Myth: Gun owners are a tiny minority

Fact: The Federal government once estimated that there were well over 65 million gun owners in the U.S. and more than 50% were handgun owners. ¹ This number is generally considered low due to the reluctance of many to admit to a government agency that they own a gun.  Other estimates indicate that between 41% and 49% of U.S. households are gun-owning households.

Fact: 42% of Americans claim that they own a gun. ²

Myth: People do not believe that the Second Amendment is an individual right

Fact: A Gallup survey confirms that 73% of Americans believe the 2^nd Amendment “guarantees” the right to keep guns, and that a mere 20% believe it exists to enable state militias. ³

Fact: Surveys show that “52% say it is more important to protect the right of Americans to own guns, while 46% say it is more important to control gun ownership.” ⁴ The split was 29% to 66% in 1999, showing that approval of Second Amendment protections is growing.

Fact: A Zogby poll ⁵ conducted after the big gun control initiatives of the year 2000 concluded that 75% of Americans believe the right to keep and bear arms is an individual right. In the same year ABC determined the rate to be 77%. ⁶

Myth: Most Americans favor gun control

Cause of Gun Violence	%
The way parents raise their children	45%
Popular culture	26%
Availability of guns	21%
Other	6%
No opinion	2%

Fact: A CNN/ORC poll has 52% opposing more gun control, and a mere 46% who support it. ⁷ This agrees with a 2006 Rasmussen survey that found 52% of Americans did not believe more gun control is needed. ⁸

Fact: A 2014 Gallup Poll showed that fewer than half of Americans favored stricter gun control, which extended a long-term trend. Barely more than a quarter favor banning handguns (rendered a moot point by the 2008 Heller Supreme Court decision). ⁹

Fact: Americans believe that parents and popular culture are more responsible for violence in America than firearms.

	Yes	No
Should the U.S. have stricter gun control laws?	6.73%	92.25%
Do you believe that allowing people to carry concealed weapons reduce crime?	92.22%	7.76%
Do you believe that U.S. cities should sue gun manufacturers to recoup money spent dealing with gun-related crime?	1.96%	98.01%
How would you rate the effectiveness of the Brady Bill and the “assault weapons” ban in preventing the illegal use and distribution of guns?	0.52%	Very effective
	3.79%	Somewhat effective
	6.19%	Somewhat ineffective
	87.27%	Not at all effective
	2.23%	Don’t know
Time Magazine, survey of 33,202 adult Americans,1998

Fact: A 1999 survey by the Associated Press showed:

• A plurality (49%) felt enforcing existing laws was the key to reducing violent crime.
• 52% felt that background checks did not help reduce the number of crimes committed with guns.

Fact: A 2000 Zogby telephone survey of 1,201 adults concluded that, by almost a two-to-one margin, Americans prefer enforcement of existing laws instead of new and tougher gun legislation to fight crime. The same poll found that 68% of the public disagrees with cities suing gun makers for the criminal misuse of guns.

Fact: A December 2000 Zogby poll of 1,028 American adults showed that they felt enforcing current laws was the “best way to solve gun violence in America.”

Fact: A January 2001 Zogby, American Values poll found that 66% of voters felt that the U.S. should spend more money enforcing current laws including mandatory jail time for those who commit a crime with a handgun, while only 26% felt there should be more gun control laws including mandatory gun locks.

How can gun violence be effectively prevented? الفائز بكاس العرب 2024	People	Percent
Stricter gun control laws	10,841	17.8%
Proper enforcement of current gun control laws	13,587	22.4%
Ban on handguns	8,008	13.2%
Stricter punishment for crimes involving guns	21,596	35.6%
Other	5,094	8.4%
Not sure	1,613	2.7%
AOL.com poll, March 2000

Fact: Only 39% believe stricter gun control is needed, down from 43% in an earlier poll. ¹⁰

Fact: An Associated Press poll in April 2000 showed 42% thought stricter enforcement was more likely to cut gun violence.  Only 33% said enacting tougher gun laws was better.

Fact: A survey in April 2000 by ABC News/Washington Post asked whether “passing stricter gun control laws” or “stricter enforcement of existing laws” is the best way to curb gun violence. Enforcement was preferred by 53% to 33%.

Fact: 58% percent of Americans believe better enforcement of existing laws “is a better way to reduce handgun violence” than new gun control laws. ¹¹

Myth: More and more Americans support stricter gun control

Best Way To Reduce Gun Violence
Enforce existing laws	52%
Banning handguns	15%
Teach children self-control	15%
Additional congressional legislation	2%
Other	8%
Don’t know	2%
Zogby, December 2000

Fact: The Gallup Poll has been asking Americans this question since 1990 and in the 16 years thereafter, the number supporting stricter gun control has fallen from 78% to 46% and had been as low as 26% before the Sandy Hook Massacre. ¹²

Fact: Twice as many Americans currently reject the idea of a handgun ban, though a majority favored such a ban in 1959. ¹³

Myth: People want to ban handguns

Fact: Only 28% of Americans believe handguns should be banned from private ownership and this rate is down from 60% when polling began in the 1950’s. ¹⁴

Fact: Even a New York Times poll showed that citizens don’t want to ban so-called “assault weapons” by a 50/44 margin ¹⁵ though an ABC/Washington Post poll has the split at 53/45. ¹⁶ This is down from an 18/80 split in 1994.

Myth: People think gun control stops crime

Fact: Fifty-one percent of Americans think more gun control is more likely to make it harder for law-abiding citizens to purchase a gun rather than keep guns out of the hands of criminals, people with mental illness and suspected terrorists. Only 38% disagree. ¹⁷

Myth: People oppose concealed carry

Fact: 56% say more concealed weapons would make country safer. ¹⁸

Fact: Ignoring for a moment that 42 states have enacted “shall issue” concealed carry laws (and two more never bothered to outlaw concealed carry), 2009 survey showed 83% support concealed carry laws as they are commonly enacted. ¹⁹

Myth: Most people think guns in the home are dangerous

Fact: 57% of Americans believe guns “protect people from becoming victims of crimes” while only 38% believe that guns “put people’s safety at risk.” ²⁰

Fact: Gallup poll concludes that 63% of Americans believe having a firearm in the home makes it safer. ²¹

Fact: Sixty-eight percent of Americans would feel safer living in a neighborhood where they can own a gun rather than one where no one could have a gun for their own protection. ²²

Myth: People want local government to ban guns

Fact: Only 20% of people believe local gun control is permissible – 69% disagree. ²³