Posted on 03/01/2017 8:02:41 PM PST by ButThreeLeftsDo
A record number of people are legally carrying handguns in Minnesota.
The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says sheriffs issued more than 71,000 permits to carry last year. That’s a dramatic spike since the year before, when about 45,000 people received the permit.
Shooting off a lunchtime round at Bill’s Gun Shop and Range in Robbinsdale, we found Heather Evans. She has been carrying for five years.
“For me I do a lot of solo backpacking so I carry with me for safety purposes, not only from people but from animals,” Evans said.
She’s teaching her friend Stella, who is considering getting a permit, too.
“It’s more like sporting for me, definitely,” Stella said.
And that’s the case for about half the customers at Bill’s Gun Shop and Range, according to the owner. About 50 percent of those getting permits are for sport, the rest see it as protection.
Yia Her of Brooklyn Center is in the application process. “Just for the safety of my wife and kids, that’s pretty much the main point why I want to get a carry,” Her said. Todd Symons of Plymouth says, “For one thing it’s my right, for another thing, the world is changing.” Manager Nate Stone is feeling the sharp increase in permit to carry applicants.
“There was an attendance spike in our classes. We did add a couple more classes to facilitate the needs,” Stone said.
While some credit the spike to politics, Stone believes it’s a change in perspective.
“Firearms have become more socially acceptable and more people actually having the conversation about firearms,” Stone said.
What some see as controversial, he says, others want to take a shot at.
“We see a wide array of people who are coming in these days to shoot. It’s turning into more of a bowling thing. Sort of a fun thing to do at night,” Stone said. The owner of Bill’s says he estimates of all the people who do have permits, 80 percent of them only carry on occasion.
There’s a lot of permits out there, more than 256,000 total in Minnesota now.
I post this because Susan with a hyphen and then a middle name and then a last name, probably a liberal Minnesota liberal media type...
Actually researched and understands the language of the MCPPA (Minnesota Citizens Personal Protection Act).
Unlike the other 99% of "Journalists" in Minnesota, she knows that it is a 'Permit To Carry'.
A permit to carry, any way you would like to.
The other 99% demonize us with "CONCEAL and carry".
THEY ARE CARRYING GUNS, EVERYWHERE, CONCEALED!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!
I'm pretty sure Susan isn't a big gun fan. But, that's OK.
I'm still going to send her an email, thanking her for actually researching the topic before reporting on it.
Oh Happy Day!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cJJGgRlQi8
“Everybody expected Hillary to win.”
Hmmm...
That my have been a factor.
I wish I could get a CCW.
But I live in San Jose so my rights are not respected here.
There are occasions where I violate the law to protect myself though.
Sucks to be a lawbreaker just by exercising my right to self defense.
Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
I have a permit to carry in Minnesota and I go to Bill’s a lot. What’s interesting is that the people there are 50-50 men and women, young, old, rich, poor, and every race and color under the sun.
Same in Burnsville at BPR and in Lakeville at Gander.
>>There’s a lot of permits out there, more than 256,000 total in Minnesota now.
Impressive! That’s about 6% of the 21 and up population, which presumably you have to be.
Like I said...
“I know, compared to some other states, this isn’t a huge number.”
Heck in California they don’t even think you should have four walls and a locking door! That is why we moved OUT of there!
No, that’s comparable to states that have had concealed carry a long time.
Wisconsin has just about caught up with Minnesota, even though Minnestota started issueing permit 7 years before Wisconsin, and Minnesota has a slightly larger population.
Wisconsin has over 240,000 permit as of January 2017.
With a population of 5.8 million, that's over 4% of the population. The CCW rate for eligible adult men is likely closer to 10%
Minnesota has a population of 5.5M, slightly smaller than Wisconsin. CCW rate appears to be about the same.
I see you are correct on Wisconsin’s Populaiton.
But Wisconsin did not start issueing permits until the end of 2011. Wisconsin will likely have more permits than Minnesota by the end of this year.
Oops.
I was wrong. Wisconsin has already greatly exceeded Minnesota’s permit numbers.
Wisconsin had more than 320,000 at the end of 2016.
http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2017/01/wi-concealed-carry-permits-top-320000.html
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