Concealed Weapons Applications Surge

[Fangs]

I was fortunate to get my app started just before the "surge". Now if only I'd started stockpiling ammo when I had the chance...

[glocklvr]

I hope the surge ends before I have to renew next year I am going to start that process as early as possible

[FlynJay]

I hope that DPS can streamline their process to handle the "surge". But I am happy to see the CHL numbers climbing rapidly. That just means more political clout for us and more leverage against business that post 30.06.

[The Annoyed Man]

I've had several friends at church approach me in the past few weeks to tell me that they've gotten their CHLs, including a husband and wife just last Monday. I know of a number of others who are taking their CHL classes this month. And this is in one church. Our congregation numbers roughly 1200-1300. I've had numerous conversations with members in the last several months about CHL, and there is a strong undercurrent in favor of it, and a strong interest in pursuing it.

Now, it may be that my church's congregation is the exception rather than the rule with regard to CHL, but in the current political environment, I suspect that it is not exceptional in that regard. In fact, I would not be surprised if the phenomenon isn't being mirrored in churches all over the state of Texas. And churches represent only a portion of the society. So this surge in applications does not surprise me at all.

[The Annoyed Man]

I hope the surge ends before I have to renew next year I am going to start that process as early as possible

I understand your hope, but I hope for the opposite - that the surge continues to grow and grow and grow, for the reasons posted by FlynJay. The more political clout we have, the more firmly our RKBA will be affirmed.

[lrb111]

Every new applicant is another vote for the 2nd. It's fear driven, and fear breeds contempt for those in charge. There is no telling how many more feel the same way, but are not going as far as to get a CHL. I think the answer to that one is "tons".

[USA1]

Every new applicant is another vote for the 2nd. It's fear driven, and fear breeds contempt for those in charge. There is no telling how many more feel the same way, but are not going as far as to get a CHL. I think the answer to that one is "tons".

you know, i have run across people that are unaware that CHL even exist..
when i explain what it means, they usually ask how they can go about getting one.
right now i've been helping a friend down the CHL road. he may even join this forum soon.

[glocklvr]

I hope the surge ends before I have to renew next year I am going to start that process as early as possible

I understand your hope, but I hope for the opposite - that the surge continues to grow and grow and grow, for the reasons posted by FlynJay. The more political clout we have, the more firmly our RKBA will be affirmed.

What I should have said is I hope the process gets more streamlined before I have to renew. Rest assured I have done my part to spur the rush sometimes when typing at 4am after a 10hr shift things don't come out the way I intended for them to.

[glocklvr]

I hope the surge ends before I have to renew next year I am going to start that process as early as possible

I understand your hope, but I hope for the opposite - that the surge continues to grow and grow and grow, for the reasons posted by FlynJay. The more political clout we have, the more firmly our RKBA will be affirmed.

What I should have said is I hope the process gets more streamlined before I have to renew. Rest assured I have done my part to spur the rush sometimes when typing at 4am after a 10hr shift things don't come out the way I intended for them to.

[NutterButters]

Every new applicant is another vote for the 2nd. It's fear driven, and fear breeds contempt for those in charge. There is no telling how many more feel the same way, but are not going as far as to get a CHL. I think the answer to that one is "tons".

you know, i have run across people that are unaware that CHL even exist..
when i explain what it means, they usually ask how they can go about getting one.
right now i've been helping a friend down the CHL road. he may even join this forum soon.

I would probably not be described as your stereo-typical gun-slingin' chic, so when my friends find out that I am comfortable with firearms, they are usually pretty interested in learning. I have even convinced 2 of my friends to apply for their CHL, and when they went in for the class they both told me how surprised they were at the diversity within the room! I think it is great when you are surprised by who ends up being on your team!

[aardwolf]

I bet this surge will help reduce violence.

[USA1]

Every new applicant is another vote for the 2nd. It's fear driven, and fear breeds contempt for those in charge. There is no telling how many more feel the same way, but are not going as far as to get a CHL. I think the answer to that one is "tons".

you know, i have run across people that are unaware that CHL even exist..
when i explain what it means, they usually ask how they can go about getting one.
right now i've been helping a friend down the CHL road. he may even join this forum soon.

I would probably not be described as your stereo-typical gun-slingin' chic, so when my friends find out that I am comfortable with firearms, they are usually pretty interested in learning. I have even convinced 2 of my friends to apply for their CHL, and when they went in for the class they both told me how surprised they were at the diversity within the room! I think it is great when you are surprised by who ends up being on your team!

your not kidding about the mix of different people. 5 years ago my class was 12 young to mid age men. in april there were 60+ people of all ages and genders..

[03Lightningrocks]

Every new applicant is another vote for the 2nd. It's fear driven, and fear breeds contempt for those in charge. There is no telling how many more feel the same way, but are not going as far as to get a CHL. I think the answer to that one is "tons".

you know, i have run across people that are unaware that CHL even exist..
when i explain what it means, they usually ask how they can go about getting one.
right now i've been helping a friend down the CHL road. he may even join this forum soon.

Same here....I have met many folks that don't know they can legally carry a concealed weapon. I would expect the applicants to increase as it becomes common knowledge.

In the past couple weeks alone I can count at least 6 close friends and acquaintances that have made comments about getting a CHL. Four of them had no idea I carried concealed. Once it was brought up and I started talking to them about the procedure for getting a CHL...they began to figure it out...LOL.

[Skiprr]

Concealed Weapons Applications Surge
DPS: 48,000 Applications Received From January To May...

DPS received about 48,600 applications from January to May, compared to 62,000 during all of last year, the Amarillo Globe-News reported Saturday.

First off, the 2008 data the Globe-News is quoting are incorrect. Not counting instructor licenses (1,147 of those were processed), DPS issued 73,090 licenses in 2008, and denied 447, for a total of 73,537 actually processed.

Second, turn the clock back one additional year. In 2007, again not counting instructors, DPS issued 90,867 licenses, and denied 392, for a total processed of 91,259. We can't know what the application workload looked like in 2007--meaning whether or not most of those license requests came in the first half of the year or not--but my bet is that more typically come in during the first three quarters than among the holidays in the fourth. We'll see how how that 48,000 number plays out come end-of-year statistics for 2009. Bottom line though, no matter how you stack it, the current "surge" is not a massive one when compared to 2007 application volumes.

[03Lightningrocks]

Concealed Weapons Applications Surge
DPS: 48,000 Applications Received From January To May...

DPS received about 48,600 applications from January to May, compared to 62,000 during all of last year, the Amarillo Globe-News reported Saturday.

First off, the 2008 data the Globe-News is quoting are incorrect. Not counting instructor licenses (1,147 of those were processed), DPS issued 73,090 licenses in 2008, and denied 447, for a total of 73,537 actually processed.

Second, turn the clock back one additional year. In 2007, again not counting instructors, DPS issued 90,867 licenses, and denied 392, for a total processed of 91,259. We can't know what the application workload looked like in 2007--meaning whether or not most of those license requests came in the first half of the year or not--but my bet is that more typically come in during the first three quarters than among the holidays in the fourth. We'll see how how that 48,000 number plays out come end-of-year statistics for 2009. Bottom line though, no matter how you stack it, the current "surge" is not a massive one when compared to 2007 application volumes.

WOW!!! That is some interesting information. I wonder what went wrong in 2008 that they could not keep up?