8.3% of USA Adults Are Licensed to Concealed Carry Handguns

During the Coronavirus pandemic, the number of concealed handgun permits soared to over 21.52 million—a 48% increase since 2016, according to the Concealed Carry Permit Holders Across the United States: 2021 report from the Crime Prevention Research Center. It’s also a 10.5% increase over the number of permits counted a year ago in 2020.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Concealed Carry Daily Prayer ]

Unlike gun ownership surveys that may be affected by people’s unwillingness to answer personal questions, concealed handgun permit data is the only really “hard data” available. This increase occurred despite 21 Constitutional Carry states (AK, AR, AZ, IA, ID, KS, KY, ME, MO, MS, MT, ND, NH, OK, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, WV, WY) that no longer provide data on all those legally carrying a concealed handgun because people in those states no longer need a permit to carry. All states now allow concealed carry, although permit rules vary widely between states.

Map showing how different states of America regulate concealed carry as of 2021
Read the Concealed Carry Permit Holders Across the United States: 2021 report

[ Read the SemperVerus article, 7.6% of USA Adults Are Licensed to Concealed Carry Handguns ]

Among the findings of the report:

  • Last year, the number of permit holders grew by a record 2 million. This is more than the previous record increase of 1.8 million in 2017. Part of that is due to many states reopening concealed carry applications after the pause due to COVID-19.

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  • 8.3% of American adults have permits. Outside of the restrictive states of California and New York, about 10.0% of adults have a permit.

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  • In 15 states, more than 10% of adults have permits. Since 2019, Arkansas and Oklahoma have fallen below 10%, but they’re now all Constitutional Carry states, meaning people no longer need a permit to carry. Virginia’s concealed carry rate has risen to above 10%.

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  • Alabama has the highest concealed carry rate—32.1%. Indiana is second with 21.6%, and Iowa is third with 16.5%.

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How Does Your Character Measure Up?

One of the 5 identifying traits of the SemperVerus Brotherhood is a commitment to “BE,” which means continually developing a rich personal leadership character of exemplary moral and ethical quality.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Secure Your Base (Your Soul) ]

An article on The Art of Manliness website captures the idea. It’s an excerpt from The ROTC Infantry Manual, published in 1942. Here are a few of the listed and defined qualities:

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Be Like Ernest Shackleton ]

  • Self-Control
  • Honor, Uprightness, and Truthfulness
  • Justice, Fairness, Impartiality
  • Willingness to Accept Responsibility
  • Initiative and Vision
  • Decisiveness, Resoluteness, and Perseverance
  • Earnestness
  • Courage, Moral and Physical
  • Alertness, Quick Thinking, Presence of Mind

How are you measuring up?

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of Being ]

Invite SemperVerus® to present its 5 life-changing success-generating components—prepare, aware, be, know, do—to your organization to inspire and motivate your members.

Join the SemperVerus Brotherhood™!

Quiz: Test Your Firearms Knowledge

According to Daniel O’Kelly, director of the International Firearm Specialist Academy (IFSA), there are 393 million guns in private hands in the USA. In an article on Police1, he recommends that professionals should be able to accurately identify and classify firearms to ensure, among other matters, safety in handling them. Take the quiz at the IFSA website to see how well you do.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, The 4 Basic Rules of Gun Safety ]

[ Read the SemperVerus article, A Directory of Firearm Podcasts & Video Channels ]

The IFSA is the first and only company to offer a simplified step-by-step online educational program that takes you from whatever your present firearms knowledge-level to become a safe, accurate, and competent specialist. Specialists are those who devote themselves to the pursuit of excellence and seek to be the best in handling firearms.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Self-Defense Training Directory ]

Invite SemperVerus® to present its 5 life-changing success-generating components—prepare, aware, be, know, do—to your organization to inspire and motivate your members.

Join the SemperVerus Brotherhood™!

A Directory of Holster Makers

Image of an OWB leather holster by Urban CarryUsing a holster to carry your defensive firearm is necessary to 1) secure the trigger from negligent discharge, 2) consistently position the gun for safe and rapid deployment, and 3) achieve sustainable comfort for long periods of time. John Correia of Active Self Protection identifies the three critical qualities of a holster as: 1) cover the trigger guard completely, 2) hold the firearm securely, and 3) allow access to the firearm reliably. Holsters are generally made of leather, KYDEX® (thermoplastic acrylic-polyvinyl chloride composite), or a combination of both.

Greg Ellifritz of Active Response Training offers hints and guidelines to help make your holster-buying decision.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Why Do You Carry a Gun for Self-Defense? ]

Holsters use a variety of methods to secure the handgun until it’s needed. The most common retention method (known as “Level Zero” or “Open Top”) is nothing more than a snug fit to keep the firearm in place as you move about (walking, running, jumping, bending, etc.) while allowing it to be quickly retrieved without an extra step.

Image of an IWB KYDEX® holster by Comp-Tac

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Checklist: Matters to Consider When Deciding on a Handgun ]

For an added level of retention, holsters (“Level 1”) are also available with a top strap or some type of release lever, usually activated with either the index finger or the thumb. These holsters can provide further confidence that your gun, especially when open carried, will remain in the holster until you need it.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, A Directory of Firearm Podcasts & Video Channels ]

The following are the different styles of holsters available to keep your defensive gun readily accessible in a variety of settings and clothing considerations:

Image of the Flanker Shoulder Holster by SwapRig Holsters

  • Inside the Waist Band (IWB)
  • Appendix Inside the Waist Band (AIWB)
  • Outside the Waist Band (OWB)
  • Cross-Draw
  • Shoulder Holster
  • T-Shirt Holster
  • Belly Band
  • Concealed Boxer-Briefs
  • Pocket
  • Ankle
  • Chest
  • Drop-Leg
  • Thigh
  • Bra
  • Leggings
  • Fanny Pack / Backpack / Sling Pack
  • Off-Body Carry (OBC)

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Self-Defense Training Directory ]

An abundance of holster creators are available online. Here’s a directory of links to a few of them (we highly recommend SwapRig), as well as articles about holsters:

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