Texas: Push for Open Carry

[Colonel Dan, SASS #24025]

I would not be surprised if such legislation comes to pass in the not too distant future...

 

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TEXAS_GUN_RIGHTS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-12-14-14-41-08

 

 

[G. I. Tarpicker, SASS #998]

The Texas State Rifle Association usually has up-to-date info on pending legislation here: https://www.tsra.com/-- GIT

[Tell Sackett SASS 18436]

I'd be surprised. I remember how hard it was to get CONCEALED carry passed here.

[Oklahoma Dee]

Based on my observation, Texas is clearly way behind in this portion of state to state comparisons for open carry.

There is no reason for it not to pass.

[Horace Patootie, SASS #35798]

Based on my observation, Texas is clearly way behind in this portion of state to state comparisons for open carry.

There is no reason for it not to pass.

+1

[El Paso Bob, SASS # 71572]

Wonder how it would work down here in El Paso, so many non-citizens here walking around here and I am sure the courts would not allow a citizen check for those carrying weapons.

Maybe only CHL holders should be allowed to open carry.

[Tell Sackett SASS 18436]

Maybe. Lots of details would need to be worked out. Also. if businesses can keep out wearers at their whim, would kind of defeat the whole purpose. If that were the case, we'd be better off with concealed.

[Blackwater 53393]

You should do like Tennessee!! Ours is a carry permit!! You choose how you wish to carry and deal with it like free citizens should. I have no problem with law enforcement asking to see my credentials. None ever have, but I don't have a problem with it.

 

In El Paso, if the precedent is set and officers do in fact check when permits become legal, folks will accept the situation and the profiling BS will be curtailed. If you don't have a permit, make it so arrest and jail time are mandatory. If you are caught carrying and are not a legal citizen, a hearing to acertain the fact and immediate on the spot deportation!! Watch that clean up several nagging problems all in one sweep!!

[Augustus Goodnight]

Way behind is right OK. Dee.

 

I hope Texas will soon join the ranks of the Gold Star Open Carry States.

 

JFYI: AZ, NM, NV, ID, MT, WY, SD, KS, AR, MS, KY, VA, VT, & AK are Gold Star Open Carry states.

[Col. Nathan C. Riddles, SASS # 7462]

Col. Dan, it has passed the Senate and needs to be passed by the House and will then go to Gov. Abbott for his signature & he has already stated that he will sign it. But it won't become law until 9-1-15 unless the Gov. updates it to an earlier date. However there are two things I don't like about the bill. 1. Only concealed handgun licensees will be allowed to openly carry, & 2. the bill tries to regulate the type of holster used to the type required to be used by police officers, so that someone couldn't come up and grab your gun out of the holster.

 

I urge all Texans to call write or email your state senators & ask them to strike # 2 from the bill. As concealed handgun licensees we are not required to use any specific holster. Another problem that arises with the bill is that most carriers usually carry a small compact gun and level two and three holsters are not made for them. The guns I most commonly carry on a daily basis are a Sig P938, a Kimber Micro Raptor, a Kimber Ultra CDP, a Springfield EMP, & a Colt Detective Special. When OC becomes law here in TX I may carry a 1911 or CZ 2075 Compact, or an HK. I already have good retention holsters for them and don't want to have to go out and buy more holsters just because some politician who has never carried a gun in his life thinks it's a good idea.

[Rex M Rugers #6621]

I'm with you on the holster issue, Col. Riddles. When open carry started gaining ground , my vision was a nice fully tooled El Paso Saddlery or Kirkpatrick or some custom maker. If it's going to show , I'd rather show style than Kydex or nylon.

Rex

[Ramblin Gambler]

Maybe. Lots of details would need to be worked out. Also. if businesses can keep out wearers at their whim, would kind of defeat the whole purpose. If that were the case, we'd be better off with concealed.

 

I have no problem with that and don't understand why anyone else would. If a business owner doesn't want my business for any reason, that's fine by me. I'd prefer them let me know so I can stop patronizing them. I would hope if I had a business I could refuse service to anyone too.

 

Col. Dan, it has passed the Senate and needs to be passed by the House and will then go to Gov. Abbott for his signature & he has already stated that he will sign it. But it won't become law until 9-1-15 unless the Gov. updates it to an earlier date. However there are two things I don't like about the bill. 1. Only concealed handgun licensees will be allowed to openly carry, & 2. the bill tries to regulate the type of holster used to the type required to be used by police officers, so that someone couldn't come up and grab your gun out of the holster.

 

 

 

You've got to be kidding me, I didn't realize that. #2 really ticks me off. With that, CCP holders won't even have protection if we accidentally flash our gun.

[Col. Nathan C. Riddles, SASS # 7462]

Last week in the Texas Senate acted on SB 17, Licensed Open Carry by Sen. Estes and SB 11, Concealed Carry on Campus by Sen. Birdwell. Both bills passed in Senate State Affairs Committee. These two priority measures become eligible to be listed on the Senate Intent Calendar tomorrow. This means in the next few weeks both should move to the Senate floor for debate.

Read the letter to Lt. Governor Dan Patrick from A&M Chancellor John Sharp. With a total enrollment of 62,185 students, Texas A&M is the largest university in the state and 4th largest in the country. The undergraduate student body (47, 567 students) voted in favor of this important form of personal protection and are supported by their administration.

[El Paso Bob, SASS # 71572]

Maybe. Lots of details would need to be worked out. Also. if businesses can keep out wearers at their whim, would kind of defeat the whole purpose. If that were the case, we'd be better off with concealed.

I have seen more private no weapons decals on buisness in Arizona than I have ever seen in Texas. In fact, I have never seen one on any buisness in El Paso. Is it because the open carry there that has concerned buisness owners (did not spend a penny at any of them)

If the open carry passes in Texas I would still carry concealed. I don't need to go out and have attention drawn to me or show off my weapons to the public, next thing you know some idiot is tackling me entering Walmart.

The good part is not worring about my weapon marking or accidental exposure with open carry.

The other good thing about concealed carry is when your standing in line at the Post Office and you realize your carrying, you can discreetly go to the truck and drop off your weapon, with open carry, if you walk in with your open carry and get in line at the post office, it's too late!!!

[Col. Nathan C. Riddles, SASS # 7462]

EPB, I've been back to AZ many times, most recently as last Oct. & I never saw any business in Phoenix or the suburbs that was posted. But I've seen plenty in Tombstone, more than the rest of the state put together.

 

I'd like to see H.B. 195, Constitutional or 2nd Amendment carry passed. I've seen days here in west TX chilly enough in the early morning to need a sweater or jacket & blazing hot by noon. I'd like the option to carry openly instead of leaving my gun in the office or wear the jacket to cover it & burn up.

 

Until recently, the only establishment I've seen posted were bars & night clubs. Now Jarreds and our mall are posted. I've never shopped @ Jarreds, & I no longer shop @ the mall. The mall posted it at the order of Simon Properties Mgmt (Indianapolis IN) who manages the mall, after 19 years of CHL in TX & no incidents SPM decides they want to ban honest law abiding citizens from the malls that they manage.

[Colonel Lou]

I agree with El Paso Bob, as I will continue to carry concealed if open carry is passed. I also think if we pass open carry in Texas, only CCL personnel should be allowed to open carry due to the requirements to obtain the concealed permit. The background checks, fingerprints, legal training and qualification helps to weed out those we do not want to be able to carry. While in Virginia I saw a guy who was taking the class for CCL and during his qulaification shot the target mechanism track and the ceiling with all his rounds. Guy should not be allowed to carry if he can not hit the target at those distances. That being said, I concur with the program of raining and testing prior to issuance of a permit. Are we foregoing this process when we vote to allow open carry?

[Col. Nathan C. Riddles, SASS # 7462]

Way behind is right OK. Dee.

 

I hope Texas will soon join the ranks of the Gold Star Open Carry States.

 

JFYI: AZ, NM, NV, ID, MT, WY, SD, KS, AR, MS, KY, VA, VT, & AK are Gold Star Open Carry states.

 

AG, just what do you mean by "Gold Star Carry" states? I've only heard the term used as gold star mothers of sons killed in action in WWII.

 

I agree with El Paso Bob, as I will continue to carry concealed if open carry is passed. I also think if we pass open carry in Texas, only CCL personnel should be allowed to open carry due to the requirements to obtain the concealed permit. The background checks, fingerprints, legal training and qualification helps to weed out those we do not want to be able to carry. While in Virginia I saw a guy who was taking the class for CCL and during his qulaification shot the target mechanism track and the ceiling with all his rounds. Guy should not be allowed to carry if he can not hit the target at those distances. That being said, I concur with the program of raining and testing prior to issuance of a permit. Are we foregoing this process when we vote to allow open carry?

 

CW, we don't have CCP or CCL in Texas. It is a Concealed Handgun License. That means you can't carry a knife w/a 6" blade or a pair of nunchukas in your pocket. The only "weapon" you can carry concealed in TX is a handgun. There is no firearms training to acquire a CHL. You'd better know how to shoot before you take the course. There is a proficiency test in which one shoots 50 rds @ a DPS silhouette target from 3, 7, & 15 yds. One must score 200 out of a possible 250 to pass.

 

At this time, there are 5 states that have Constitutional Carry (or 2A carry) laws: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Vermont, and Wyoming, with others pending in Colorado, New Hampshire, Kansas, Mississippi, and Montana. Five states have NO license/permit requirements for cc (e.g. West Virginia is pending this week to be the sixth state.) which means you can carry openly or concealed w/o license. No permit or license (or lack thereof) is going to stop a criminal from carrying a gun, and only the dumbest of the dumb will carry it openly. If he's a convicted felon & he gets caught in possession of any firearm he's going right back to prison for a long time

 

I would like to see 2A (H.B 195) carry passed in TX but I don't think it will pass this legislature. It will probably be in the next session or possibly even 4 years from now that we see that passed.