Virginians' urge to pack heat may be cooling off. Demand for concealed-handgun permits in the commonwealth is down compared to a year earlier.
According to state police records, the number of permits issued in the first half of this year was down nearly 40 percent compared to the same period last year.
Demand may be down now, but it was certainly up in 2009. Handgun permit applications skyrocketed 21 percent last year.
Experts believe the spike last year was due to fears that President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress would act swiftly to enact stricter gun laws. Those fears appear to be subsiding now.
“Indeed there was a massive vertical climb,” Virginia Citizens Defense League President Philip Van Cleave told the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star. “A lot of things have leveled off now because a lot of people that wanted to do this have managed to get in the door. There was an initial concern that Obama would come in and start banning guns. It didn’t [happen], and over time that’s also part of the leveling-out.”
Another interesting note: Some Virginians are also getting concealed-handgun permits for Utah.
Yes, Utah.
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The Free Lance-Star says that's because more states honor Utah's permit than honor Virginia's. More non-Utahans now have Utah-issued concealed-carry permits than do Utah residents, according to Reuters.
