{"id":45984,"date":"2023-08-16T13:56:04","date_gmt":"2023-08-16T18:56:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2023\/08\/16\/for-most-u-s-gun-owners-protection-is-the-main-reason-they-own-a-gun\/"},"modified":"2025-04-24T00:00:04","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T04:00:04","slug":"for-most-u-s-gun-owners-protection-is-the-main-reason-they-own-a-gun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2023\/08\/16\/for-most-u-s-gun-owners-protection-is-the-main-reason-they-own-a-gun\/","title":{"rendered":"For Most U.S. Gun Owners, Protection Is the Main Reason They Own a Gun"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-prc-block-subtitle\" aria-level=\"2\">Nearly half of U.S. adults who do not currently own a gun say they could see themselves owning one in the future<\/h2>\n\n<div style=\"border-width:1px;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);--block-gap: inherit\" class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible has-background has-ui-beige-very-light-background-color has-border-color has-ui-beige-dark-border-color\" id=\"how-we-did-this\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/collapsible&quot;}\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;collapsibleId&quot;:&quot;how-we-did-this&quot;,&quot;isOpen&quot;:false}\" data-wp-class--is-open=\"context.isOpen\" data-wp-init--scroll-into-view=\"callbacks.onInitScrollIntoView\"><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__title\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.onClick\"><div>How we did this<\/div><button class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__icon\"><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"context.isOpen\"><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-plus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-plus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!context.isOpen\" hidden><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-minus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-minus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__content\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pew Research Center conducted this study to better understand Americans\u2019 views of gun ownership. For this analysis, we surveyed 5,115 adults from June 5-11, 2023. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center\u2019s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/our-methods\/u-s-surveys\/the-american-trends-panel\/\">Read more about the ATP\u2019s methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are the <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-culture_TOPLINE.pdf\">questions used for the report<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2023\/08\/16\/gun-owners-methodology\/\">its methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-57986\" href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2023\/08\/16\/for-most-u-s-gun-owners-protection-is-the-main-reason-they-own-a-gun\/pp_2023-08-16_gun-owners_00-01-png\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"efe9d8\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #efe9d8;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-01.png?resize=480,416 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-01.png?resize=782,678 782w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-01.png?resize=840,728 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"364\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-01.png?w=420\" alt=\"Chart shows nearly three-quarters of U.S. gun owners cite protection as a major reason they own a gun\" class=\"wp-image-57986 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gun owners in the United States continue to cite protection far more than other factors, including hunting and sport shooting, as a major reason they own a gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And while a sizable majority of gun owners (71%) say they <em>enjoy<\/em> having a gun, an even larger share (81%) say they <em>feel safer<\/em> owning a gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Pew Research Center survey, conducted June 5-11 among 5,115 members of the Center\u2019s nationally representative American Trends Panel, finds:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>72% of U.S. gun owners say protection is a major reason they own a gun.<\/strong> That far surpasses the shares of gun owners who cite other reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This view has changed only modestly since the Center\u2019s major survey of <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/social-trends\/2017\/06\/22\/americas-complex-relationship-with-guns\/\">attitudes toward gun ownership and gun policies<\/a> in 2017. At that time, 67% of gun owners cited protection as a major reason they owned a firearm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The demographics of gun ownership have changed little in recent years.<\/strong> Gun ownership is far more common among residents of rural areas (47%) than among people living in suburbs (30%) or urban areas (20%). Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (45%) are far more likely than Democrats and Democratic leaners (20%) to report owning a gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-57991\" href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2023\/08\/16\/for-most-u-s-gun-owners-protection-is-the-main-reason-they-own-a-gun\/pp_2023-08-16_gun-owners_00-02-png\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"f0ead9\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #f0ead9;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-02.png?resize=480,325 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-02.png?resize=782,529 782w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-02.png?resize=840,568 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"284\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-02.png?w=420\" alt=\"Chart shows most gun owners say they feel safer owning a gun\" class=\"wp-image-57991 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Few gun owners worry about having a gun in their home. <\/strong>Just 12% of gun owners say they worry about having guns in their home; 88% say they do not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sizable majorities say owning a gun makes them feel safer and gives them a feeling of enjoyment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How non-gun owners feel about possibly owning a gun. <\/strong>About half of Americans who don\u2019t own a gun say they could never see themselves owning one (52%) while nearly as many could imagine themselves as gun owners in the future (47%). These views are little changed from 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-57994\" href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2023\/08\/16\/for-most-u-s-gun-owners-protection-is-the-main-reason-they-own-a-gun\/pp_2023-08-16_gun-owners_00-03-png\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"f3f0e7\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #f3f0e7;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-03.png?resize=480,536 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-03.png?resize=782,873 782w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-03.png?resize=840,938 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"469\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-03.png?w=420\" alt=\"Chart shows Non-gun owners are divided on whether they could see themselves owning a gun in the future\" class=\"wp-image-57994 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Men who do not own a gun are far more likely than women non-owners to say they could see themselves owning a gun in the future (56% vs. 40%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While a larger share of Republicans than Democrats say they own a gun, Republican non-owners also are more likely than Democratic non-owners to say they would consider owning a gun in the future (61% vs. 40%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A narrow majority of Black non-owners (56%) say they could see themselves owning a gun in the future, compared with smaller shares of White (48%), Hispanic (40%) and Asian non-owners (38%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 data-is-section=\"true\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;americans-views-on-whether-it-is-too-easy-to-legally-obtain-a-gun&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/table-of-contents&quot;}\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"americans-views-on-whether-it-is-too-easy-to-legally-obtain-a-gun\">Americans\u2019 views on whether it is too easy to legally obtain a gun<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-57999\" href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2023\/08\/16\/for-most-u-s-gun-owners-protection-is-the-main-reason-they-own-a-gun\/pp_2023-08-16_gun-owners_00-04-png\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"ede8d9\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #ede8d9;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-04.png?resize=480,527 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-04.png?resize=782,858 782w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-04.png?resize=840,922 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"461\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-04.png?w=420\" alt=\"Chart shows about 6 in 10 Americans say it is too easy to legally obtain a gun in this country\" class=\"wp-image-57999 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A majority of Americans (61%) say it is too easy to legally obtain a gun in this country, while 30% say the ease of legally obtaining a gun is about right; 9% say it is too hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2023\/06\/28\/gun-violence-widely-viewed-as-a-major-and-growing-national-problem\/\">A Center report released in June<\/a> found that 58% say gun laws should be stricter than they are today; 26% think they are about right, while 15% favor less strict gun laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are demographic and partisan differences in opinions about whether it is too easy to legally obtain a gun:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"community-type\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Community type<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Majorities of U.S. adults living in urban (72%) and suburban (63%) communities say it is too easy to legally obtain a gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opinion among rural residents is more divided: 47% say it is too easy, 41% say it is about right and 11% say it is too hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"gun-owners-and-non-owners\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gun owners and non-owners<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Non-owners are nearly twice as likely as gun owners to say it is too easy to legally obtain a gun (73% vs. 38%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"republicans-and-democrats\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Republicans and Democrats<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The partisan divide in opinions about the ease of legally obtaining guns in the U.S. is wider than the difference in views between gun owners and non-owners. An overwhelming share of Democrats (86%) say it is too easy to obtain a gun legally. About a third of Republicans (34%) say the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 data-is-section=\"true\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;gun-ownership-in-the-united-states&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/table-of-contents&quot;}\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"gun-ownership-in-the-united-states\">Gun ownership in the United States<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-310-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58008\" href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2023\/08\/16\/for-most-u-s-gun-owners-protection-is-the-main-reason-they-own-a-gun\/pp_2023-08-16_gun-owners_00-05-png\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"ece9e0\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #ece9e0;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-05.png?resize=480,1229 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-05.png?resize=620,1588 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"794\" width=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-05.png?w=310\" alt=\"Chart shows nearly a third of U.S. adults say they personally own a gun\" class=\"wp-image-58008 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The shares of adults who say they personally own a gun \u2013 or that someone else in their household owns a gun \u2013 has changed little in recent years. Roughly a third (32%) say they own a gun; another 10% say that while they do not personally own a gun, someone else in their household does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"gender-and-race\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gender and race<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Four-in-ten men say they own a gun, compared with a quarter of women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And White adults are far more likely than Black, Hispanic or Asian adults to say they personally own a gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"community-type\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Community type<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reported gun ownership is much higher among adults living in rural areas (47%) than suburban (30%) or urban residents (20%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"republicans-and-democrats\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Republicans and Democrats<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republicans, particularly conservative Republicans, are far more likely than Democrats to say they own a gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">About half of conservative Republicans (51%) say they own a gun. That compares with 38% of moderate and liberal Republicans, 24% of conservative and moderate Democrats, and 16% of liberal Democrats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 data-is-section=\"true\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;feelings-about-gun-ownership&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/table-of-contents&quot;}\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"feelings-about-gun-ownership\">Feelings about gun ownership<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-310-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58011\" href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2023\/08\/16\/for-most-u-s-gun-owners-protection-is-the-main-reason-they-own-a-gun\/pp_2023-08-16_gun-owners_00-06-png\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"efefee\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #efefee;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-06.png?resize=480,502 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-06.png?resize=620,648 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"324\" width=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-06.png?w=310\" alt=\"Chart shows differences in feelings about guns between gun owners and non-owners in gun households\" class=\"wp-image-58011 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gun owners express overwhelmingly positive sentiments about owning a gun, with sizable majorities saying it makes them feel safer and that they enjoy having a gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, people who do not own guns but live in households in which there is a gun present are far less likely to voice positive sentiments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While 81% of gun owners say owning a gun makes them feel safer, a smaller majority of non-owners in gun households (57%) say the same about the presence of a gun in the home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-310-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-58013\" href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2023\/08\/16\/for-most-u-s-gun-owners-protection-is-the-main-reason-they-own-a-gun\/pp_2023-08-16_gun-owners_00-07-png\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"efeeef\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #efeeef;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-07.png?resize=480,533 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-07.png?resize=620,688 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"344\" width=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/08\/PP_2023.08.16_gun-owners_00-07.png?w=310\" alt=\"Chart shows Democratic gun owners less likely than Republican owners to say guns make them feel safer, give them enjoyment\" class=\"wp-image-58013 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">About three-in-ten non-owners in gun households (31%) enjoy having a gun in the house; that compares with 71% of gun owners who say they enjoy owning a gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And a larger share of non-owners (27%) than owners (12%) worry about having a gun in the home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There also are partisan differences among gun owners in their opinions about owning a gun. Republican gun owners are more likely than Democratic gun owners to say owning a gun gives them feelings of safety and enjoyment, while Democratic gun owners are more likely to say they worry about having a gun in the home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-style-callout has-beige-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"measuring-gun-ownership\">Measuring gun ownership<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measuring gun ownership in the United States comes with a unique set of challenges. Unlike many demographic measures, there is not a definitive data source from the government or elsewhere on how many American adults own guns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This survey, conducted June 5-11, 2023 on Pew Research Center\u2019s American Trends Panel, asks about gun ownership using two separate questions to measure personal and household ownership. About a third of adults (32%) say they own a gun, while another 10% say they do not personally own a gun but someone else in their household does. These shares are little changed from surveys conducted in <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2021\/08\/04\/wide-differences-on-most-gun-policies-between-gun-owners-and-non-owners-but-also-some-agreement\/\">2021<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/social-trends\/2017\/06\/22\/the-demographics-of-gun-ownership\/\">2017<\/a>. In each of those surveys, 30% reported they owned a gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These numbers are largely consistent with rates of gun ownership reported by <a href=\"https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/405260\/diminished-majority-supports-stricter-gun-laws.aspx\">Gallup<\/a>, but somewhat higher than those reported by the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/gssdataexplorer.norc.org\/trends?category=Civil%20Liberties&amp;measure=owngun\">General Social Survey<\/a>. Those surveys also find only modest changes in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The FBI maintains data on background checks on individuals attempting to purchase firearms in the United States. The FBI reported a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2021\/05\/30\/gun-sales-spike-across-the-united-states-as-country-reemerges-from-pandemic\">surge in background checks<\/a> in 2020 and 2021, during the coronavirus pandemic. The number of federal background checks declined in 2022 and through the first half of this year, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fbi.gov\/file-repository\/nics_firearm_checks_-_month_year.pdf\/view\">according to FBI statistics<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gun owners in the United States continue to cite protection far more than other factors, including hunting and sport shooting, as a major reason they own a gun. About half of Americans who don\u2019t own a gun say they could never see themselves owning one (52%) while nearly as many could imagine themselves as gun owners in the future (47%).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":581,"featured_media":58017,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sub_headline":"Nearly half of U.S. adults who do not currently own a gun say they could see themselves owning one in the future","sub_title":"Nearly half of U.S. adults who do not currently own a gun say they could see themselves owning one in the 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