There are few topics in America more polarizing than gun ownership, especially when you bring mental health into the conversation.
Yet beneath the headlines, social media noise, and policy debates lies a quieter, more complicated reality—one where identity, upbringing, and emotional well-being intersect.
A recent nationwide survey of 1,211 male gun owners sheds new light on this intersection, offering a rare glimpse into how American men truly feel about guns, why they own them, and how those weapons impact their inner lives.
What we found challenges assumptions from both sides of the political aisle.
Two of the primary reasons men report owning firearms are protection and hunting, and these reasons tend to correlate with when they first handled a gun.
Men who first fired a gun before age 18 are more likely to own one for sport, while those introduced later in life tend to prioritize protection.
This isn’t just about lifestyle; it may reflect deeper psychological needs.
A gun can provide a sense of security and empowerment—especially when someone perceives the world as dangerous or unpredictable.
According to the Pew Research Center, roughly 67% of gun owners cite protection as their main motivation, with emotional security often being just as important as physical safety.
But ownership alone doesn’t paint the full picture.
Interestingly, men who own only one gun were more likely to have used it in anger, fear, or even as a tool of intimidation than men who own multiple firearms.
This counters the common perception that more guns equal more risk.
Instead, it suggests that intent and identity—not volume—play a larger role in how guns are used.
Political affiliation also influences behavior, but not always in predictable ways.
Republican men tend to own more firearms, but Democrat gun owners reported higher instances of firing in anger or using a gun to gain advantage in a confrontation.
Still, both groups share more emotional common ground than expected.
Over 75% of all respondents—regardless of political stance—reported feeling sadness or anger after mass shootings.
And nearly identical percentages of Democrat and Republican gun owners said their mental health had either improved or remained stable since acquiring a firearm.
These shared emotional responses suggest that the conversation about guns may be more productive when it shifts away from ideology and toward empathy.
That said, feelings of masculinity still influence behavior in significant ways.
Men who strongly agreed with the statement “owning a gun makes me feel more like a man” were statistically more likely to have fired a weapon in anger, injured someone, or made a threat with a gun.
This isn’t just a correlation—it reflects the powerful psychological link between masculinity, perceived control, and aggression.
A video from UC Davis’s BulletPoints project, led by psychiatrist Dr. Amy Barnhorst, offers insights into how feelings of vulnerability can amplify the need to assert dominance through firearms.
For some, a gun fills a psychological void rather than a physical need.
Still, not all emotional connections to guns are unhealthy.
Many men report feeling closer to family, more connected to their communities, and more confident after acquiring a firearm.
The key takeaway is not that guns are inherently good or bad, or that owning one always changes your mindset.
Rather, it’s that the relationship between guns and mental health is highly personal, shaped by past experiences, emotional needs, and broader cultural narratives.
Understanding that complexity is essential.
Because real progress—on both the policy and personal levels—begins with listening, not labeling.
And perhaps the most powerful thing we can do is ask not just what a man owns, but why.