SAN FRANCISCO — Thousands of California gun enthusiasts hoping to legally carry concealed weapons for personal protection were dealt a setback when a federal appeals court upheld a state law requiring applicants to show a good reason beyond simple safety.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that Americans don’t have a constitutional right to carry concealed guns in public and that California law enforcement officials can require applicants to show “good cause” such as routinely carrying large amounts of money before granting permits.

That ruling undid a previous 2014 ruling of the same court that tossed out the restrictions and prompted thousands of Californians to flood sheriff’s departments with concealed weapons applications seeking the permits for personal safety.

The San Diego sheriff received some 2,463 applications that didn’t show “good cause” and placed them on hold while the court sorted out the issue.

Robert Faigan, a lawyer for the San Diego sheriff, said those applications won’t be granted unless the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the ruling Thursday.