20M people in the USA CCW

[Victor252]

6%, I could buy that, assuming the number is licensed legal carry. In some places it will be higher, much higher but the zeros, in places like you mention bring the average down.

That's about 6% of the population but more like 10% of the adult population. More than 10% when you factor out convicted felons, geriatrics in the nursing homes, mentally ill, etc. Even more with those who use "Constitutional Carry" laws.

18 years and over = 209,128,094
Male =100,994,367
Female =108,133,727
21 years and over =196,899,193

Via Wikipedia: As of November 1, 2019, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota (residents only; concealed carry only), Oklahoma, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming (residents only) do not require a permit to carry a loaded concealed firearm for any person of age who is not prohibited from owning a firearm.

 

[buck460XVR]

Being new to the firearm circle and also being in a state that basically won't allow CCW without an impossible to get permit, this number is amazing to me. Amazingly great! Do you think this number is accurate, too high, too low? Thoughts? Got this number doing some internet searches.

What you probably have is the amount of permits issued, or an estimation based on a small sampling. I know of many folks around here that have a license to CWC. A few carry occasionally, even fewer carry daily. Where I work(school), I cannot yet carry legally. There is talk about allowing staff at some point, but we have not gotten there yet. Right now, Covid is the main concern. Outside of work, I do carry regularly, but I am the exception to most folk I know of.

 

[.308 Norma]

That's about 6% of the population but more like 10% of the adult population.

Good point. I hadn't considered that.

 

[lightman]

I figure the numbers are pretty accurate. It shouldn't be hard to track. There will be a little error due to the lag time between getting a license and when they run the numbers. But this should not be a significant number. But who knows???

 

[Aikibiker]

Just anecdotal I know, but I worked security in a hospital for almost five years. One of my job duties was checking in visitors. we required a valid form of picture ID and I ended up looking into a LOT of wallets as people pulled out their driver's licenses. There was a surprisingly large number of FL CCW permits tucked in next to the DL's. I would say 6% would be a lot less then what we have in the local area. And that was just the people who had the card visible in their wallet that accidentally showed it to the security guard checking them in.

 

[BigAlShooter]

per usconcealedcarry.com:

1. Florida >1.8 million (resident permits only)
2. Texas >1.4 million
3. Pennsylvania >1.3 million
4. Georgia >1 million
5. Alabama ~1 million
6. Indiana >900,000
7. Ohio >687,000
8. North Carolina >668,000
9. Michigan >660,000
10. Tennessee >641,000

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Why should the FBI or ATF keep legal carry stats?
Issuance of carry permits is up to the states.
It is not a federal law enforcement jurisdiction.

The local newspaper used to report on the carry permit status of persons charged with reckless or criminal use of handguns. NONE of them had carry permits. Criminals are like the banditos in The Treasure of Sierra Madre, "they don't need to show you no stinking badges (or permits)", don't get them, never have, never will. But the antis want to repeal legal carry for self-defense.

 

[bearcreek]

Do you think this number is accurate, too high, too low? Thoughts?

I think it's far too high. That's an estimate of the number of the people who have permits, not the number who carry. I was a CHL instructor in Ohio for about 6 years. If my students represent the average person who takes a CHL class, (they were a pretty good cross section of society, from a 70 YO lady who had never held a firearm to a 15 year Army veteran with multiple combat tours), I would guess that around 75% of people who get permits don't carry with any regularity, if at all. The number who carry is also increasingly skewed by the growing number of states that are going back to non-permitted/Constitutional carry. And of course, this also doesn't account for the probably not insignificant number of people who carry illegally.

 

[bearcreek]

I figure the numbers are pretty accurate. It shouldn't be hard to track. There will be a little error due to the lag time between getting a license and when they run the numbers. But this should not be a significant number. But who knows???

It's essentially impossible to track. We can get an idea of how many people have permits, but as has been pointed out, that is becoming less and less relevant to this question, as it should be.

 

[wally]

In NJ, the penalties are severe if caught concealing without a permit. No one will risk it here. It just isn't worth it. And LEOs are very aggressive about searching this out.

So how aggressive are they about searching out gang-bangers and criminals using guns?

Would love to see some stats about otherwise law abiding caught carrying and prosecuted vs. criminals caught carrying and prosecuted.

 

[Insignificant bill]

I have mine with me everyday.

 

[DustyGmt]

I know of a few people who don't carry simply because they bought a holster, didn't like it and don't carry because of it. I told a friend of mine recently that he should carry for at least a month, that if it wasn't comfortable to just tolerate it anyway that way he could see if it was truly uncomfortable or whether it was a case of just needing more time to get used to carrying a gun in your waistline. So far he has told me it was uncomfortable for the first few days but after about a week he says it's almost unnoticeable, which is what I told him it should be. If it persists to be an irritant or digs into the body, etc that it might be time to shop for a new holster.

I bet alot of people don't carry simply because they didn't have the right holster or gun, or because they just weren't willing to put the pretty negligible amount of time it takes to get used to carrying.

 

[3Crows]

Being new to the firearm circle and also being in a state that basically won't allow CCW without an impossible to get permit, this number is amazing to me. Amazingly great! Do you think this number is accurate, too high, too low? Thoughts? Got this number doing some internet searches.

It could be low, some states, for example Kansas, allow legal concealed carry without the (shall issue CC) license and open carry as well without.

 

[CDW4ME]

That's about 6% of the population but more like 10% of the adult population. More than 10% when you factor out convicted felons, geriatrics in the nursing homes, mentally ill, etc. Even more with those who use "Constitutional Carry" laws.

Even if it was 15-20% most US adults that could carry do not; so, most adult US citizens are willing to be an unarmed victim. Sad.

 

[RETG]

I think they'd be offset by the millions who have their CCW permit yet rarely, if ever, carry. Of the 6 people I know with their permit, only 2 are always carrying and another carries most of the time. The remaining three are "I'll carry if I'm in a dangerous area" type people.

Good point. I know a lot of people where I live with permits who only carry for special occasions and around here that means hiking, camping, or when walking the dog in areas where big cats or bear have been noted. And that even goes for those who don't have permits who do occasional carry concealed for the same reasons.

 

[FFGColorado]

<shrug> I have no way of knowing.

Even if we could determine how many people have applied for and been issued such licenses, how would we accurately account for the millions of folks living in Constitutional Carry states?

PLUS, like the 4473..even if you DO get a CCWP, that doesn't mean you will actually use it and EDC...

I know a guy who got his carry permit and has never concealed carry..

Opps, bassjam above already said it.

most adult US citizens are willing to be an unarmed victim. Sad.

I don't get 'sad'...individual choice.
People are either armed or not for a host of reasons.

 

[ms6852]

Depending which new media you get it from or website their data is all wrong. Just checked a website about Texas in the information is wrong. If I had to vote about the 20 million conceal carry I think it is on the low side, than there is those that don't have a license and not required because of constitutional carry plus the criminal element.

 

[DustyGmt]

Depending which new media you get it from or website their data is all wrong. Just checked a website about Texas in the information is wrong. If I had to vote about the 20 million conceal carry I think it is on the low side, than there is those that don't have a license and not required because of constitutional carry plus the criminal element.

Yeah, I tend to think that even if they had the numbers for every permit issued they could still be off by a huge margin. There are too many variables, constitutional carry, carrying permitless, prohibited carry, etc... we will never get good numbers for this. Even if they took a sample from every state. I think it's the kind of thing alot wouldn't disclose and would be secretive about it.

 

[lightman]

It's essentially impossible to track. We can get an idea of how many people have permits, but as has been pointed out, that is becoming less and less relevant to this question, as it should be.

You're probably right. I was thinking about tracking the number of permits and not the number who actually carry.

 

[Speedo66]

In NJ, the penalties are severe if caught concealing without a permit. No one will risk it here. It just isn't worth it. And LEOs are very aggressive about searching this out.

Nobody carries in NJ because of fear of apprehension? I bet there's a bunch of people in Newark, Patterson, Trenton, etc. who would beg to differ.

I'm sure there are more people carrying illegallyin NYC than there are legal permits. Chicago? I think we know the answer there. Same for DC.

 

[Speedo66]

Nys leos have been harassed and arrested for being in NJ,don’t know the particulars but it is a true story talked about in my club and we are in the Tri state area,and members are from NY, NJ, and PA and many are Leo’s no problem coming here to N Y( Leo’s) and most members however NJ is a very gray area best avoided with guns unless your traveling to a sanctioned event but be careful to obey their directives on transport.Do not have even 1 hollow point of any caliber.

Yes, NJ cops used to be jerks about NY LE crossing into there going home after work. The George Washington bridge into Jersey then connects to the Palisades Pkwy, half in NJ, half in NY, which takes you back into NY. LE stopped for speeding would identify themselves and be arrested for possession.

HR218/LEOSA, a Federal law, did away with that, any cop can now carry legally anywhere in the US or its territories, including DC. Same for retired LE if they keep up with their yearly qualification.

 

[NuShootr]

Nobody carries in NJ because of fear of apprehension? I bet there's a bunch of people in Newark, Patterson, Trenton, etc. who would beg to differ.

Well, I'm pretty deep in the culture here in NJ, and whether you see it that way or not, if you carry without a permit in NJ, you are a criminal. And the courts here are ultra liberal, so if people risk it, it does more harm than good. It's exactly what Anti-2nd Amendment legislators want to see. We have been waiting for the SCOTUS to review our horrible firearm laws in NJ for over a decade. Yes, "shall not be infringed". I get it. But are you willing to spend 5 years in prison while fighting that fight?

 

[Speedo66]

Well, I'm pretty deep in the culture here in NJ, and whether you see it that way or not, if you carry without a permit in NJ, you are a criminal. And the courts here are ultra liberal, so if people risk it, it does more harm than good. It's exactly what Anti-2nd Amendment legislators want to see. We have been waiting for the SCOTUS to review our horrible firearm laws in NJ for over a decade. Yes, "shall not be infringed". I get it. But are you willing to spend 5 years in prison while fighting that fight?

Yes, they are criminals, but obviously without fear.

The average person is afraid of arrest because it will give you a criminal record, there will be a stigma attached in your circle of friends, it will cost you a fortune in legal expenses, you will probably lose your job, you will probably spend some time in jail.

The people I arrested, many already had a criminal record, in their circle of friends there was no stigma attached, it may have increased their standing, actually. They got free Legal Aid attorney's, most didn't work so they had no job to lose, and going to jail meant they could hang out with their friends and watch TV, play basketball, and get free food at Rikers.

In other words, they had no fear of being arrested, obviously, because they did the same thing again and again. We used to have what was called "yellow sheets" in NYC, the pages where they printed out your prior arrests. Some guys, and ladies, had folded computer sheets a half inch thick.

NYC law was if you got arrested with a gun, it was a mandatory "bullet", or a one year sentence, unless there were mitigating circumstance.

Somehow, almost every case had those circumstances, because almost no one got sentenced to the year. "Time served", the time you spent in jail awaiting trial or plea, was usually the sentence

 

[bangswitch]

MANY can't get them. Most EVERYWHERE where fingerprinting is done has been closed.

In NJ, the penalties are severe if caught concealing without a permit. No one will risk it here. It just isn't worth it. And LEOs are very aggressive about searching this out.

MY CC permit came up for renewal last November. I was notified 90 days prior by the local Sheriff's Dept. (who issues them) that renewals would all be online and there would likely be a backlog. I sent my renewal in the next day (late August) and it was Jan 3rd this year when my renewal came in the mail. Normally in NC, you must have an in-date and valid permit in order to carry concealed. The Sheriff's Dept. told me the requirement was waived until further notice, that I could carry concealed, but could not purchase, with my expired permit until my renewal was received. They said if I were stopped, it would show on the database that my permit renewal was being processed. New permits, where the applicant has to be fingerprinted, were on hold.

 

[Meeks36]

In NJ, the penalties are severe if caught concealing without a permit. No one will risk it here. It just isn't worth it. And LEOs are very aggressive about searching this out.

Ha almost got locked in in NJ for a taser. Was carrying for my friggin job. My butt will no longer be seen in jersey!