In a survey by the National Shooting Sports Foundation on Monday, over half of those surveyed believed that primary reason for owning a gun is self-defense.
The survey, which polled likely voters in 18 key battleground states, found the number one reason for firearm ownership is for protection. In a key secondary finding, nearly 60 percent of those polled were opposed to arbitrary gun bans and 57 percent said that a ban on semi-automatic sporting rifles such as AR-15s would have little to no effect on gun violence.
Only 37 percent of respondents said it would reduce crime. The NSSF estimates there over 18 million such guns currently in the US.
“The results tell us Americans want their right to purchase the firearm of their choice, especially when it comes to their personal safety,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “These results also tell us that enforcing existing laws is a better use of public resources than efforts to restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens. Those likely voters are telling us they want to be able to purchase what they believe will meet their needs without onerous government interference.”
Over 50 percent also said citizens should be allowed to choose the type and amount of ammunition they want to use. This is significant given recent attempts in many left-leaning states to limit citizens’ abilities to buy bulk ammo to stock up for home and personal protection.
Perhaps the most significant poll finding is that 94 percent of those survey intend to vote in the 2020 presidential election. One flaw in a many polls is that often those surveyed may be eligible voters but do not plan to actually cast a ballot in November. If this poll is accurate, however, gun rights will be a hotly contested issue in the fall in these 18 states, giving a slight edge to President Trump among voters for whom guns right are a significant issue. ~ David
David Workman
David is an avid gun guy and a contributing writer to several major gun publications. In addition to being an NRA Certified Pistol Instructor and RSO, David trains new shooters on basic handgun skills and CCW requirements and is a strong advocate for training as much as you possibly can. "Real life shootouts don't happen at a box range."
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