I disagree that it is not a gun rights issue. It is boh gun rights and policy. Part of expansive gun rights is the ability to exercise armed self defense. The fact that doing so can also bankrupt a person due to civil liability is something that should be changed as a matter of policy.
I think people who support gun control will in large majorities favor imposing a duty to retreat and gun rights advocates will line up on the other side. Gun control advocates have pursued many avenues towards their goals and increasing the burden on gun owners through a duty to retreat is one. Is that a point of contention or do you concede that?
And while i dont subscribe to the appeal to popularity - do you have evidence that those groups in the majority feelas you’ve stated? Does this appeal to popularity hold for other areas as well - the fact that 40 of 50 states are ahall issue or constitutional carry shed light that the others should follow suit? Those states clearly believe that is good policy - what are the others missing? I don’t think the popularity itself is compelling other than such examples can provide evidence to refute claims of he wild west.