I wish this list came with pop density and Real GDP (GDP @ PPP). Could explain some of the paradoxes like WA/MO/WY/AK. Though I suspect pop density would not help unless adjusting for metro densities
Unfortunately, because of the complexity of modifying the Constitution, little can be done at the State or Federal levels to address weapons ownership in the US. Personally I understand why people own weapons in rural parts of the country, like the states you point to. Be it for hunting or safety, they have an understandable purpose, particularly if the closest police department is many miles away. I can also understand the pleasure of shooting weapons and having the right to do so in regulated ranges. As far as I'm concerned, there's no justification for owning a weapon in densely or semi densely populated areas. There should sone sort of formula tying police response time to emergencies with weapon ownership. For example, if average response time to an emergency is over 15 mn, homeowners would have the right to own a single weapon after full vetting and training on proper use and safety handling. The alternative would be to either increase the station's police force or open a new police station closer to underserved areas. At the end of the day, people use weapons to commit crimes or attempt to protect themselves in situations where no police is present.
You don't even have to be that restrictive in urban environments. A shotgun or revolver are perfectly fine for close quarters self defense and don't have the multi-kill capability of semis. It'd nip mass shootings and home invasions, though can't speak much to street fatalities unless caliber restrictions are applied.
Look at that. The amount of guns in a state correlates with the amount of gun fatalities in a state. But I was told right here on this forum that spoons don’t make people fat so it can’t be guns causing gun fatalities. Interesting.
Generally tho not the cleanest fit. Gun rich Northeast, some Midwest, and Northwest did comparatively alright but I suspect because they're also cash rich.
Anytime you have a large dataset there will be outliers but being within 80% or 2 standard deviations works. And lower poverty rates tend to reduce all crime.