The Ameriguns

The Ameriguns – Of all the firearms in the world held by individuals for non-military purposes, half are in the United States of America. In number, they exceed the population of the country: 393 million for 328 million inhabitants. This is not a coincidence, nor is it a question of the market alone: it is rather a question of tradition and constitutional guarantee. This is the story of the Second Amendment, ratified in 1791 to reassure the inhabitants of the newly independent territories that their federal government would not one day abuse its authority over them. Two hundred and fifty years later, the Second Amendment is still embedded in every aspect of American life, and this book defines its current status through what are considered four core American values: family, freedom, passion, style.

Photographer Gabriele Galimberti traveled to every corner of the United States, from New York to Honolulu, to meet proud gun owners and see their firearm collections. He photographed people and guns in their homes and neighborhoods, including places where no one would expect to find such collections. These often disturbing portraits, along with the accompanying stories of owners and their firearms that are based on interviews, provide an unusual and unexpected glimpse into what the institution of the Second Amendment really represents today.