New Survey: Gun ownership is for protection, most opposed to bans

A new survey among likely voters in 18 key battleground states found the number one reason for firearm ownership is for protection and that most are opposed to arbitrary gun bans.

The survey results, released by the National Shooting Sports Foundation on Monday, found that more than half believe self-defense is the primary motivation for firearm ownership. Moreover, almost 60 percent said that a ban on semi-automatic rifles would have little effect on crime, with 51 percent opposing a ban on such firearms. Just under half said a restriction on magazine capacity would have no effect on crime.

The key takeaway, says NSSF, is that most of the voters surveyed thought law-abiding citizens should be able to choose the type of firearm and amount of ammunition readily available to them.