License to carry classes in Lubbock are seeing a spike in interest. According to DPS LTC holders have doubled in number within the last three years in Lubbock County.

“This is playing catch up and not living up to the reputation that people think about Texas,” said LTC instructor Daniel Sickles.

Since 1995 Texas has allowed gun owners to obtain a license to carry a concealed hand gun and since January Texans can now openly carry a hand gun.

West Texas is contributing to the fast paced growth of Texans getting their LTC.

“People want to increase the level of their safety and one way to do that is after you’ve installed your home security system, monitors, and level of alarm another way to do that is actually carry a firearm,” said Sickles.

LTC instructor Daniel Sickles said open carry and campus carry are contributors to the rise.

“I would say the top of the list would be security, right under security would be recreational shooting we get a lot of people who shot with a friend for the first time, shot for the first time and had a blast,” said Sickles. “Also there is a strong point to be made about investment- guns don’t depreciate the way other things in our society do, guns always hold a value.”

Sickles said he anticipates the number of Lubbockites signing up for their hand gun license to double this year.
 
“With the general election this year there’s probably going to be I imagine an increase in numbers,” he said.

According to DPS, Texas does not have the highest amount of LTC holders in the country.  1,017,618 people in Texas are licensed to carry handguns. Texas falls behind Florida who has 1.75 million registered LTC holders.