97Percent Releases Survey Reveals Consensus, Rather Than Division, on Gun Safety
New National Survey Finds Broad Common Ground But Also a “Sincerity Gap” That Complicates Policymaking
LOS ANGELES (Jan. 29, 2026): In a time of historic polarization, when nearly every national issue feels destined to fracture along partisan lines, 97Percent has released the results of a new survey that delivers genuinely hopeful news on gun policy, one of America’s most emotionally charged topics.
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Consensus in the Crossfire of Conflict: Where Gun Owners Stand on Safety, Rights, and Responsibility shows that gun owners, a constituency often portrayed as immovable, are more pragmatic and safety-minded than the nation’s political discourse suggests.
Conducted in October 2025 by research firm More in Common, the survey of more than 3,100 gun owners who are registered voters indicates that they are deeply concerned about gun violence, broadly supportive of core safety measures, and open to compromise.
But messengers matter. There is significant distrust of policymakers, complicating the terrain for compromise. Additionally, the information environment has left some gun owners unaware of dramatic shifts in federal gun policies over the past year—and those who are aware of them aren’t necessarily sold on them.
Key findings include:
Gun violence is a shared concern. Three in four gun owners (75%) describe gun violence as an “emergency” or “major problem,” including strong majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. Among Gen Z gun owners, that figure rises above 80%.
Public safety is personal. Nearly eight in ten respondents say gun violence is weakening the social fabric of American life by making people feel unsafe in public places.
Broad agreement on core policies. Gun owners across party lines overwhelmingly support background checks, dealer inspections, and restrictions on firearm access for people with felony convictions. More than three-quarters say it is “extremely” or “very” important that federally licensed gun dealers are regularly inspected.
Preference for compromise. A clear majority (59%) believe that compromise on gun policy will help keep more Americans safe. Gen Z gun owners are the most pro-compromise generation, with nearly seven in ten favoring collaborative solutions.
A trust gap, not a values gap. While most gun owners want progress, fewer than one in five believe gun policy today is driven by public safety. Instead, they see politics and special interests in control, revealing a “sincerity gap” between what people want and what they believe policymakers deliver.
“This research upends the story we’ve been telling ourselves as a country, that we are hopelessly divided,” said Laura Olson, Head of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships, who oversaw the survey for 97Percent. “At a moment when our politics feel locked in permanent conflict, gun owners are showing us something different: concern, common sense, and a willingness to meet in the middle on targeted policies with a record of success in reducing gun deaths.”
Taken together, the findings reveal a powerful way forward on gun safety. Beneath the divisive climate of national politics lies a reservoir of shared values, and this survey provides clear-cut evidence that even now, even on an issue as historically divisive as guns, a majority of Americans prefer progress over paralysis.
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