Alabama might not have many gun shops per capita, but the state is certainly stashing up firearms. According to a new study released by InsideGov, a political research site by Graphiq, Alabama ranks thirty-second out of the 50 states plus D.C. when it comes to the number of gun stores per 100,000 people. However, a closer examination of the data by Yellowhammer reveals that the state is actually fifth in registered weapons per 100,000 people.
As reported by the latest Department of Justice data, the Yellowhammer State boasts a total of 134,687 registered weapons equaling approximately 2,777.41 per 100,000 residents. Only four other areas have a higher ratio: Wyoming, Washington D.C., New Mexico, and Virginia.
To compile their rankings, analysts at Inside Gov examined data from the U.S. DOJ. For gun dealers, the information is current as of the end of 2015, while the registered guns per capita statistic is as recent as February of 2016.
“Unsurprisingly, the states with the highest concentrations of gun stores also tend to be the most Republican. The only state in the top 10 that voted Democratic in the 2016 election is New Hampshire,” Alex Greer, associate editor at Graphiq, wrote. “While California has the highest total number of registered weapons — more than 320,000 — it ranks 42nd overall in the number of weapons per 100K people.”
Over the past several years, Alabama has moved to become a more Second Amendment-friendly state. In 2013, the state moved to a shall-issue system on concealed carry, and permit costs are relatively low compared to the rest of the nation.
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