View Full Version : Open carry law in Texas
If you live in Texas and you like the idea of carrying your handgun without a license go to this site and sign the petition if you haven't already done so.
http://www.opencarry.org
Change your post topic. I don't think you have to be from Texas to sign..?
Texans hit that poll!
I'm all for open carry without any type of license or permit.
As long as it openly displayed and you are a law abiding Texan,
then it's your right to bear arms.
The only license that should be required is if you want to carry
concealed.
Just like that Merle Haggard/Willie Nelson song, "Poncho and Lefty".
"Poncho wore his gun outside his pants for all the honest world
to see."
Couple of questions.
1. Is any form of open carry allowed in Texas? For example you are camping and you have a pistol on your hip? Or you live out in the sticks on a large piece of land and you are wearing a pistol.
2. Why would anyone want to open carry at the store, mall, etc..etc..
Just asking and no I am not trying to piss in the Cheerios.
thopkins22
12-02-08, 09:55
Couple of questions.
1. Is any form of open carry allowed in Texas? For example you are camping and you have a pistol on your hip? Or you live out in the sticks on a large piece of land and you are wearing a pistol.
2. Why would anyone want to open carry at the store, mall, etc..etc..
Just asking and no I am not trying to piss in the Cheerios.
Open carry of long guns is legal. Handguns are not. Open carry on private property is legal, so long as it's not prohibited by the property owner.
I wouldn't want to carry in stores/malls etc... And I *doubt* open carry laws would supersede private property rights. I'm sure malls prohibit open carry.
shadowalker
12-02-08, 10:00
Thanks for having an open mind, open carry is one of the things a lot of people attack because they themselves can't see themselves doing it.
I live in Idaho where open carry is allowed without a permit. I also have a CWL and carry 80+ hours a week, about 80% concealed and 20% open carry. In Idaho I've yet to see any private property posted that open carry is not allowed, owners of private property can ask you to leave if open carrying and if you don't you can be charged with trespass. Wal-Mart is known to ask people to leave the firearm in the vehicle because they are a "family store."
I thought about open carry for about two years before I actually did it because I wanted to fully understand my motivation. Idaho is very firearm friendly and there are very few restrictions on where you can carry. I've carried in banks, department stores, restaurants, anywhere I go on a daily basis and haven't had a major problem, I have received a lot of nods and smiles and had employees ask me to reach things on high shelves, etc.
Open carrying does require higher situational awareness than concealed carry and weapon retention must be considered. I use a retention holster but don't depend on it for retention.
#1 It is my right to carry a firearm and to defend myself. I may choose to conceal it for any number of reasons but should not have an obligation to do so.
#2 It is often more comfortable, especially during the summer. Some people have a hard time concealing full size firearms, open carry allows them greater weapon flexibility.
#3 It makes the person into an ambassador for the gun community, today most people associate guns with bad people. When they see a well dressed, well groomed, respectful person that happens to be carrying a gun it is an opportunity for them to change their stereotype and also to ask questions. The idea is the more they see people open carrying the less of a big deal it is until eventually it is a normal part of society again.
I've had people ask what I'm carrying, why I'm carrying, what the laws are for carrying, etc. Basically made good connections with curious people and as a result several of them have purchased firearms and obtained concealed weapon licenses.
#4 It is faster to draw when open carrying than from concealment, particularly deep concealment.
#5 This is often argued about and it isn't a driving factor for me but some people open carry as a deterrent to attack. The theory is if the BG knows you are armed he will pick someone else. The counter argument to this is that the BG knows you are armed and may ambush you, or take you out first as you are a known threat to him and may also think you are law enforcement.
I can see how it could go either way.
#6 In Idaho you don't need a license to open carry but you do to conceal carry, some people don't like the idea of being on a government controlled list of gun owners :)
NinjaMedic
12-02-08, 10:30
It most likely will not pass this session and could draw attention and support from some very important texas gun bills including parking lot laws and campus carry. The NRA and TSRA will not allow that to happen if they feel that it will endanger their legislation. You should be much more concerned about where you ca carry rather than how. I am currently unarmed up to 75% of the time due to he fact that my employer (a city government) will fire me for having a firearm in my vehicle so I am disarmed on the way to and from work this is a much bigger issue to me and most others than being able to openly carry even though I would like the option.
Signed it!
I assume that it's not one or the other if it should ever pass... You could open carry when you want to as long as the possession isn't banned on certain properties, and as long as you had a Concealed Carry License you could do that as well when you wanted to?
Just to clarify I am not attacking open carry- just wanted to be clear. I personally have done it in Nevada. In my new home state of Arizona it is also legal. But, I prefer to carry concealed.
Obviously there are certain outdoor activities that I participate in where open carry just makes sense and I do it.
Scott Gerber
12-02-08, 11:25
Even though I live in Indiana, I signed it... Sure would love to live in Texas some day, maybe the Austin area....
Scott
Just wanted to say that I saw at the top where it says Eligible Signatories: Residents of Texas.
Scott Gerber
12-02-08, 11:43
Yea, I figured my signiture would be invalid being out of state. Just mark me up as a "wanta-be".... :D
Scott
Change your post topic. I don't think you have to be from Texas to sign..?
I'm not changing anything. I never said you had to be from Texas to sign...I appreciate everyone that signs this thing regardless of where they're from.
Jay Cunningham
12-02-08, 16:41
I am going to be very clear and up front for the record:
At the first sign of this thread becoming a soap box for the politics of The Open Carry Movement I will lock it and hand out infractions.
Discuss OC if you must, sign the petition if you desire but if you are an OC Activist Type I won't tolerate it. Go to PAFOA if the previous description fits.
You have all been fairly warned.
.... Sure would love to live in Texas some day, maybe the Austin area....Scott
Austin is just a big stinking nest of Liberals.
The Twilight Zone of the Lone Star State.
If you gave Texas an enema, guess where.....
Come to Ft. Worth, you'll be glad you did.
It's true. Austin, even Dallass are alot alike. Ft. Worth is worlds apart. But Ft. Worth is great, if you consider a big city great. But you can still hunt deer in Tarrant county, home of Ft. Worth. And yes, they are there. Turkey and other game too.
People behave more like people in Ft. Worth than any big Texas city I've been too. Great place.
dog
Of course I signed. And there ARE signatures from other states on there. (But I am from Texas, so..)
Can someone explain to me what The_Katar is talking about? Sorry if this is a dumb question....
SeriousStudent
12-02-08, 22:04
I signed the petition.
I live in Dallas.
And I love Fort Worth. :D
Can someone explain to me what The_Katar is talking about? Sorry if this is a dumb question....
Yeah, no offense. The PAOF--what? I can only guess this has been covered and beaten to death and gotten ugly, but that is only an assumption. Political? This IS a forum about guns. What gives? With all respect, from a FNG (on here, just on here!:D)
dog
PAFOA= Pennsylvania Firearms Owners Assoc. What the Katar is referring to is the fact that these types of debate turn into the 9MM v. .45 debate. People start saying that open carry is stupid because it draws attention to yourself, the other side says that open carry will deter criminals and round and round it will go.
It's kind of like the Skippy v. Peter Pan Peanut Butter thing.
Yeah, no offense. The PAOF--what? I can only guess this has been covered and beaten to death and gotten ugly, but that is only an assumption. Political? This IS a forum about guns. What gives? With all respect, from a FNG (on here, just on here!:D)
dog
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