It's true that we're one of the more well armed countries in the world based on production statistics etc., however, to an extent, gun ownership and availability to influence crime is a misnomer based largely on the archaic gun laws on the books in many states. Thankfully, SCOTUS has fixed this problem with their rekindling of 2nd Amendment Rights in the US. I can't say one way or another whether the ability of American's to carry has influenced the stats I can state that it is still to early to tell as we're still "fighting" for the right to be armed and to protect ourselves. Do gooders have continued to erect impediments to our ability to act in self defense, stand your ground should be the norm rather than the exception. Most states require a person to retreat which means you'll get shot in the back as you try to retreat. By placing restrictions on self-defense it's no wonder folks are afraid to protect themselves. I can tell you that race on race crime has decreased markedly once concealed carry laws were loosened and the scrots realized folks may be armed. Black on white confrontations have decreased markedly. The media doesn't like to talk about this nor does the government. It doesn't take a genius to realize just what "Fast and Furious" was all about, it was a government attempt to throw gas on the fire of gun control, how many recall the statements "the HAG" (Clinton) said when she was the Secretary of State and Fast and Furious was in the news showing how bad all us gun owners were. She used this as a rallying call for more gun control, she lambasted legal gun owners as part of the problem playing along with the Mexican president who was complaining that the majority of guns used in the border areas were US? NOT! Luckily some of the news organizations in Texas shoved this one up their collective arses but that didn't stop Madame Secretary from beating the drums for gun control.