CLAIM:
Key findings from Everytown’s analysis include:
- Of the over 11,000 licensed gun manufacturers in the United States, four manufacturers—Glock, Taurus, Smith & Wesson, and Ruger—accounted for over 40 percent of the guns recovered in crimes in 2023.
- Glock pistols were recovered at crime scenes twice as often as the second-leading manufacturer, Taurus.
- Crime scene recoveries of Polymer80s—the largest producer of ghost guns today—increased nearly 1,200 percent over the past five years, finally showing signs of decline in 2023, following litigation as well as regulatory and legislative fixes.
- Twenty cities reported recovering more than 560 machine gun conversion devices in 2023, at least two-thirds of which were “Glock switches.”
In 2023, four gun manufacturers accounted for over 40 percent of the recovered crime guns: Glock (18.4 percent), Taurus (9.3 percent), Smith & Wesson (9.2 percent), and Ruger (4.7 percent).
Glocks were by far the leading gun of choice for criminals in 2023.
Recoveries of Polymer80s—the leading manufacturer of ghost gun parts and kits—increased nearly 1,200 percent over the past five years.
Devices that convert weapons—especially Glock pistols—into machine guns are becoming increasingly common at crime scenes.
Congress should:
- Pass legislation like the Federal Firearm Licensee Act to strengthen regulation of the firearms industry.
- Ensure that ATF has the funding and resources needed to conduct robust oversight and enforcement.
- Repeal federal restrictions on trace data.
States should pass laws that:
- Prioritize gun industry accountability and product safety by rejecting legal immunity for the gun industry, regulating ghost guns.
- Promote product safety by requiring microstamping technology and/or childproofing features.
Finally, cities should:
- Collect and make public the manufacturers of recovered crime guns and the number of auto sear recoveries in their communities.
- Utilize litigation against irresponsible manufacturers—as the City of Los Angeles did against Polymer80.
- Leverage law enforcement purchasing power to demand that Glock—the leading manufacturer of police-issued weapons and crime guns—improve its business practices.
REBUTTAL:
Everytown for Gun Safety’s report claims that a small group of gun manufacturers—specifically Glock, Taurus, Smith & Wesson, and Ruger—are responsible for the majority of crime guns recovered by law enforcement. It argues that the gun industry must take responsibility for the criminal misuse of firearms and proposes additional regulations and restrictions. However, this report suffers from several significant flaws in its analysis and conclusions.
1. Misleading Implication of Manufacturer Culpability
Flawed Premise: Blaming Manufacturers for Criminal Use of Their Products
Everytown attempts to link firearm manufacturers to crime by highlighting that certain brands are found more frequently at crime scenes. However, the presence of a legally manufactured gun at a crime scene does not mean the manufacturer is responsible for its misuse. Firearm manufacturers sell their products to federally licensed dealers (FFLs), who must conduct background checks on buyers. Once a gun leaves the dealer’s possession, its use in a crime is a failure of criminal behavior and enforcement of existing laws—not a failure of the manufacturer.
🔹 Comparison to Other Industries:
By this logic, auto manufacturers like Ford and Honda should be held accountable for car accidents and drunk driving deaths because their vehicles are often involved in such incidents. Similarly, blaming a firearm manufacturer for a criminal’s misuse of a firearm is as illogical as blaming a kitchen knife company for stabbings.
🔹 ATF Trace Data Misinterpretation:
The report references ATF trace data but ignores ATF’s own disclaimer that crime gun trace numbers do not indicate illegal activity by manufacturers or dealers. ATF explicitly states that many traced firearms are legally owned, lost, or stolen before being used in a crime.
2. Selective Use of Data to Mislead Readers
Overemphasis on Popular Brands While Ignoring Market Share
Everytown claims that Glock, Taurus, Smith & Wesson, and Ruger accounted for over 40% of recovered crime guns in 2023. However, this statistic lacks proper context:
🔹 Most Popular Brands Will Have Higher Trace Numbers:
- Glock, Smith & Wesson, Taurus, and Ruger are among the largest gun manufacturers in the U.S., producing millions of firearms annually.
- Since these brands sell more firearms than others, it is statistically inevitable that their guns will be recovered at higher rates.
- This does not mean these manufacturers are engaging in any wrongdoing.
🔹 Omitting Other Factors:
- The report does not compare the number of guns sold by each manufacturer to the number of crime gun traces.
- A proper analysis would require comparing the percentage of total firearms sold to the percentage of crime guns traced. Everytown omits this critical step.
3. Mischaracterizing the Gun Market and Retailers
False Accusation That Manufacturers “Ignore” Crime Gun Sales
Everytown suggests that manufacturers must police their own dealers to prevent firearms from ending up in criminal hands. However:
🔹 FFLs Are Already Heavily Regulated:
- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is responsible for overseeing gun dealers, requiring background checks, and enforcing federal firearms laws.
- Firearm dealers who fail to comply with regulations risk losing their licenses and facing prosecution.
🔹 Manufacturers Do Not Sell Directly to Criminals:
- Gun makers sell to federally licensed distributors and dealers, not directly to individuals.
- The vast majority of firearm purchases involve background checks and comply with the law.
🔹 Everytown Ignores Firearm Theft and Black Market Sales:
- Many “crime guns” were stolen or obtained through straw purchases and black-market transactions—issues that have nothing to do with lawful manufacturers.
- The FBI and ATF have repeatedly emphasized that the majority of crime guns are not purchased legally by the person who uses them in a crime.
4. Exaggeration of the Role of “Glock Switches”
Misleading Claims About Machine Gun Conversions
The report highlights “Glock switches” (illegal machine gun conversion devices) as a growing threat and tries to blame Glock for their use. However:
🔹 Glock Has No Role in Producing or Distributing These Devices:
- Glock does not manufacture “Glock switches.” These are illegally imported or 3D-printed by criminals, often from China.
- Blaming Glock for illegal modifications is as absurd as blaming Ford for criminals modifying cars to evade police.
🔹 Existing Laws Already Prohibit Machine Gun Conversions:
- The National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934 and the Gun Control Act (GCA) of 1968 strictly regulate machine guns.
- The ATF has cracked down on Glock switches, and criminals caught with them face severe federal penalties.
5. Misrepresentation of “Ghost Guns”
Deceptive Language About “Untraceable” Firearms
Everytown claims a 1,200% increase in ghost gun recoveries, blaming manufacturers like Polymer80 for supplying criminals. However:
🔹 Ghost Guns Are a Small Percentage of Firearms Used in Crimes:
- According to the DOJ and ATF, ghost guns represent a small fraction of total gun crimes.
- The vast majority of gun crimes involve traditional, commercially made firearms.
🔹 Unfinished Frames Are Not Firearms Until Completed:
- Many states already regulate unfinished firearm parts.
- Criminals have always found ways to obtain guns illegally, even before 3D printing or ghost guns existed.
6. Ineffectiveness of Proposed Solutions
Everytown’s Recommendations Would Not Prevent Crime
Everytown proposes several policy changes, including:
- Manufacturer oversight of dealers – Already the job of the ATF.
- Tracking ATF traces to identify “bad dealers” – Trace data does not indicate wrongdoing by dealers or manufacturers.
- Developing “safer” firearms – Firearm safety is a user responsibility; “smart gun” technology remains unreliable.
- Restrictions on magazine capacity – High-capacity magazines are used in a tiny fraction of gun crimes.
- Microstamping requirements – Easily circumvented, proven ineffective.
Most of these proposals are based on flawed logic and would not address the root causes of violent crime—such as repeat offenders, gang violence, and weak prosecution of gun-related offenses.
Conclusion: The Real Issue Is Criminal Behavior, Not Gun Manufacturers
Everytown’s “Who is Manufacturing the Guns Used in Crimes?” report misleads readers by implying that gun manufacturers are responsible for criminal activity. The reality is:
- Gun manufacturers follow all federal laws and sell only to licensed dealers.
- Criminals acquire guns illegally through theft, black-market sales, and straw purchases.
- The presence of a firearm at a crime scene does not indicate wrongdoing by its manufacturer.
- Gun control laws do not deter criminals, who already obtain firearms outside legal channels.
- Focusing on manufacturers instead of crime reduction policies ignores the real issues—gang violence, drug trafficking, and repeat offenders.
Instead of targeting lawful gun makers, policymakers should focus on enforcing existing laws, increasing penalties for gun crimes, and improving prosecution rates for violent criminals.
Verdict: Everytown’s report is misleading, ignores basic facts, and fails to offer real solutions.