1 in 20 Cape residents licensed for firearms (MA)

[davepc]

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081005/NEWS/810050334

There are 13,500 people, 5 percent of the total population of the Cape and the Islands, licensed to carry anything from a hunting rifle to a .357 magnum, according to state records.

Tiny Chilmark has the highest percentage of licensed gun owners at 13 percent. And Barnstable may have the highest number of firearms licenses, but its percentage is below the region's average of 5 percent, state records indicate.

"Someone could have a firearm license and not own a gun," said Georgia Critsley, general counsel for the state's Criminal History Systems Board, the state agency that compiles the data.

And that same person with a license could have more than one firearm, Cristley said.

...

Overall, 237,277 of the state's 6.4 million residents are licensed gun owners — just under 4 percent of the population.

That figure has dropped dramatically from the 1.5 million who were licensed before tougher gun laws were approved in the summer of 1998. The reason for that drop depends on who you ask.

[slackmaster]

1. Really bad writing

A license to own a firearm in MA is not a license to carry a loaded firearm, concealed or otherwise.

[spin]

2. There are more people licensed to carry concealed in Florida...

than there are people licensed to own firearms in Massachusetts.

Guns do not have to be registered in Massachusetts, but dealers do have to log the sale of guns with the state. Those records are not public, Cristley said.

Overall, 237,277 of the state's 6.4 million residents are licensed gun owners — just under 4 percent of the population.
http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081005/NEWS/810050334

According to the Concealed Weapon / Firearm Summary Report issued monthly by Florida, 520,443 concealed weapons permits are currently valid. Note that far more people in Florida own firearms but do not have carry permits.
http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/stats/cw_monthly.html

Of course, the population of Massachusetts is 6,437,193 while the population of Florida is 18,089,888 (2006 estimate).
http://www.classbrain.com/artstate/publish/article_1230.shtml

Still I found the factoid interesting.

edited to correct spelling