Research

At 97Percent, we talk to fellow gun owners to understand their priorities and concerns, and we use their feedback to inform everything we do. In fact, it was our original research conducted during the summer of 2019 that led us to launch our organization. 

We identify areas of common ground between gun owners and non-gun owners in order to develop workable strategies to reduce the more than 47,000 gun-related deaths per year in the U.S. And there is plenty of common ground.

What else stands out? Gun owners feel left out of the conversation around gun violence and are even more supportive of solutions than conventional wisdom would have us believe. That’s why we formed 97Percent.

Think you know everything about gun owners?

40%

of first time gun-owners in 2020 were women

86%

of gun owners support keeping guns out of the hands of violent criminals

 36%

of Americans over 65 personally own a firearm, the highest of any group

 90%

of gun owners do not view guns as part of their overall identity

Our most recent research, conducted with Citizen Data in late 2024, was wide-ranging, national survey of 5,100 American gun owners who are also registered voters. It provided critical insights into gun owners’ policy preferences, concerns, and trusted messengers.

KEY FINDINGS

  • Widespread Policy Support: Nearly 85% of gun owners support universal background checks and policies disqualifying violent offenders from owning guns.

  • Top Concerns: Mass shootings are the top gun violence-related concern across party affiliation. Gen Z, Millennials, Hispanics, and Latinos are especially concerned about suicide. Black gun owners and those with children under 18 are particularly concerned about gun safety issues across the board. 

  • ERPOs and Gun Permits: Approximately 72% of respondents support Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), commonly known as red flag laws, which allow for the temporary removal of firearms from individuals deemed dangerous. Slightly less popular, but still earning majority support with 62%, is requiring state-level permits to purchase and possess a gun.

  • ERPO Support Nationwide: In every state, over 50% of gun-owning voters support ERPO policies, highlighting a strong and diverse coalition backing these laws.

  • Bipartisan Backing: Contrary to conventional assumptions, red and swing states—including North Carolina and West Virginia—show robust ERPO support. Even in states with numerous Second Amendment Sanctuary counties, such as Colorado and Michigan, notable backing for ERPOs persists.

  • Support Beyond Urban Areas: While metropolitan regions generally favor ERPOs, the study finds acceptance in suburban and rural communities as well.

The survey data highlights opportunities for lawmakers to build bipartisan consensus on policies like universal background checks, disqualification of violent offenders, state-level permitting systems, and even ERPOs. While the gun-owning community still skews male, White, and older, increasingly women, people of color, and parents of young children are becoming gun owners, and they are especially receptive to reasonable gun safety laws.