Poll: Majority of Americans Oppose Expanding Background Checks at Gun Shows

Poll: Majority of Americans Oppose Expanding Background Checks at Gun Shows

A poll conducted by McKeon & Associates and released on December 23 by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) shows that “53 percent” of Americans oppose expanding background checks at gun shows.

The percentage of Americans who support expanding background checks sits at 40. 

According to the NSSF, these numbers “stand in contrast to the vague claim often reported in the media that ’90 percent of Americans surveyed support [expanded background checks].'” 

Support for these expanded checks has been in a slide since hitting a high in January of this year. And NSSF says the drop in support has largely been due to people learning that we already background checks in place. As Breitbart News reported on March 31, the 1993 Brady Bill mandated the start of background checks under Bill Clinton.

The poll published by NSSF shows another interesting finding–the number of Americans who oppose expanded background checks grows to “74 percent” when asked about expanded background checks “against an incomplete database.” 

This is important because it speaks to something gun control proponents never address. Namely, that if background checks were expanded via Senator Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) gun bill they would be the same checks we have right now. The only immediate difference  is that they would be applied to all sales–retail and private–instead of just retail. 

The Manchin bill gave states years to comply with database information sharing, which means the same “incomplete databases” that are being accessed now during a background check would be the central components of a background check then as well. 

In the end only “40 percent” of Americans support expanding background checks–and that number may actually be less than 40.

Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins

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