{"id":195819,"date":"2024-12-20T09:29:10","date_gmt":"2024-12-20T14:29:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?post_type=fact-sheet&p=195819"},"modified":"2025-04-23T23:50:01","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T03:50:01","slug":"topic-gun-ownership-and-regulation","status":"publish","type":"fact-sheet","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/fact-sheet\/topic-gun-ownership-and-regulation\/","title":{"rendered":"Topic: Gun ownership and regulation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A customer shops for a handgun at a gun store in Florida. (Joe Raedle\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
Legislative Semester Topic Briefs<\/a><\/div>
Affirmative Action in College Admissions<\/a>Freedom of the Press<\/a>Government Aid to Immigrants in the U.S. Illegally<\/a>Gun Ownership and Regulation<\/a>Legalizing Marijuana<\/a>Prayer in Schools<\/a>Why Public Opinion Matters and How To Measure It<\/a><\/div><\/i> Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n

Background<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The right to bear arms is guaranteed in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. But the government plays an important role in regulating the sale and use of guns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The public is closely divided over whether it\u2019s more important to protect the rights of Americans to own guns<\/em> or to control gun ownership<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, a majority of Americans (58%) say gun laws in the United States should be more strict. Only 15% say they should be less strict, and 26% say the current laws are about right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public opinion polling says \u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Pew Research Center conducted a survey of U.S. adults in June 2023. It included a number of questions about gun ownership and gun regulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Americans were asked whether they would favor or oppose increasing the minimum age for buying a gun to 21, here\u2019s what they said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n