Huff said the researchers started out wanting to know how people who carry handguns or have them in their homes for self-defense mitigate the risk of accidentally firing the weapon. The professors soon realized there are a whole host of risks handgun owners face.

“It was sort of like unraveling something and realizing all these risks that gun owners understand they assume when they decide to carry a gun,” Huff said.

For instance, handgun owners with licenses to carry must understand the laws within their state governing how and where they are permitted to openly carry their gun, she said. The professors learned that people who carry guns have varying views on displaying their weapons, some feeling they would be targeted first if a threat materializes and others thinking they would be less likely to be victimized if their gun is showing.

Training differences

Since the training required to obtain a license to carry varies greatly by state, the extent to which handgun owners are trained to use their firearms and respond in self-defense also varies, the professors said. While Texas requires permit applicants to complete hands-on training, people in Oregon applying for a concealed handgun license must only show they’ve passed an online handgun safety class, the researchers said.