COLUMBUS — Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine (R) has released the Concealed Handgun License (CHL) statistics for the third quarter of 2016, setting new records.

The third quarter of 2016 was the busiest third quarter in history almost ensuring that more initial licenses will be issued in 2016 than any other year. There are now over 574,000 valid Ohio CHLs.

In addition to Ohio license holders, the state also honors an estimated 12,300,000 more licenses and permits from other states. All told, nearly 13 million U.S. citizens can now legally carry a concealed handgun in Ohio.

Stats at a glance:

• For the first time, there are more than 574,000 active Ohio CHLs.
• 25,474 is the most initial CHLs ever issued in a third quarter.
• This is a 59 percent increase over the same period the prior year.
• The 85 percent renewal rate was the highest ever renewal rate for a quarter.
• 25,474 regular CHLs, 8,754 renewals and 10 TELs meant a total of 34,238 licenses were issued in the quarter.
• More initial CHLs (93,851) were issued in the first nine months of 2016 than in 2004, 2005, and 2006 combined.
• There are 4 percent more active CHLs than there were just three months ago.
• There are 21 percent more active CHLs than there were just one year ago.
• Sheriffs issued over 15 CHLs per hour.
• Sheriffs issued over 500 CHLs per week (almost double historical average).
• The odds are now 1:16 that any adult you see has a CHL.
• Revocation rate is about 0.4 percent.

“None of this is surprising,” said Jim Irvine, Board President of Buckeye Firearms Association. “Ohio concealed carry instructors remain swamped with demand for their classes.”

Irvine continued, “We were widely criticized for supporting a reduction in required training from 12 to 8 hours. The reason was simple; we wanted more people to get training. The numbers indicate that the change in required training is having the effect we intended.”

“It is always difficult to assign specific reasons for behavior. Certainly multiple high profile terrorist attacks internationally, and at home have contributed to people taking an interest in their own safety. Many people thought the terror would end following Ramadan, then the election, but it is clear that terror is something we will have to deal with in our country going forward.”

“Data continues to support a theory expressed by Professor Brian Anse Patrick at the University of Toledo that demand has not leveled off, but is increasing over time. Concealed carry used to be mostly hard core gun owners, but it has become increasingly popular with soccer moms and others who just want to be safe in their everyday life. Concealed carry is rapidly becoming mainstream.”

“While no large group of people is perfect, Concealed Handgun License holders in Ohio and other states have proven to be considerably more law-abiding than the population at large.”