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By JAY F. MARKS / The Oklahoman

A record number of Oklahomans are seeking permits to carry concealed handguns.

More than 21,000 people applied for concealed-carry permits in 2008, the most since the program began in 1996, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

There have been twice as many applications so far this year as the same point last year, said Felicia Jackson, who manages the permit registry.

“This is kind of a nationwide phenomenon,” Jackson said.

Some firearm instructors attribute the increase to a rise in violent crimes or concerns about President Barack Obama’s policy plans, but OSBI officials refused to speculate.

“It’s probably anyone’s guess, quite frankly,” agency spokeswoman Jessica Brown said.

Midwest City resident Joe Serna got his permit about a year ago. Serna, 50, always liked the idea of owning a handgun.

He said the concealed-carry permit appealed to him because he was interested in protecting himself, but he acknowledges he doesn’t carry his gun that often.

“At first, it was a novelty. You could go into a store and nobody knows you’re packing, so to speak,” he said. “It was kind of cool.”

Tecumseh resident Steve Smith said he got a permit to carry a concealed handgun because he is disabled and not able to protect his family.

William Abbott, one of the dozens of licensed instructors listed by OSBI, said anyone who attends his classes must show they are proficient. He doesn’t have to fail people often, though.

Abbott said classes focus on safety and Oklahoma law.

“If you try to solve all the wrongs of the world, you’re going to get in big trouble,” he said.

MORE INFO

→State residents who are at least 21 years old and complete a firearm safety and training course are eligible for a permit to carry a concealed handgun, according to 1996’s Oklahoma Self-Defense Act.

→Convicted felons and anyone being treated for a mental illness cannot obtain a permit.

→Nearly 78,000 Oklahoma residents have a permit, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

GUYMON

Local licensed concealed carry instructor Lynn Long of Trader’s Pawn on Hwy 54 tells me that he averages teaching a class a month here in the Panhandle and usually has a waiting list from one month to the next. He added that he’s getting firearms in stock now, but the ammo supply continues to be slow.