New poll finds gun owners greatly underestimate fellow gun owners’ support for gun safety policies

LOS ANGELES, CA (November 16, 2021) – A new Beacon Research poll of more than 1,000 gun owners across the country reveals deep concern about gun violence and overwhelming support for key gun safety policies, even among Republicans and NRA members. But the poll also highlights a critical disconnect in how gun owners perceive their fellow gun owners’ support for these policies.

While other polls have included gun owners among their sample group, the Beacon poll is one of the only polls to exclusively survey gun owners -- a meaningful distinction, as the data suggests gun owners view gun violence as a bigger problem than non-gun owners. For example, Pew Research’s Gun Owners in America survey from September 2020 found that 48% of Americans see gun violence as a very big problem, whereas the Beacon poll found that 70% of American gun owners see gun violence as an extremely or very serious problem.

Bipartisan polling firm Beacon Research conducted the poll online between September 23-30, 2021 with a sample comprising adults ages 18 and above who report owning at least one firearm. The poll was commissioned by 97Percent: a new gun safety organization whose mission is to reduce gun deaths in America by changing the conversation around gun safety to include gun owners, by conducting and sharing research that challenges conventional thinking, and by leveraging technology. 

“The impetus for the poll was to examine the priorities and concerns of gun owners as they relate to gun safety,” explained 97Percent Executive Director Mathew Littman. “There is very limited data focused exclusively on gun owners. We believe the gun safety movement needs to continue to evolve and be much more inclusive of gun owners.”

Respondents voiced support for five gun safety measures tested: prohibiting gun possession by those convicted of domestic violence (86% support); requiring background checks on all guns sold in the U.S. (86%); requiring gun owners to safely store their guns in a gun safe or equip them with a trigger lock (76%); requiring all guns sold in the U.S. to have a distinct marking that would make it easier for law enforcement to trace weapons used to commit crimes (75%); and passing a “red flag” law to allow for the temporary removal of firearms from dangerous individuals (67%). Even among Republican gun owners and NRA members, there was majority support for each of these measures. For example, 84% of Republicans and 80% of NRA members said they support background checks. 

A striking misconception the poll revealed is in how gun owners perceive their fellow gun owners’ support for these policies. While 86% of respondents said they support background checks, only 64% think other gun owners support them. Most notably, 67% expressed support for red flag laws, but just 26% think other gun owners support them.

“I see huge potential here,” said Former Republican Strategist and 97Percent Advisory Board Member Mark McKinnon when discussing the Beacon data in the latest episode of TAG (Talking About Guns): a new video series 97Percent launched to demystify a typically loaded and polarizing topic. “Gun owners being against things like background checks is a narrative pushed by the most well-funded lobby in our history. But the diminishment of the NRA offers an opportunity,” said McKinnon.

While the poll is in many ways promising for reform, it also reveals reservations among gun owners around efficacy and infringement on Second Amendment rights. For example, 60% of gun owners see red flag laws as a smart way to ensure dangerous people don’t get guns, but they worry about loopholes (53%) and that the laws could “be abused by people trying to take others’ guns away without a real cause” (63%).

“The polling affirmed there is significant agreement on the need for better gun laws, but there’s still a palpable level of distrust for policies -- something gun safety organizations need to take into account,” said Staci Miller, co-founder of 97Percent. 

“We will share this data far and wide -- with our community online and offline, with researchers, with advocates, and with members of Congress and the White House -- because we cannot change the conversation and propel the movement forward if we do not have a better understanding of gun owners,” said Miller. “This research will also inform a broader based study of gun owners backed by a major academic research institution we are currently developing.” 

Please find the Beacon Research Polling Memo attached, as well as a slide deck reviewing the results of each survey question -- including cross-tab breakdowns of new gun owners vs. longtime gun owners, women vs. men gun owners, and people of color vs. white gun owners. And to hear Mark McKinnon’s full commentary on the Beacon Polling, click HERE. 

For media inquiries, please contact:

Stephanie Genuardi Cunnane
stephgenuardi@gmail.com
215-896-8193

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About 97Percent

Named for the 97% of Americans who support universal background checks, 97Percent is a bipartisan group of Americans that supports gun safety and responsible gun ownership. 97percent’s mission is to reduce gun deaths in America through research, education, and on-going dialogue. We are committed to finding solutions to make all communities safer. Learn more at: 97percent.us.