Gun Control & RKBA

jmg: Per the FBI background checks, the number of guns has been steadily climbing since at least 1999, while gun violence has been steadily decreasing since the 90s

National gunstock has been 'steadily increasing' since the early 1960's; I'd even wager since 1776 excepting wartimes perhaps.

National gunstock 1960's ~75 millions.
......" ....... mid 70's ...... 150 millions (guns & murder rate both doubled since 1960's)
.............. early 1990's .. 225 millions
............ now ~2015 ..... 300 millions

That's a 300% increase in 50 years, in national gunstock.
More importantly, author Tim Johnson isn't technically wrong, tho he's not technically right either:

What OP said: .. and gun violence tends to increase as the number of guns in the country goes up,...

............. pop... total crime... violcrime ... propcrime... murder
1960 ..179,323,175 ..1,887.2 ..160.9 .. 1,726.3 ..5.1
1962 ..185,771,000 ..2,019.8 ..162.3 ...1,857.5 ..4.6

2012..313,873,685..3,255.8..387.8...2,868.0...4.7
2014 ..318,857,056..2,971.8..375.7 ..2,596.1.. 4.5
http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscrime.htm

As you see above, violent crime rate circa 2015 is well over twice what it was in 1960's, and total crime rate circa 2015 is approx 50% higher than it was in the 60's, supporting Johnson's claim that gun violence TENDS to rise as gunstock goes up, as gunstock did from 75 millions to 300 millions (gun violence generally linearly related to violent crime).
But Johnson is wrong for the time period early 90's to present 2015. He is spot on for time period early 60's to early 90's, as violent crime increased 5 times to over 750.

You, jmg, are wrong when you wrote this, partially wrong, since what johnson said isn't 'totally' wrong:

How does ANYONE answer a question which is based on a premise that is totally false, and has been for 20+ years??

National gunstock increased by 200% from 1960's to early 1990's, while violent crime rate increased 400% and total crime tripled, increasing 200%, during same time period. Johnson was right.
Since early 1990's, as you noted, violent crime has indeed fallen by about 50% as well as total crime falling by about 50%, while national gunstock increased by 33%. Johnson wrong.
The greater the proportional increase in national gunstock, the greater has been the rise of violent crime & total crime rates.
With a lower proportional increase in national gunstock, a decrease in crime rates has occurred, but at a slower rate of decline, and with a concomitant decrease in gun ownership rates. (demonstrated next post)