To CHL or Not ?

[NeverBefore]

Hello, could someone point me to a link for information regarding advantages / disadvantages of obtaining a CHL in Texas? Specifically in terms of how and where I can carry a firearm without a CHL and what restrictions? Also, are there additional liabilities to the holder of a CHL (higher standards to the law)? Just some summary points would be very helpful. For instance, can I carry a firearm in my car, in the open without a CHL? If I drive into a city with restrictions what then?

Thank you!
NB

[Teamless]

Should you - simple answer - YES

you are asking for a lot of answers, but in general
where can you carry, - most everywhere with few exceptions
This is where a CHL Class would most benefit you, to learn the exceptions.

I can say, in my past 3 years or so of carrying, other than in bars, I have only been restricted from carrying probably 10-15 times, including inside school buildings or professional sporting events.

in your car, as long as you are legally allowed to carry a gun, you can have a gun - CONCEALED
Google Texas Motorist Protection Act for details

Can you Open Carry - NO - except on your owned property, and even there, just learn more before you do.


Are CHLs held to a higher standard than non-CHLs - NO

Why do you want a CHL? Or what interests you, this is probably the better reason than asking us to justify why to or not to.

Again, take a CHL class, learn more about it.

Good Luck

[The Annoyed Man]

When people tell me that they're uncertain about whether or not to take the class and get the license, I tell them that they should do it. Even if you don't plan to carry a gun regularly, having the license gives you the option of carrying one without breaking the law when you think you need to.

Think of having a CHL and carrying a gun regularly in the same way you think about having a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. You have no plans to have a fire in your kitchen, but you keep a fire extinguisher there for the peace of mind of knowing that, heaven forbid it should become necessary, you will have the means of putting out that fire. There is a certain degree of peace of mind which comes with the knowledge that you are prepared. Imagine that you actually have a grease fire in the kitchen, and you realize that you don't have a fire-extinguisher because you thought that the odds of every actually needing one were too low to justify the time, money, and effort to get one. You would suddenly very much regret the decision not to get one. You might regret it every more if that fire resulted in the death or disfigurement of your spouse or children, or other loved ones.

Now, getting a fire extinguisher for your kitchen doesn't mean that you have to get a huge industrial sized unit and hang it on the wall in plain sight, messing with the design appeal of your kitchen—into which you also have invested some time and money. You can get a smaller unit and keep it concealed in the cupbord under the kitchen sink. And maybe once in a while you take the thing out and make sure that the gauge indicates that it is still charged so that you can replace/refill it if it isn't.....and then you can forget about it again because you've taken care of it, and you get the peace of mind of knowing that it is there, fully charged, if you need it.

Carrying a gun is a LOT like that. A gun is useless to you if you don't have it with you at the time you need it. Some people choose to carry a full-sized "duty" weapon, and then they make their wardrobe work around it. Other's buy and carry the tiniest, least effective, pocket pistol they can so that they don't have to figure out where or how to carry it. But the vast majority of us choose a pistol of sufficient caliber to be effective in self defense, but compact enough to carry well in a holster without being too hard to conceal. Examples would be the compact/subcompact versions of semiautos like Springfield XD/XDM Compacts/subcompacts and XDS microcompact, Glock Compacts/subcompacts, S&W M&P Compacts/subcompacts and the M&P microcompact "Shield," Kahr PM/CM microcompacts and CW subcompact series pistols, and Commander and Officer sized 1911s from various manufacturers. Most of these are offered in calibers .45 ACP, .40 S&W, and 9mm. Other popular choices are S&W "J-frame" snubnose pistols in .38 Special and .357 magnum, and their equivalent models from other manufacturers. Many of us, myself included, own more than one pistol in order to give ourselves options according to how we feel (do you have back problems) to how hot it is.

If you choose this path, one thing you will discover is that within a couple of weeks, you will realize that you feel naked when you aren't carrying. It will rapidly become as second nature as carrying a pocket knife or your wallet, and it will bug the heck out of you if you forget it at home.....just like it would bug you if you left home and discovered you had forgotten your wallet. I don't give anymore thought to which gun I'm going to carry and by what means than I do to choosing whether to wear a long sleeve or short sleeve shirt that day. And just like with the shirt, once I've put it on, I forget about it.

There's a frequent saying in the CHL community, which applies to fire extinguishers as much as it does to CCW: "Guess right, or carry 24/7."

[TexasCajun]

Here's the link to the actual Texas laws
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/internetfo ... chl-16.pdf

I advise anyone who can qualify and is willing to take responsibility for their own & their family's safety to take the class & get their chl. While we aren't held to a higher standard, the track record of Texas chl holders demonstrates that even if we were, it wouldn't be a problem.

[gthaustex]

Welcome NeverBefore. Yes you should apply and get a Texas CHL if possible. As outlined above, it gives you options that are not available otherwise in terms of where / when you can carry. I strongly agree with TAM when he says that you will get used to carrying and then feeling naked without it. The knowledge gained in a Texas CHL class is nothing earthshattering in terms of opening ones eyes, yet I would venture to guess that much of the material covered is something that 99% of the populace out there is not familiar with, in terms of use of force options for defense and penal code violations. That knowledge can be useful at times as well...

[txglock21]

I agree with all the above post. Even if you don't want to get your CHL, I would recommend you take the class from a knowledgeable instructor. The information is valuable whether you carry or not. I regret not getting mine sooner than I did. It took a scary situation with my family to take the plunge. By the Grace of God nobody was hurt or killed, but easily could have. If nothing else, come back to this forum and read others experiences, advice, etc..

[NeverBefore]

Thanks to everyone. What about the database? I have "stuff" passed down the family several generations and I don't want to be on anybody's list - I'm certainly not anybody's worry, but well, - nobody wants to create scrutiny they haven't had to deal with before.

And if the database is not shared with other agencies what's to prevent that in the future, by law? I love my country, but to be clear the country are the people in the country, not the government of the people, just like the church is not the pope, it's the people in the church. If, my kids-kids, or their kids inherit something very different in the way of government I certainly don't want to have them targeted for collecting weapons.

Well this post probably already has me on a new list..... Bottom line, what do we know about the database? This has been my biggest fear and probably what's held me back for CWL for so many years.

Thanks.

[Beiruty]

Thanks to everyone. What about the database? I have "stuff" passed down the family several generations and I don't want to be on anybody's list - I'm certainly not anybody's worry, but well, - nobody wants to create scrutiny they haven't had to deal with before.

And if the database is not shared with other agencies what's to prevent that in the future, by law? I love my country, but to be clear the country are the people in the country, not the government of the people, just like the church is not the pope, it's the people in the church. If, my kids-kids, or their kids inherit something very different in the way of government I certainly don't want to have them targeted for collecting weapons.

Well this post probably already has me on a new list..... Bottom line, what do we know about the database? This has been my biggest fear and probably what's held me back for CWL for so many years.

Thanks.

What db? CHL is issue by state of Texas. Do not worry, get your CHL get professionally trained and carry on.

[Keith B]

Thanks to everyone. What about the database? I have "stuff" passed down the family several generations and I don't want to be on anybody's list - I'm certainly not anybody's worry, but well, - nobody wants to create scrutiny they haven't had to deal with before.

And if the database is not shared with other agencies what's to prevent that in the future, by law? I love my country, but to be clear the country are the people in the country, not the government of the people, just like the church is not the pope, it's the people in the church. If, my kids-kids, or their kids inherit something very different in the way of government I certainly don't want to have them targeted for collecting weapons.

Well this post probably already has me on a new list..... Bottom line, what do we know about the database? This has been my biggest fear and probably what's held me back for CWL for so many years.

Thanks.

By Texas law the list of CHL licensees cannot be shared with anyone except a law enforcement agency. Personally, I don't see a big deal of who knows I have a CHL as I am instructor, but no matter, the information is as secure as any you will get.

[chasfm11]

Thanks to everyone. What about the database? I have "stuff" passed down the family several generations and I don't want to be on anybody's list - I'm certainly not anybody's worry, but well, - nobody wants to create scrutiny they haven't had to deal with before.

And if the database is not shared with other agencies what's to prevent that in the future, by law? I love my country, but to be clear the country are the people in the country, not the government of the people, just like the church is not the pope, it's the people in the church. If, my kids-kids, or their kids inherit something very different in the way of government I certainly don't want to have them targeted for collecting weapons.

Well this post probably already has me on a new list..... Bottom line, what do we know about the database? This has been my biggest fear and probably what's held me back for CWL for so many years.

Thanks.

The fact is that if you buy guns through an FFL, you COULD be targeted, CHL or not. Given the political paranoia that is running around many of our politicians, staying off a "list" somewhere is probably an impossible task unless you live in a cave and never go near electronics.

I'll suggest a different approach. I have a CHL and have encouraged both of our kids to get them. One did, the other is in the process. If I have to weigh the fears about what the government might do versus what a BG (bad guy) might do, I'd just as soon have my kids and I ready to defend ourselves against the BG as I consider that to be the more likely threat.

I have a basic distrust of politicians but I don't worry a whit about the Texas CHL list falling into the wrong hands. If it does, I know that I and about 600,000 of my closest friends could come under scrutiny. I believe that trying to round up that many or even half that many, without the word getting out is less likely than me getting hit by a meteor in my backyard. In short, of all the problems that I can imagine (and believe me when I say that I have a very vivid conspiracy theory imagination), I'd put a zombie attack higher on my most likely list.

I try to do something every day that will likely get me on another list. I have several different types of government licenses and have joined a number of different types of LEGAL organizations (some of which have already been targeted per the news) and I send and receive emails that probably set off someone's alarm bells. I sincerely hope that they do. I want those who are illegally and irrationally trying to monitor me that I'm not going to stop trying to get them out of office and political power. They can do with that as they will.