Handgun concealment laws in Texas

M

MEATSAW

New member
I have been looking into getting a CHL in Texas (I just moved here 2 months ago) and I read something that I was hoping to get further clarification on. According to what I read "concealed" means the gun cannot be visible or discernable through ordinary observation. Does that mean if your weapon "prints" you are in the wrong? What exactly is ordinary observation? Or for that matter discernable? Seems a little ambiguous to me.
 
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/InternetForms/Forms/CHL-16.pdf

(3) "Concealed handgun" means a handgun, the presence of which is not openly discernible to the ordinary observation of a reasonable person.
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PC §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.
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Printing is not supposed to be a problem. I won't say that you won't get harassed in certain parts of the state.
 
To a great degree, it depends upon where you are. If you're in an urban area, say....Harris or Dallas counties, for example, and an LEO catches it, he's not going to ignore it. He's going to detain you and give you a hard time. You might even get a ride down to the station in the comfy backseat of a patrol car. Will you actually get arrested? Probably not, but why take a chance?

In most rural areas, as long as your firearm isn't visible, you'll likely be left alone.
 
I live and work in a rural area (Burnet, TX is the biggest city around). So I doubt I will ever be spending a great deal in big cities, but that's a good point. I just got a new holster for my carry gun (H&K P2000) and if I wear a shirt that is not loose fitting it will print. That's what made me think to look into it a little further. I don't want my rights revoked because someone calls the cops on me in the grocery store 'cause my gun printed when I bent over to put some cheerios in my cart.
 
Beautiful area you've moved to, Meatsaw, I'm up there at least once a week on my motorcycle, love the countryside ... as for printing, most of my carry is pocket, and with a loose shirt, my PM9 is pretty much invisible ... with a bigger gun, I agree that you might be stopped for printing in Austin or some other quasi-San Francisco location, but out in the boonies, you won't be bothered ...
 
Unless you have to dress up - I get big floppy old shirts at WalMart on the cheap. Works for me in the TX climate.

Bass Pro - that's a drive for you - also has sales on big floppy lightweight fishing oriented shirts. I have a few of those.

I also bought some lt. weight tropical concealed carry vests. Maybe I look like a gun guy but I haven't noticed any undo attention. At work, some people think they look nice. Note these are nicer than my shooting vests - made for everyday wear.

Anyway, welcome to TX. :)
 
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