Actually, a substantial percentage of conservatives favor requiring background checks for private gun sales and sales at gun shows, according to http://www.people-press.org/2013/05/23/broad-support-for-renewed-background-checks-bill-skepticism-about-its-chances/?utm_expid=53098246-2.Lly4CFSVQG2lphsg-KopIg.0&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.people-press.org%2F2015%2F08%2F13%2Fgun-rights-vs-gun-control%2F#total . 57% of Republicans favored the Manchin - Toomey bill on the subject, and 81% favored the general concept of increasing background checks (the difference being that some did not like the specific bill for some reason).