Research

At 97Percent, we talk to fellow gun owners to understand their priorities and concerns, and we use their feedback to inform everything we do. In fact, it was our original research conducted during the summer of 2019 that led us to launch our organization. 

We identify areas of common ground between gun owners and non-gun owners in order to develop workable strategies to reduce the more than 47,000 gun-related deaths per year in the U.S. And there is plenty of common ground.

What else stands out? Gun owners feel left out of the conversation around gun violence and are even more supportive of solutions than conventional wisdom would have us believe. That’s why we formed 97Percent.

Think you know everything about gun owners?

40%

of first time gun-owners in 2020 were women

86%

of gun owners support keeping guns out of the hands of violent criminals

 36%

of Americans over 65 personally own a firearm, the highest of any group

 90%

of gun owners do not view guns as part of their overall identity

Our most recent research, Consensus in the Crossfire of Conflict, conducted with research firm More in Common in October 2025, was a national survey of over 3,100 American gun owners who are also registered voters. It provides critical insights into the "sincerity gap" in policymaking, the pragmatism of gun owners, and the broad consensus that exists on safety measures.

KEY FINDINGS

  • 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, restrictions on firearm access for people with felony convictions, and regular inspections of federally licensed gun dealers—with more than three-quarters stating it is "extremely" or "very" important that dealers are 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 "Sincerity 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 disconnect between what people want and what they believe policymakers deliver.

This research upends the story that we are hopelessly divided. Beneath the divisive climate of national politics lies a reservoir of shared values, providing clear-cut evidence that even on an issue as historically divisive as guns, a majority of Americans prefer progress over paralysis.