Concealed handgun permits are on the rise locally, reflecting a trend that has become common nationwide in recent years.

According to Gloucester Circuit Court Clerk Margaret Walker, issuance of concealed permits nearly doubled between 2011 and 2012.

In 2011, 497 permits were issued in Gloucester, while 780 were issued in 2012. As of April 30, 545 permits have been issued in 2013 in Gloucester; nearly 300 more than those issued at the same time last year, she said.

This trend is also reflected in Mathews County. There, Circuit Court Clerk Angela Ingram said 107 permits were issued in that county in 2011; 187 in 2012. So far this year, she said the clerk’s office has issued 70 permits.

Randy Greene, owner of Six Rivers Armory at Hayes, said he has only been open for about two-and-a-half years, but in that time, he has seen a definite increase in sales. "It’s been most noticeable in the last five months," Greene said. "We’ve had a huge increase in the number of...