Most guns would not be banned under President Obama’s proposed gun regulations, he told questioners during a “fireside hangout” on Google+ this afternoon.

Assuring viewers the government will not “take away their guns,” Obama said the majority of guns would still be available, while small number of weapons, like assault rifles, would be banned.

The same questioner pressed the president on why his proposals focus on assault weapons when the majority of gun deaths are related to handguns, asking him if handguns should be banned as well.

“I actually don’t think we should ban handguns,” Obama replied, adding that a universal background check would instead help prevent violence linked to handguns.

Because of assault weapons’ magazine capacity, however, “the potential for large scale fatalities is increased,” he explained.

The Second Amendment does not assume citizens have the right to purchase any weapon available, he added.

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