According to state reporting to GAO, there were at least 8 million active permits to carry concealed handguns in the United States as of December 31, 2011.This is more than my estimate of 7.6 million active licenses in the 49 states.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
New GAO Report on Concealed Carry
It is here, and appears to be a very careful analysis of existing concealed carry laws, prepared for Congress when they were discussing laws to mandate reciprocity. Interestingly enough:
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I've been a storm chaser for many years. Only recently have I been able to bring my pistol along with little fear of law enforcement. Most states (all that are in tornado alley) recognize Arizona's concealed carry permit, which I have.
ReplyDeleteBTW, AZ does not require a permit to carry concealed, except in an establishment that serves alcohol, but I got the permit before that change, and also for the reciprocity.
This is all a bunch of welcome change.
I looked at NJ and Hawaii because those are said to be no issue "may issue" states. And indeed while Hawaii was officially listed as may issue, they were also shown as issuing exactly 0 permits....
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, what I'd read about NJ not issuing more than 2,000 didn't seem to be the case, they listed 32K or so.
Also note one anomaly about Missouri: our shall issue regime is as far as I know the most expensive in the country (8 hour training course, although the live fire isn't rigorously scored, $100 initial application, then $50 every 3 years), and until recently had a minimum age of 23.
BUT a resident can use a permit from any US locality, evidently (or at least implied by the Deputy who handles this for my county) including those under 23 before the Missouri permit age was lowered to 21. So while our very Red State county of 120K had only 2,400 or maybe it was 2,700 Missouri permits, there are quite a few additional residents legally carrying with outside permits.