Wisconsin Milestone: 300,000 Concealed-Carry Permits Issued

posted on April 4, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

Last month, the Firearms Unit of the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Criminal Information Bureau issued its 300,000th concealed-carry permit since the state’s Right-to-Carry law was passed in 2011. 

The department has reported record high levels of handgun hotline background check and concealed-carry applications in recent months, with no slowdown in sight. Since the first day of 2016, nearly 20,000 concealed-carry applications have been processed, while the handgun hotline completed more than 45,000 background checks. This is in contrast to the entire year of 2015, where 45,549 carry applications and 131,648 handgun hotline background checks were requested.

Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Scheme was quoted by local NBC 26 as saying, “The dedicated professionals at the Department of Justice have provided a safe, secure and efficient process for the issuance of concealed-carry permits since 2011 … Wisconsin has always had a rich tradition of firearms ownership, and I am proud to lead the agency that ensures law-abiding citizens can exercise their rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment.”

Latest

NRA member illustration
NRA member illustration

Parting Shot | There is a Time to Rejoice

When fighting for your constitutional rights, it can be tough to know when—if ever—to sit back for a moment and favorably review the scene.

Hawaii’s Concealed Carry is a Fraud

Hawaii’s legislative response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen decision has created a concealed-carry permitting system that is, by design, practically impossible for a law-abiding citizen to navigate without committing a felony.

President Trump Signs Legislation to Support Medal of Honor Recipients

In an Oval Office ceremony, President Donald Trump signed the Medal of Honor Act into law. This legislation increases the monthly special pension for living Medal of Honor recipients.

Dispelling Anti-Gun Disinformation | Here Are 10 Lies About Guns And Crime The Trump Administration Has Exposed

Crime is a major problem in the United States, 66% of Americans believe, with 81% saying it is a major problem in large cities, according to an August 2025 poll by the Associated Press/NORC [previously the National Opinion Research Center].

The Greatest Second Amendment Victory in a Century

On July 4, 2025, Americans celebrated not only our nation’s independence, but also the restoration of our constitutional Second Amendment rights becoming unconstrained by burdensome and arbitrary fees.

Opening Salvo | More Evidence That Gun-Control Groups are Freaking Out

With the Trump administration’s law-and-order push showing America’s crime problem is clearly not the fault of lawfully armed citizens, gun-control groups are freaking out.

Interests



Get the best of America's 1st Freedom delivered to your inbox.