By: Friedrich Seiltgen

Copyright © 2022

An estimated six million people carried a handgun daily in 2019 in the United States, up from an estimated three million in 2015, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health titled “Trend in Loaded Handgun Carrying Among Adult Handgun Owners.”

The study’s authors compared data from the National Firearms Survey in 2015 to an online sampling of 55,000 adults, with 2,389 households reporting they owned a handgun in 2019. These numbers show that the number of people who chose to carry a handgun at least once per month also increased from an estimated 9 million people to around 16 million in 2019.

Approximately 38% of those 16 million did so daily, with the ladies carrying at 42% daily and the men bringing up the rear at 37%.

The authors of the study noted that “reasons offered by firearm owners for why they own firearms have shifted from hunting and sports shooting toward personal protection,” with 72% stating they carried a handgun for personal protection. At the same time, they state there is no definitive answer for the increase in daily carry, but they give a few possibilities:

  • The increase in crime rates.
  • A change in social norms references gun ownership and carrying guns.
  • Loosening of (unconstitutional) state laws governing who can carry handguns in public places.

These numbers are encouraging, especially when remembering that these numbers are from 2015-2019. The increase in the last three years must be even greater. And the study also noted that a U.S. Supreme Court case, “could further catalyze the loosening of firearm-carrying regulations.”

Regardless of the reason for the increase, more people are carrying handguns for defensive use, and I hope you are one of them.

That’s all for now folks! Please keep sending in your questions, tips, and article ideas. And as always – “Let’s Be Careful Out There.”

Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. He conducts training in Lone Wolf Terrorism Counterstrategies, Firearms, and Active Shooter Response. His writing has appeared in RECOIL, www.floridajolt.com, The Counterterrorist Magazine, American Thinker, Soldier of Fortune, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International. Contact him at [email protected].