Open Carry in Texas

[MachIVshooter]

I lived in PA.

Open Carry ... no open land

Moved to TX ... no open land, no open carry.

Moved to NM ... ahhhhhhhhh!!!

That's funny. I have noticed that Texas is almost 100% private land.

The no open carry and force of law "no gun signs" have always struck me as strange for such a conservative and otherwise gun friendly state.

Here in CO, despite the alarming concentration of anti's in major metro areas, we still have unrestricted OC (except Denver), lots of public land, and "no gun" signs on businesses may as well be toilet paper.

 

[UpTheIrons]

http://youtu.be/0b6UJsfTAnA

No open carry in Tex? Wow, what happened? How did Texans loose the righht to openly carry a gun and who's responsable?

You can thank Reconstruction for that.

The state's constitution was rewritten in such a way that the legislature got to write all gun laws so that gun freedom was very limited when one wasn't on private property.

It wasn't until 1996 that sanity prevailed and Concealed Carry was passed.
It wasn't until 2009 that the Motorist Protection Act passed, and one could keep a handgun concealed in one's vehicle (without a CHL) without proving that you were "traveling".
Hopefully, in 2011, the Parking Lot Bill and the Campus Carry Bill will pass (we're SO close!).
Open Carry will frankly have to wait until 2013. It will not get out of the Calendars Committee this session. Heck, the only way Campus Carry is going to pass is as an amendment to another bill - the House version of CC is also stuck in the Calendars Committee.

 

[General Geoff]

Just so everyone's clear, only the open carry of handguns is banned in Texas.


Long gun open carry is still perfectly legit.


(And yes, I know that's a FAL, not a shotgun, as the submitter erroneously thought)

 

[patmetz]

I'm glad to see "open carry" is getting some attention in the "leg." now. I probably won't carry openly often, if
ever, but it is an option we all should have.

I just hope the Texas House gets back on the "Parking Lot" bill, HB681, and gets it passed. That's the bill that allows employees to store their handguns in their car on company owned parking lots without fear of being fired
for it.

We need both these bills passed into law. Now!

Walter

http://www.journals.house.state.tx.us/hjrnl/82r/pdf/82RDAY67FINAL.PDF#page=44

Your prayers answered. it took 6 months though

Texas SB 321

 

[Sky]

Open carry has other meanings to me besides walking around with you weapon proudly displayed. I would not carry openly even if I could but that is a personal tactical choice on my part. I think it would be nice to have the law if it protects CCW from accidentally exposing their weapon and being dinged for not concealing...We will see what comes of the Bill....thanks for posting.

 

[verge]

Texas CC law does not penalize for accidental exposure. Most of the time if it is noticed by aLEO you will politely be told to cover.

 

[Steve Raacke]

It's always interesting when someone tells those of us who advocate Open Carry "This isn't Texas".
Duh, in Texas we would not be allowed to OC. Most people who don't live there assume that Texans Open Carry everywhere.

Steve,
Louisiana Open Carry Awareness League (LOCAL)

 

[mortablunt]

^ Well, Texas is THE state with the gun love stereotype. It is too much to ask for people to look things up when T.V. provides all the answers.

 

[doubleh]

I'm from Texas originally. I can't understand why Texas is held up to be the ideal place to be a gun owner. Lots of state are far more firearm friendly than Texas and actually have land where you can use them at no cost.

 

[Texas Gun Person]

Not our fault all the land was sold/given away back in the day to get people to move here. At one point I believe Texas had no public land at all. Now it's around... 2% I think.

 

[Mainsail]

I’ll never forget the guy who approached in a Target store when he noticed me carrying openly. He sort of chuckled and said, “This ain’t Texas you know.”

He later insisted open carry was illegal in Arizona, and he knew because he used to live there.

 

[hermannr]

In the real west, nobody needs any kind of permit to carry a gun, openly or concealed

Which said, I look down on people who carry guns openly in public.

That is fine, I look down on those that want to hide their carry in shame of it being seen. They have no guts, only fears.

 

[TIMC]

That is fine, I look down on those that want to hide their carry in shame of it being seen. They have no guts, only fears.

If it does go into law I will still conceal my handgun; think of it how you will but to me its not hiding it in shame it is gaining an advantage if needed.

All is fair in a gun fight!

 

[mortablunt]

Quote:
Originally Posted by azmjs
In the real west, nobody needs any kind of permit to carry a gun, openly or concealed

Which said, I look down on people who carry guns openly in public.
That is fine, I look down on those that want to hide their carry in shame of it being seen. They have no guts, only fears.

I look down on those who oppose carry and refuse to let people bear arms. Open or concealed, the important thing is that you are exercising your rights and taking a stance for civic order.

I have to carry openly when I carry. I won't bother reiterating again because I've said why so many times. If the only way I can carry is an open longarm, then I'll do that. If the only way I can carry is a hidden handgun, I'll do that. If I cannot carry a firearm, but a knife is fine, I'll do that.

 

[jahwarrior]

azmjs said:

I look down on people who carry guns openly in public.

that's funny, i look down on people who look down on people exercise their Second Amendment right to bear arms.

it's pretty funny how TX gun laws aren't as awesome as you'd think they'd be. i can't tell you how many times i had some idiot tell me, "why ya gotta carry that thing out in public like that? this ain't Texas!"

yeah, this ain't Texas. thankfully. i can carry wherever, and however, i choose.

 

[The Sarge]

I do not speak for all Texans. I can share far and away many Texans feel as I on this subject.
The 2nd Amendment has nothing to do with open carry. The problem is the "RAMBO'S" who want to show off they have a gun. It hurts all of us. Gives the anti's more ammo. Knuckleheads who buy a surplus cop car and run around like they are Special Ops or something.:banghead:
We carry concealed and are protected and postured for quick and effective self defense. We exercise our constitutional rights this way. I do not feel , in anyway, slighted, or having my rights infringed upon by carrying concealed.

 

[NavyLCDR]

I do not feel , in anyway, slighted, or having my rights infringed upon by carrying concealed.

Nor should you. Carrying concealed does not violate or infringe upon anybody's rights. Having to pay the government for permission in order to carry a gun by the only method that government allows does infringe upon the right to self defense, whether or not you agree with open carry.

The problem is the "RAMBO'S" who want to show off they have a gun. It hurts all of us. Gives the anti's more ammo. Knuckleheads who buy a surplus cop car and run around like they are Special Ops or something.

Respectfully, the "RAMBO'S" who want to show off they have a gun hurt the pro-2A movement less than people who profess to be "pro-2A" and make childish and rediculous statements about fellow gun carriers. Attacks from outside the group cause far less damage to the group as a whole than attacks from within the group do.

It's funny how the huge majority of anti-open sentiment comes from people who live in restrictive states who have never open carried during a normal day in their life.

There are only very small differences in the person who open carries v. the person who conceals. The person who open carriers tucks their shirt in behind the gun, the person who conceales wears their shirt over the gun.

The person who open carries hopes that a criminal evaluating potential victims will see the gun and simply allow the armed target to leave, or that the criminal will go down the street one block and choose one of the remaining 99% of the population who do not appear to be armed because the possibility of getting shot far outweighs any benifit gained from attacking the armed person given the huge percentage of the population who do not show the ability to shoot the criminal. The person who conceals hopes that they will be able to counter-attack effectively enough to defend against a criminal who already has the upper hand and has already begun the attack.

It's funny how many times the open carrier is associated with the "wild west" when, in reality, the open carrier hopes his gun will dissuade the criminal by simply remaining in the holster, whereas the concealed carrier is more likely to have to play quick draw gunfighter against a criminal who has already attacked.

 

[jahwarrior]

The 2nd Amendment has nothing to do with open carry. The problem is the "RAMBO'S" who want to show off they have a gun. It hurts all of us. Gives the anti's more ammo. Knuckleheads who buy a surplus cop car and run around like they are Special Ops or something

i drive a minivan; i must be doing the Rambo thing wrong.

the Second Amendment has nothing to do with concealed carry either. it has nothing to do with any method of carry. it doesn't say, "The right to bear concealed arms shall not be infringed." the problem isn't real or imagines Rambos, it's with people like you; you do more harm than good to gun rights. you are the problem; either you support the right to carry, or you don't. you're as bad as the Fudds who say there's no reason anyone should own an AK47 or AR15, since they're not hunting rifles. they don't support gun rights either. people like them, and you, are who's giving the anti-movement the ammuntion they need. all they need to hear is a gun owner taking their side, and all of a sudden we have assault weapons bans, and other various gun control laws passed, all with the blessing of gun owners.

do us a favor, and cancel your NRA/GOA/SAF membership, sell your guns, and join the Brady Campaign/Ceasefire.

 

[NavyLCDR]

i drive a minivan; i must be doing the Rambo thing wrong.

It's not what you drive. It's what you carry....

Dang, that looks a lot like a Washington license plate!

 

[CONNEX 3300]

The 2nd Amendment has nothing to do with open carry

Does it say The right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed provided that the weapon is concealed at the direction gun owners State of residence?

I am not from Texas, but I do have many friends in different parts of the state. All of them support open carry. I personally will not open carry, as I do not want to draw attention to myself. But just because You and I do not open carry does not mean that we should stand by and let a constitutional right be thrown aside.

I personally do not have anything to hide from the police. So should I support legislation allowing the police to search houses and eavesdrop at will without a warrant? NO. We shouldn't let personal whims influence our opinion of the freedoms we have in this country.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The 2nd Amendment has nothing to do with open carry.

What part of "A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" do you not understand?

 

[Mainsail]

The problem is the "RAMBO'S" who want to show off they have a gun.

Your problem is you walk around with your gun hidden in hopes of whipping it out like Dirty Harry and killing someone.

Yeah, makes as much sense.

 

[snakeman]

I'm all for the option to open carry. It will make carrying a proper gun easier during the summer. I would rather get odd looks for carrying my 357 with the grip sticking out of my pants than get hacked to death by the acid dropping idiot who is impervious to a face full of pocket 22 ammo or a two-fer to the chest from a pocket 380.

 

[JustinJ]

Texas CC law does not penalize for accidental exposure. Most of the time if it is noticed by aLEO you will politely be told to cover.

I believe that to be incorrect given the law allows concealed carry only and clearly defines what that term means. If you know of some legislation to the contrary please cite it. A cop may cut somebody some slack if they accidentally show but i wouldn't count on it.

In regards to open carry this has gone before the legislature before and failed so until it passes i'm not getting my hopes up. Even if it passes i'll probably still carry only concealed but be much less vigilant in ensuring my weapon remains so. I prefer OWB carry but its too risky with current laws.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Texas CC law does not penalize for accidental exposure. Most of the time if it is noticed by aLEO you will politely be told to cover.

I believe that to be incorrect given the law allows concealed carry only and clearly defines what that term means. If you know of some legislation to the contrary please cite it. A cop may cut somebody some slack if they accidentally show but i wouldn't count on it.

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/PE/htm/PE.46.htm#46.035

"Sec. 46.035. UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF HANDGUN BY LICENSE HOLDER. (a) A license holder commits an offense if the license holder carries a handgun on or about the license holder's person under the authority of Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, and intentionally fails to conceal the handgun."

Notice the highlighted word.