persons ages 21 and older. Sales ranged from a low of 13,085 in April to a high of 32,979 in December. Sixty-eight percent of the handguns sold in the State in 2000 were semiautomatic pistols. Large-caliber handguns were the most common (48.6 percent), and most handguns had long barrels (77.5 percent). Nearly two-thirds of the handguns sold were manufactured in the United States. Males bought 92.2 percent of handguns, and 72.9 percent were bought by persons ages 25-34, 35-44, or 45-54. Sales at gun shows accounted for 2.8 percent of all handgun sales. Private party transfers accounted for 8.9 percent of sales. There were 3,632 denied sales in 2000, with 1,621 prohibited-person denials and 2,011 one-gun-a-month denials. Most of these denials involved handguns. A total of 134,227 Californians purchased the 193,489 handguns sold in 2000. The 2,031 people who bought more than 5 handguns in 2000 accounted for 9.5 percent of all the handguns sold. A total of 1,936 firearm licensees reported handgun sales in 2000, approximately 8.4 licensees per 100,000 persons ages 21 and older. Extensive tables and figures and appended comparative tables, county and city data, technical notes, and a list of 17 additional resources