Oklahomans denied gun licenses are rarely prosecuted

While tens of thousands of Oklahomans are issued handgun licenses each year, hundreds are denied the privilege of legally carrying a firearm on their person.

In 2012, the bureau issued nearly 40,000 handgun licenses to Oklahoma residents.

Denials, which can be caused by not paying the required fees, giving false statements or a laundry list of other reasons, numbered only 462 last year.

According to an annual report that details handgun licenses in Oklahoma, the most common reason for denials in 2012 was providing “false and misleading statements” on the application.

The OSBI report shows that 189 of the gun license denials from last year were due to making such statements.

Seventy-seven people were denied their licenses last year because of prior drug convictions, while dozens of others were denied for other reasons related to their criminal pasts.

The OSBI report does not provide detailed information about individual denials.

The report also shows that some applicants were denied their license because they attempted suicide, were being treated for mental illness or because they had a felon living with them.