I am the NRA: an analysis of a national random sample of gun owners

Data from a national random sample of gun owners (N = 605) were used to determine whether members of the National Rifle Association (NRA) are a representative sample of all gun owners and how well the NRA's lobbying positions on gun control reflect the views of its membership and of nonmember gun owners. No obvious demographic distinctions were identified between member and nonmember gun owners, but handgun owners (odds ratio [OR], 1.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19 to 2.39) and individuals who owned six or more guns as opposed to just one gun (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.22 to 3.10) were more likely to belong to the NRA. Nonmembers were more supportive of specific proposals to regulate gun ownership (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.91), but a majority of both member and nonmember gun owners favored a waiting period for the purchase of a handgun (77% and 89%, respectively) and mandatory registration of handguns (59% and 75%).