Four in ten say widespread gun ownership makes society less safe
Core finding
Verasight surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults from September 25 to 30, 2026. 43.4% of Americans say widespread private gun ownership makes society less safe, while 31.5% say it makes it safer. Another 25.1% say it makes no difference.
Strong views sit at both ends: 23.0% say gun ownership makes society much less safe and 14.6% much more safe. The question asks about widespread private ownership, not about any specific gun law.
Topline distribution
Four in ten say widespread gun ownership makes society less safe.
Overall, how do you think widespread private ownership of guns affects public safety in the United States?
n = 1,000 · Sep 25–30, 2026 · MoE ±3.3%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | Sep 25–30, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.3% |
| Module | Society, Culture, & Identity |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/2026-153-apsa-omnibus-report
Overall, how do you think widespread private ownership of guns affects public safety in the United States?
Cite this question
APSA Omnibus Survey #2026-153, fielded September 25-30, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.3%.