Businesses and training companies have reported a massive increase in interest among Americans to carry concealed, if the number of applicants for classes on right-to-carry tactics is any indication.
Interest in firearms typically skyrockets after a highly publicized mass shooting, like the one at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Fla., as people become more aware of the need to protect themselves and their loved ones.
“There’s been a lot of shootings, unfortunately, in this country, but we’ve never seen a spike this big before, even with Newtown,” Chris Schultrop, CEO and co-founder of National Carry Academy (NCA), a Minnesota concealed-carry training network with courses in 27 states, told The Independent.
The article speculates that part of the recent growth is connected to the fact that the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017—backed by NRA and passed by the House last year—has stalled in the Senate. That can be coupled with heavy calls from media and anti-gun organizations (including Moms Demand Action and Everytown For Gun Safety) for more restrictions on law-abiding citizens who want to buy guns.
The NCA reported a 103.5 percent increase in the number of people signing up for its training after the Parkland, Fla., shooting. Similarly, Concealed Carry Inc., a training network offering classes in 28 states, said it saw a 250 percent increase in inquiries in Florida in the two months since the incident.
