Nearly three-quarters of U.S. gun owners cite protection as a major reason they own a gun

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September 13, 2023

Key facts about Americans and guns

Nearly three-quarters of U.S. gun owners cite protection as a major reason they own a gun

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Nearly three-quarters of U.S. gun owners cite protection as a major reason they own a gun

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Key facts about Americans and guns
Nearly a third of U.S. adults say they personally own a gun
Differences in feelings about guns between gun owners and non-owners in gun households
Non-gun owners are divided on whether they could see themselves owning a gun in the future
Stark differences in views on whether gun ownership does more to increase or decrease safety in the U.S.
Growing share of Americans say gun violence is a ‘very big national problem
About 6 in 10 Americans say it is too easy to legally obtain a gun in this country
Women are more likely than men to favor stricter gun laws in the U.S.
19% of K-12 parents are extremely worried about a shooting happening at their children’s school
Bipartisan support for preventing people with mental illnesses from purchasing guns, but wide differences on other policies
Within each party, gun owners are more likely than non-owners to favor expanded access to guns

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ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.

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