Sharply more U.S. gun owners today than in the 2000s say they own a gun for protection against crime. Eighty-eight percent of gun owners cite crime protection as a reason they own a gun, compared with two-thirds giving this reason in 2000 and 2005 surveys.
Meanwhile, similar proportions of gun owners now versus in the past have a gun for hunting or target shooting. CONTINUED
Jeffrey M. Jones, Gallup
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