By John McCarthy
The Associated Press

COLUMBUS - The state's concealed weapons law has not produced the number of applications that backers envisioned, but it's too soon be tinkering with it, the bill's sponsor said Tuesday.

Ohio's 88 county sheriffs, who issue the permits, have given out about 22,000 applications since the law took effect on April 8, said Robert Cornwell, executive director of the Buckeye State Sheriffs Association. That's about half as many as backers had predicted by this point.

Rep. Jim Aslanides, a Coshocton Republican who sponsored the bill, said he expected 100,000 applicants the first year. That figure is likely to be around 50,000, he said.

The low numbers could indicate dissatisfaction with the law, but more information needs to be gathered before lawmakers revisit it, Aslanides said.

"We are gathering as much information as we can in our office and will look at possible parts of concealed-carry that we may need to address," Aslanides said.

Attorney General Jim Petro's office added a concealed-weapons information page to its Web site in April. From April 1 through Monday, 4,422 people had downloaded a copy of the law from the site, while a sign for property owners to post if they forbid the carrying of weapons on their premises had been copied 783 times, Petro spokeswoman Kim Norris said.

Aslanides said it was unlikely his office would collect enough information for the Legislature to act before the current session ends at the end of the year. But opponents expect plenty of amending soon.

"Across the country, the gun lobby repeatedly comes back. They'll ask to do it all," said Toby Hoover of the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence.

Those who think the law is restrictive are upset with what they see as uneven issuance of applications and processing of permits among the 88 sheriffs.

"It is a serious problem when you have sheriffs who are only taking 40 applications a week. They are restricting it to a day or two. That's why we're trying to work with the BSSA to try to end those problems," said Chad Baus, a spokesman for Ohioans for Concealed Carry. "If the sheriffs can't do that, then we'll work to get the law changed."

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On the Net:

Attorney General Jim Petro: http://www.ag.state.oh.us/index.asp

Buckeye State Sheriffs Association: http://www.buckeyesheriffs.org/

Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence: http://www.ocagv.org/

Ohioans for Concealed Carry: http://www.ofcc.net/