CPRC has just issued our newest annual report on the number of concealed handgun permits in the US.  A copy of the report is available for download here.  Some updated numbers are shown at the bottom of this post.  Past reports can be viewed here.  Part of the executive summary is shown here:
During President Obama’s administration, the number of concealed handgun permits soared to over 16.36 million ‐ a 256% increase since 2007. Unlike surveys that may be affected by people’s unwillingness to answer some personal questions, concealed handgun permit data is the only really "hard data" that we have on gun ownership across the United States. Among the findings of our report:
Last year, the number of permit holders grew by a record 1.83 million. This is more than the previous record increase of 1.73 million, set just the year before. Each of the last four years that we have been recording this data has set a new record. Despite expectations that permits were primarily driven by fears of Democratic presidencies, the growth in permits has continued at a similar pace after the November 2016 election.
6.53% of American adults have permits. Outside the restrictive states of California and New York, about 8% of the adult population has a permit. |