First half of 2009 exceeds all of 2008, marks third straight year for increase

By Jim Irvine

The Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray (D) has released the concealed handgun license (CHL) statistics for the second quarter of 2009. There has been great demand for firearms and concealed carry licenses and the trend clearly continued through the last quarter. Concealed carry continues to be something both old and new gun owners are interested in. If you buy a gun for self defense, it makes sense to get the license needed to carry it with you.

The second quarter in 2009 marks the third quarter in a row where demand more than doubled from the same period a year prior. The 17,921 regular licenses issues was a 106% increase over the same period last year. (see chart) There were an additional 4,825 licenses renewed during the quarter, which is approximately 68% of the licenses expiring during the period. To date almost 70% of all expiring CHL's have been renewed. There were 22 Temporary Emergency Licenses (TELs) issued, bringing the total number of licenses issued by Ohio Sheriffs to a whopping 22,768 for the period April through June of 2009.

The Washington D.C. Gun Rights Examiner recently reported that, on September 8, 2009, United States District Judge Bruce D. Black of the United States District Court for New Mexico entered summary judgment in a civil case for damages against Alamogordo, NM police officers.

The Judge's straight shootin' message to police: Leave open carriers alone unless you have "reason to believe that a crime [is] afoot."

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