What is the Most Common Weapon Used in Murders?
When people imagine murder weapons, pop culture usually jumps straight to the dramatic: poisons, tripwires, or guns with silencers that never seem to run out of ammo. But in real life, the story is often a lot simpler, and perhaps closer to home.
The most common weapon used in murders? A gun. More specifically, a handgun.
According to U.S. crime data reported by the FBI, firearms are involved in roughly 70% of all homicides. Handguns are the most frequently used, while rifles and shotguns trail far behind. Knives come in second. After that, you’ll find blunt objects like bats or hammers, then strangulation, and finally what’s often called “personal weapons,” meaning hands, fists, and feet.
In countries with stricter gun laws, the stats shift. Knives often take the lead as the weapon of choice, showing just how much local culture and accessibility shape the tools of violence.
Why Are Firearms So Common in Real Murders?
There’s no single answer, but a few factors rise to the surface:
Availability: In high-gun-ownership countries, weapons are often already in the home.
Ease of use: Guns require little physical strength or close contact.
Emotional impulse: In the heat of an argument, a nearby firearm can quickly escalate things.
Familiarity in criminal circles: Guns are often part of daily life for those involved in gangs or organized crime.
This paints a different picture than what we see in horror films, where murder is usually more about buildup than efficiency.
Writing Murder Weapons in Horror Fiction
While guns might be statistically accurate, they rarely offer the tension horror writers are looking for. Horror thrives on fear that builds, not fear that ends in a single shot.
The corn cob stab from Sleepwalkers (1992)
That’s why you’ll often find killers using:
Knives and scalpels
Axes and cleavers
Ropes, wires, and cords
Everyday objects like scissors, irons, or even a corn cob.
These weapons are quiet, up close, and deeply personal. A character with a knife moves slowly. A killer with a hammer has to swing more than once. That repetition creates space for dread.
If you're writing realistic horror or leaning into psychological horror, you might still use a firearm, but think about how to subvert expectations. Maybe the killer misses. Maybe the gun jams. Maybe it’s there, but no one wants to be the first to pull the trigger.
And if your story borrows from true crime or takes place in a world that mirrors ours, understanding how murder really happens can help ground your fiction in something readers recognize, even if it makes them squirm.
