(BEARING ARMS) – We knew that the Great Gun Run of 2020 led to millions of new gun owners, but according to a new report from the Crime Prevention Research Center, it also led to a huge increase in the number of individuals licensed to carry a firearm. The CRPC report shows that there are an estimated 21.5-million concealed carry licensees across the United States, and the rate of growth is phenomenal; up 48% over the past five years and a 10.5% increase in 2020 alone.
The CRPC noted that concealed carry licenses declined in Arkansas and Oklahoma, but only because Constitutional Carry is the law of the land in both states. That’s also the case in 19 other states, which means that while there are more than 21-million Americans exercising their right to carry with a license, there are undoubtedly hundreds of thousands if not millions more who are now lawfully bearing arms without the need for a government-issued permission slip.
There’s another factor that could soon add to the number of Americans who are exercising their right to carry; the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen case coming before the Supreme Court next month. That case has the potential to overturn the state’s subjective “may issue” permitting system, and could very well impact the handful of other states with similar laws on the books.
