Gun Control Argumentative Essay: 160 Topics + How-to Guide [2024]

After the recent heartbreaking mass shootings, the gun control debate has reached its boiling point.

Do we need stricter gun control laws? Should everyone get a weapon to oppose crime? Or should guns be banned overall? You have the opportunity to air your opinion in a gun control argumentative essay.

Below, you’ll find everything you need to write a great paper in no time. Check weighty arguments, catchy gun control essay titles, and the latest sources on the subject.

Don’t forget to check our writing service. With it, you can get your gun control essay done just in a few hours.

🔝 Top 10 Gun Control Essay Titles

1. Does gun ownership deter crime?
2. Ethics of owning guns for sport.
3. Gun control laws and suicide rate.

4. Do weapons bring a sense of safety?
5. Guns and domestic abuse protection.
6. Do gun control laws reduce gun deaths?
7. Gun control laws and government tyranny.
8. Are gun control laws invasion of privacy?
9. Should high-capacity magazines be banned?
10. Gun control as a way to reduce the crime rate.

💥 Take a Stand in the Gun Control Debate

Did you know that 33 people are killed with guns every day in America?
This is one of the numbers you can use in your essay on gun control. Are you ready to learn more reasons both for and against gun control? Here they are, in a nutshell:

Have you chosen which side you’re on? Great! Now you already have solid background knowledge on the issue.

The information above will help you write an outstanding essay on gun control. Moreover, you can easily proofread it using Grammarly and avoid common grammar mistakes.

👀 150 Catchy Gun Control Topics

Do you want to know the next step toward your A+ gun control essay? It’s a catchy title that expresses your standpoint and grabs your readers’ interest.

Here are some examples.

👍 Pro-Gun Control Essay Topics

Arms possession is a right enshrined in the US constitution. Yet, more and more people voice their concerns about owning firearms. Mass shootings, suicides, and abuse are among the top arguments for stricter laws. Here, we’ve collected plenty of insightful pro-gun control topics for you to explore.

11. Pro-gun radicalism and American fears. Guns and fear often go hand in hand. Studies suggest that gun owners are more prone to phobias and distrust. The topic requires showing the irrational essence of gun ownership.
12. Being pro-gun equals being anti-women. Firearms make domestic violence a lot more likely to end in death. Prohibiting gun access for abusers could save women’s lives.
13. Why background checks don’t always work. Background checks are essential. Yet, they don’t always prevent ineligible individuals from acquiring a firearm. This “why we need gun control” essay shines a light on the procedure’s flaws.
14. The economic burden of firearms. This topic concerns the costs linked to gun-related injuries and deaths. These preventable expenditures strain the US economy. You can underline the necessity of gun control to alleviate the problem.
15. Gun control to protect schools from firearms. Schools are at the heart of the anti-gun movement. Meanwhile, gun control plays a vital role in preserving safety in educational facilities. An essay could communicate the intricate connection between the two.

16. Kids are not ok: pediatric gun-related injuries and deaths. Children often become victims of gun violence. The number of pediatric firearm-related injuries and deaths is disproportionate. Should parents remove all guns from their households to protect their kids?
17. Rising gun deaths: a call for action. The high firearm-related death rate is a notorious problem. In the United States, the number is consistently above average. In this gun control argumentative essay, it becomes a reason for stricter gun policies.
18. Reducing firearm ownership is not decreasing civil liberties. The topic handles primary gun control opponents’ counterarguments. The key reasoning is that gun ownership is not a universal human right. In this essay, you can explore the notion of civil liberties.
19. Suicide and the availability of guns. Gun control topics are rarely concerned with suicide. It’s an essential yet underexplored and part of it. You can show how stricter gun control would help reduce suicide rates.
20. More guns, more shootings: understanding gun control. This topic requires exploring the link between firearms and shootings. You can use gun ownership and mass shooting rates to prove your point. In this pro-gun control essay, statistical information is instrumental.
21. Gun control as an answer to violent murders.
22. Do firearm restrictions harm democracy?
23. The perverseness of being pro-life and pro-gun.
24. Do guns in households cause more accidental deaths?
25. Why are some people scared of stricter gun control?
26. Debunking “guns for self-defense” myths.
27. Gun control’s positive impact on hospitalization rates.
28. Does better gun control improve life quality?
29. Firearms and suicidal behavior: another case for restrictions.
30. What fears drive opponents of gun laws?
31. Do firearms restrictions increase the value of life?
32. Do gun laws reduce societal costs?
33. Restricting the carry of firearms for societal benefit.
34. Does pro-gun activism favor domestic abusers?
35. Firearms: used far less for defense than for attacks.
36. More guns – more violence
37. Stop the wrong people from getting guns
38. Revision of the Second Amendment to prevent human tragedies
39. The Second Amendment and gun control can co-exist
40. The thin line between self-defense and deadly force

👎 Against Gun Control Essay Topics

Stricter laws can’t solve every problem. In cases such as prostitution and drug use, they are even detrimental. But does this reasoning also apply to gun control? Find it out by discussing its disadvantages with one of the following engaging prompts:

41. Gun control laws: a waste of taxpayers’ money. Firearm restrictions have economic consequences. Additional gun control measures are not free— they require more monetary resources. Besides, stricter gun control deprives many citizens of firearm-related jobs.
42. Firearm regulations deny the right to self-defense. Self-defense is a constitutional right granted by the Founding Fathers. When an attacker is armed, defensive gun use remains the only option. Gun control diminishes the capacity of citizens to protect themselves.
43. Guns don’t breed crime—society does. Crime is a colossal social challenge. It is vital to direct resources for crime prevention and management. Yet, gun control is not the ultimate solution to this problem.
44. Gun control laws are not fruitful. One of the purposes of gun control is to curb the gun violence epidemic. Yet, whether it works or not is debatable. This “is greater gun control a great idea” essay demonstrates gun control’s ineffectiveness.
45. Gun control: limiting citizens’ freedoms. Gun control is not only fruitless, but it’s also unconstitutional. The right to possess and carry guns is civil liberty. Firearm restrictions violate the essence of the country’s constitution.
46. Gun ownership increases the sense of security. Besides, firearms perform an important psychological function. They give their owners a sense of safety, bringing emotional comfort. Gun control takes away the knowledge that one can protect oneself.
47. Firearms black market: a bigger problem. Gun control will not prevent determined individuals from obtaining firearms. Restricting access to legal guns could prompt people to buy weapons from black markets.
48. Knives, hardware, and vehicles are lethal weapons, too. Firearms are only a small part of a criminal’s arsenal. For instance, they frequently use cars as deadly weapons. Firearm control can’t always prevent those determined to harm someone from doing it.
49. Eliminating guns: an oversimplified approach. Gun control proponents often oversimplify the problem. Access to firearms is not the root cause of gun-related deaths and violence. The phenomenon has multiple origins that you could examine.
50. Disarming Americans kills their national identity. Guns are deeply ingrained in American culture and national identity. The right to bear them has a profound symbolic notion. This “against gun control” essay covers the meaning of firearms in American nationhood.
51. Gun control hinders African American emancipation.
52. How does gun control incite government tyranny?
53. Gun control doesn’t prevent violent behavior.
54. The racist history behind firearm restrictions.
55. The Second Amendment: the cornerstone of gun rights.
56. Firearms as an answer to domestic violence.
57. Would gun control make the country safer?
58. Firearm ownership: gaining control over life.
59. Gun control and the demise of democracy.
60. The empowering role of firearms.
61. Gun control as a method of disabling citizens.
62. What’s your position on the statement: “Assault is not a weapon but a behavior”?
63. Why gun control laws should be scrapped.
64. Is there a link between firearm ownership and crime?
65. Banning guns means more black markets.
66. Gun control is not the answer – education is
67. Gun culture propaganda starts with cartoons
68. Mass media is to blame: murder is an easy route to fame
69. Gun control: why not ban everything that poses a potential threat?
70. Criminals don’t obey gun control laws

⚡ Gun Violence Essay Titles

Firearm violence has developed into a significant human rights issue. It affects our right to life and health. Not only that, but it can also limit our access to education. Gun violence disrupts school processes and endangers student safety. An essay on this issue gives you many different directions to explore.

71. Firearm violence as a racial equity challenge. Studies have shown that some ethnicities are more likely to experience gun violence than others. African Americans, in particular, are affected by the issue. Your essay can investigate how firearm violence reflects and aggravates discrimination.
72. The relationship between mental health and mass shootings. Mental illness is the prime suspect as the root of gun violence. Researchers often consider it a determiner for mass shootings. For this topic, it’s vital to analyze literature regarding the correlation.
73. Preventing and responding to firearm-related deaths. Each year, thousands of US citizens die due to gun violence. As the rate of firearm death rises, the issue becomes exponentially troubling. Decreasing the gun-related mortality rate is a topic of high priority.
74. The socio-economic roots of firearm violence. Gun violence has pronounced socio-economic causes. Low income and life in a deprived neighborhood are among the most significant risk factors. Examining how certain circumstances prompt gun violence is instrumental in alleviating the issue.
75. Long-term psychological effects of gun violence. Survivors and witnesses of gun violence experience grave psychological consequences, including PTSD and depression. Your essay can present gun violence as an extremely traumatic event.
76. The contagion effect in mass shootings. The contagion effect describes the spread of behavior. You can use it to explain the epidemic of gun violence. The topic requires you to look into the phenomenon.
77. Intimate partner violence: the role of firearms. The severity of intimate partner violence is related to how accessible guns are to abusers. Many domestic homicides involve the use of weapons. This gun ownership essay prompts to explain how firearms contribute to the phenomenon.
78. Mass shootings and weapon availability. This topic prompts you to investigate the mass shootings aspect of gun violence. In particular, it’s concerned with the link between gun accessibility and mass murder. You could use quotes and statistics regarding gun laws to establish the connection.
79. Gun violence: A poignant human rights issue. Firearm violence causes psychological, social, and financial harm. Its victims suffer from long-term consequences in the form of mental disorders. It’s unwise to overestimate the issue’s global burden.
80. Gun violence against women and girls. Firearms violence negatively impacts the life quality of women. Women and girls frequently become victims of gun attacks. Here, you could discuss how deep-seated misogyny contributes to the problem.

81. The global burden of guns.
82. Firearms violence: A community health problem.
83. The reasons behind gun violence in the United States.
84. A gender profile of firearm violence.
85. School shootings: portrayal in media.
86. What are the economic consequences of firearm violence?
87. Preventing gun violence in vulnerable neighborhoods.
88. The role of toxic masculinity in gun violence.
89. Discuss the effect of firearm ownership regulations.
90. How can the government reduce firearm violence in low-income neighborhoods?
91. Psychological consequences of school shootings.
92. Supporting school shooting survivors.
93. What are the effects of gun ownership on violence?
94. The epidemiology of mass shootings.
95. Mass shootings from a sociological perspective.
96. Fighting against gun violence: social activism.
97. Gun violence: the primary cause of premature death.
98. What ethical problems occur regarding mass shootings?
99. How does the media promote gun violence?
100. The health implications of gun violence.

⚖️ Gun Laws Essay Topics to Explore

Gun laws are vital to ensure the safe handling and purchase of firearms. Regulations come from the federal as well the state level. It makes gun laws confusing for many. If you’d like to entangle the issue, this section is for you.

101. Major loopholes in gun laws. Federal and state laws are vulnerable to exploitation. It means they contain gaps endangering public safety. The “Charleston loophole” is the most notorious example. You can inspect it along with other deficiencies.
102. Gun laws: too strict or too weak? The harshness of gun laws is a debatable issue. Given the present gun violence epidemic, the answer might appear evident. Still, this topic encourages viewing the problem from multiple perspectives.
103. Prohibiting the possession of assault weapons. Assault weapons are another intriguing facet of America’s gun problem. Currently, there is no federal law prohibiting their ownership. Using such a weapon in a shooting increases mortality and traumatism.
104. The problem with private gun sales. Private firearms trade results in excessive gun accessibility. Private sellers are allowed to bypass crucial standards such as sales recordkeeping. The situation poses a threat to communal well-being.
105. Mental illness in the context of firearms control legislation. In the context of gun laws, mental illness is a prominent notion. The term and its usage in state and federal laws have nuances. You can interpret them in your essay.
106. Using deadly force to defend property. Firearms constitute a part of the “deadly force” notion. Regarding the defense of private property, its use is not always justifiable. This gun law essay proposes to reflect on the norms of firearm use.
107. Nuances and limitations of the stand-your-ground law. The stand-your-ground law is the subject of heated debate. It’s easy to misinterpret it. It most notably concerns the boundaries of gun use. Yet, knowing what is allowed is essential in self-defense.
108. The need for federal registration laws. Although there is no national gun registry, its introduction could be beneficial. It would allow law enforcement agencies to track firearms more efficiently. In your essay, you could research other advantages of federal registration as well.
109. Differences in gun laws at the state level. Besides federal laws, each state has its own firearms policies. Federal and state regulations tend to vary considerably. It could be interesting to analyze how gun use and possession regulations differ from state to state.
110. Buying guns without a background check: a dangerous loophole. Background checks are indispensable under federal law. Still, a loophole makes it possible to sell firearms to incompetent and dangerous individuals. Say what could be done to make background checks more efficient.
111. Are tougher gun laws a solution?
112. Politically polarizing firearm policies.
113. What are the public’s views of federal firearms laws?
114. Gun licenses and political affiliation.
115. Firearm registration and accessibility of guns to criminals.
116. Gun laws: State vs. Federal.
117. How are state gun laws and firearm mortality connected?
118. Gun laws from the constitutional point of view.
119. Understanding the duty to retreat in US legislation.
120. Gun-friendly state laws and criminality.

121. Open carry and concealed carry laws.
122. The extent of federal gun laws.
123. Concealed carry: not covered by the Second Amendment.
124. Should the US government enforce firearm registration?
125. Limiting concealed carry under the influence.
126. Weaker gun laws equal less public safety.
127. Gun control policies: Democrats vs. Republicans.
128. The benefits of a universal background check.
129. Analyze gun laws in the state of Missouri.
130. Restoring the federal assault weapons ban.

🔫 Gun Control Controversial Topics for a Research Paper

There are few topics more controversial than gun control. That’s why it’s the perfect base for a good debate. Controversies surrounding gun control include questions of race, gender, and ethics.

131. Gun ownership: gender, ethnicity, and class. The demographic portrait of a gun owner is a politically loaded subject. Despite the possible implications, it necessitates in-depth research. This topic suggests considering gun owners’ social class, gender, and ethnicity.
132. The racial element in American gun culture. Racism and gun control are more connected than might appear. A range of opinions exists. Evaluating their interconnection might yield compelling results. In your essay, investigate American gun culture through the prism of racial inequality.
133. Firearms ownership: do we need incentives or fees? Gun ownership has several advantages, such as a sense of security. Nevertheless, its less positive effects could eclipse them. Discussing whether gun ownership should be discouraged or encouraged could help you write an engaging paper.
134. The usage of firearms in self-defense. The efficacy and frequency of self-defense weapon use are essential for the gun control debate. Analyzing these factors could help establish the validity of the argument.
135. Gun ownership regulation: the Swiss example. In terms of firearm possession, Switzerland is a liberal country. It has lax laws regarding the acquisition and usage of guns. What can Switzerland teach the US about gun control?
136. The ethicality of firearm ownership. It is common to examine whether gun ownership is constitutional. Looking at its ethicality is a rarer approach. This controversial gun control essay topic helps to bridge the knowledge gap.
137. Constitutional contradictions regarding gun rights. The Constitution’s meaning is not as self-evident as it may appear. Whether gun rights are constitutional or unconstitutional is at the core of the debate.
138. Do gun rights promote vigilantism? Vigilante violence is a severe community challenge. A vengeful armed vigilante is a threat to their society. In your paper, investigate the role of gun rights in contributing to the problem.
139. Preventing criminals from accessing guns. How effective is gun control in stopping gun violence? Contradictory opinions denying or supporting its productiveness need scrutiny. For this paper, you can use statistics and facts to clarify the situation.
140. The ideology behind gun control and rights. The gun control debate has long gone beyond objective arguments. By now, the problem entails larger political implications. Gun ownership or its absence strongly correlates with political behavior.
141. Interpretations of the Second Amendment regarding gun control.
142. Does unrestricted gun ownership lead to more shootings?
143. The effectiveness of firearm restrictions.
144. Multiple origins of gun-related crime.
145. Are gun restrictions instrumental for public safety?
146. Gun control as a measure against crime and gun violence.
147. Firearm control rhetoric: an analysis.
148. Should the public use of guns remain legal?
149. Gun control: creating optimal policies.
150. Presidential elections and gun control rhetoric.
151. Limiting access to guns: is it useful or debilitating?
152. Evaluating gun control and its impact on crime.
153. The future of gun laws.
154. The political battle over gun control.
155. Gun policies and common sense.
156. How relevant is firearms control?
157. What effect does gun ownership have on domestic abuse?
158. The economics of gun control.
159. Gun control: Is it saving lives or narrowing freedoms?
160. Should you ever be able to buy a gun without a license or permit?

🔰 Pros and Cons of Gun Control

Gun control pros and cons have been discussed and thoroughly analyzed countless times. Both advocates and opponents have stuck to their positions, leaving the issue unresolved. Here are a few important pros and cons:

Points made in support of gun control (pros)

1. Gun control statistics reveal that although the United States accounts for only 5% of the world’s population, U.S. residents own 50% of guns in the world.
2. When gun deaths statistics for different countries were expressed as the number of gun deaths in a population of a million people, the United States was ranked below South Africa.

Points against gun control (cons)

1. The very idea of gun control goes against the US constitution that allows people the right to safeguard their lives. People need guns to defend themselves when being attacked by others. Additionally, firearms can provide a sense of comfort and security. It would be undemocratic to take away a person’s right to feel safe.
2. Since the Second Amendment upholds the right to gun ownership, it should not be restricted. It seems dangerous to start altering the constitution whenever we see fit. In doing so, we might create a precedent that others can use to promote more harmful agendas.

Whichever side you chose, now you already have a few persuasive arguments. Let’s move on to the actual writing part.

✍️ 5 Steps in Writing a Gun Control Essay

Writing an impressive essay on gun control can be a bit difficult without proper organization. No matter what type of paper you are going to work on, you’ll need some detailed planning and thorough research.

Follow these five steps to write a perfect gun control essay:

1. Define what gun control is. Whether you are writing an argumentative, persuasive, or any other type of paper, the first thing you need is context. Use the definitions that are most appropriate for your essay. For example, you might start with a dictionary definition. Then, add some general facts about types of firearms. Next, you might give statistics on gun control, such as ownership and reasons for it.
2. Write a gun control thesis statement. Besides context and definitions, any essay introduction requires a thesis. It’s the message you’re going to argue in the following paragraphs. So, work on it before writing the rest of the paper. Make sure your gun control thesis statement is concise and easy to understand. You can use an online thesis generator if that requirement is hard for you to achieve.
3. Provide arguments and evidence. In your essay’s body, present essential facts and issues on the topic. They should support your position expressed in the thesis statement.
   • One option is to use studies that have collected plentiful information over the years.
   • If you are writing a pro-gun control essay, you can use studies or statistics on how guns owned by private citizens have killed innocent people. You can also cite cases where students used their parents’ guns to commit violent crimes in school.
   • If you are arguing against gun control, cite studies proving that private gun ownership saves lives. You could also add research revealing the positive effects of gun ownership.
4. Organize your paper. Of course, the content and organization vary for each particular essay. The facts remain the same. It is the way that you arrange and present them that will create a concrete argument. That’s why you should make sure to draft an outline before you get started.
5. End with a strong conclusion. In there, you should summarize your essay and reiterate the most important points. Don’t forget to restate and develop your statement based on the facts you mentioned. If it’s not an argumentative essay, present your findings and suggestions about the issue.

How Do You Make a Good Title for an Essay?

To create a great title, you should express your point of view in a concise and eye-catching manner. A creative title grabs your readers’ interest. Try to make up an unusual keyword combination or paraphrase a metaphor or a set expression. Using two opposite ideas works well, too.

As you can see, writing an impressive gun control essay takes time and effort. It also requires deep research. If you’re finding this task too challenging, you can order an essay from our custom writing service. We provide 100% original papers at reasonable prices.

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🔗 References

1. Gun Control Latest Events
2. The Link Between Firearms, Crime and Gun Control
3. Gun Control Pros and Cons
4. Second Amendment: Right to Bear Arms
5. A Brief History of the National Rifle Association
6. Gun Control Essays at Bartleby
7. Argumentative Essays on Gun Control
8. Gun Control Issues, Public Health, and Safety
9. Universal Background Checks: Giffords
10. Gun Violence: Amnesty International
11. Facts on US Gun Ownership: Pew Research Center
12. Gun Control in the US: Encyclopedia Britannica
13. Gun Control: The Debate and Public Policy: Social Studies
14. Guns and Gun Control: The New York Times
15. Gun Control Topic Overview: Gale
16. US Gun Policy: Global Comparisons: Council of Foreign Relations
17. US Gun Debate: Four Dates that Explain How We Got Here: BBC News
18. Gun Control and Gun Rights: US News
19. Why Gun Control Is So Contentious in the US: Live Science