Crime gun data for all to debate
This is based on trace requests - not necessarily crime guns. The trace requests may be skewed because the departments in question were participating in the Youth Crime Gun Initiative by the ATF. This is a group of 27 cities who are making a special effort to trace all firearms they come across (and it inlcudes LA, don'tshootitsme)
Semi-automatic handguns made up 49.6% of trace requests.
Revolvers made up 27.4% of trace requests.
Rifles made up 11.0% of trace requests.
Shotguns made up 10.4% of trace requests.
The older a suspect was, the more likely they were to use a revolver instead of a semi-auto. Semi-auto pistols were used most often by juveniles. Tampa and Houston led in the number of juveniles armed with a revolver (up in the 40% range).
http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/ycgii/1999/genfindings.pdf
For all ages of suspects, the top ten firearms were:
http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/ycgii/1999html/ycgii/general.htm#tab5
1. S&W .38 Special (4.6%)
2. Lorcin .380 (3.0%)
3. Ruger 9mm (2.5%)
4. Raven .25 (2.2%)
5. S&W 9mm (2.1%)
6. S&W .357 (2.1%)
7. Mossberg 12ga (2.0%)
8. Bryco .380 (1.8%)
9. Davis .380 (1.7%)
10. Bryco 9mm (1.6%)
Among long guns, over 57% of long guns were made up of .22 rifles and 12ga shotguns - not exactly high-powered assault weaponry by any sane person's definition.
For all ages, 7.62mm and 5.56mm rifles made up 11.5% of long guns.
LA did show a general trend towards more 7.62 Soviet rifles and Glocks but was right with the rest of the nation at about 46% semis, 27/27 revolvers and long guns.