Each year in its fall poll, the Saint Leo University Polling Institute, has asked 1,000 or more adult respondents nationally about their attitudes on guns, gun control legislation, and possible policy responses to mass shootings. The margin of error on these surveys is plus or minus 3 percentage points. The most recent survey was fielded from September 10 to September 16, 2017.
Support / Oppose Gun Controls –Questions as Asked and Responses over Three Years (polling institute was launched in late 2013)
Please think for a moment about your own position and beliefs about gun control. Which one of the following best reflects your own, personal position on gun control?
| Choose one statement | September 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| There should be no regulations or controls on any firearms | 13.1% | 12.6% | 12.8% |
| There should be some limited licensing, permitting or some restrictions on certain arms such as assault weapons | 71.8% | 74.9% | 73.2% |
| Firearms should not be owned privately | 9.6% | 8.1% | 8.5% |
| Unsure | 5.5% | 4.4% | 5.5% |
Which of the following, given the number of mass shootings nationwide, best reflects your own personal position toward gun ownership and gun regulation?
| Choose One Statement | September 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| I continue to support gun ownership rights under the 2nd Amendment without exception and believe these mass shootings would be less frequent/horrific if more citizens were armed | 23% | 27.2% | 26.5% |
| I continue to support gun ownership rights under the 2nd Amendment without exception but don’t believe in an effort to arm more citizens | 15.9% | 16.3% | 15.9% |
| I support gun ownership rights but am open to more exceptions, regulations and restrictions | 45% | 42.6% | 40.7% |
| I continue to oppose private ownership of firearms | 9.5% | 7.2% | 9.1% |
| Unsure | 6.6% | 6.7% | 7.8% |
Government, on the state and federal levels, can increase funding and support for mental health treatment. How helpful would increased funding and emphasis on mental health treatment be toward reducing the number and frequency of mass shootings? Would you say…
| One choice allowed | September 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Very helpful | 35.3% | 37.9% | 36.7% |
| Somewhat helpful | 38.2% | 39.1% | 38.5% |
| Not very helpful | 13.4% | 12.4% | 11.3% |
| Not at all helpful | 3.7% | 3.1% | 3.5% |
| Unsure | 9.4% | 7.5% | 10% |
New question added this year:
On the issue of gun control, how much would you say President Trump has weighed in or voiced his views…
| Possible choices | September 2017 |
| Just enough | 24% |
| Too much | 18.3% |
| Too little | 29.9% |
| Unsure | 27.8% |