TexasCHLforum.com

Katygunnut wrote:... "but it was an assault rifle"! I had to work hard to keep from laughing.

Just a tad OT here - apologies to the OP.

We also have quite a few immigrants from the Left Coast here in the Hill Country. When hunting season opens up, there are usually phone calls made to the police about hearing gunshots, then after finding out hunting within the city limits is perfectly legal, the city council gets a few phone calls. Then we will get a comment in the newspaper about how dangerous this situation is.

A couple of years ago , the Kerrville city council did hold a hearing about banning hunting within the city limits but they left it alone.

God bless Texas

I have kept a 12 gauge shot gun in my truck since I started driving. Last time I was stopped, the officer asked about the hand laid carbon fiber stock on this gun and where he could get one for his 870. In the great state you can carry any "legal" long gun of your choice. As long as your not intimidating people with it. However, as stated earlier, these Kalifornian transplanst spook pretty easily. Wish they'd just go home.

I regulary carry a loaded shotgun in my vehicle. I do cover it with a towel since I prefer to keep thieves from seeing it while I'm not around and smashing and grabbing.

Warning open carry of rifle can be called disturbing the peace and BY BY CHL for disturbing the peace

tommyg wrote:Warning open carry of rifle can be called disturbing the peace and BY BY CHL for disturbing the peace

Any legal conviction that can support your claim?

tommyg wrote:Warning open carry of rifle can be called disturbing the peace and BY BY CHL for disturbing the peace

They would have to get a conviction, and it aint likely.

One of the benefits of living in Texas and being a native. I have many liberal neighbors so when heading to the range I usually pull into the garage to load up the arsenal to keep them from freaking.

kjolly wrote:One of the benefits of living in Texas and being a native. I have many liberal neighbors so when heading to the range I usually pull into the garage to load up the arsenal to keep them from freaking.

I do that not because of the neighbors but rather as safety measure NOT to announce that you have a lot of expensive guns so Burglars couldn't take a notice and target your house.

tommyg wrote:Warning open carry of rifle can be called disturbing the peace and BY BY CHL for disturbing the peace

It "could be called" hunting ducks out of season without a license too I suppose, but if all the elements of an offense aren't present, that isn't what it is. Just don't carry it "in a manner calculated to alarm"
When carried my 18 1/4" barrel double barrel shotgun/coach gun down Westheimer in Houston twice a day every day, I carried it with as shell in each chamber, but "broke open" and I'd wave or nod at police as they drove by, With a flick of the wrist it would be closed and ready to fire though it "looked" non-threatening broke open barrels pointed at the ground. One officer did stop once, roll down his window and ask if it was a legal length shotgun, I told him it was and offered to let him measure it, he laughed, said nah, and drove on. This was about in 1978.
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The thing is. years ago many people had gun racks in the pickups, now, not so much, so people aren't as used to seeing them

plus trucks/cars get broken into:

I'm thinking NRA should sell rear sun shades on car/truck windows to look like a gun rack

The other day I saw a guy walking through the Academy parking lot holding a scoped rifled --no case. In fact, he'd taken it in to Academy that way to find the right size scope covers. Don't think I would have done it that way myself these days, but I didn't see anyone freaking out in the parking lot. When I was in high school I used to walk down the street of my residential neighborhood carrying rifles and shotguns and if anyone freaked out I never heard about it. My high school parking lot usually had more than one pickup with a rifle or shotgun visible in a gun rack. That's the way it should be....but that was pre media hysteria about guns.

RioGrandeShooter wrote:Thanks.. I just found the TX laws on rifles/shotguns in the vehicle. They can be loaded and such..

Absolutely. The only thing I can recall that goes against this (digging back in my memory banks here) is a statue in the TX Parks & Wildlife Hunting Code...I seem to recall that if you are engaged in hunting that loaded long-guns are a no-no in a vehicle...that could have changed over the years though, been awhile since I have hunted. I'm sure one of the kind folks here that are up to date on these things could provide the reference.

VMI77 wrote:My high school parking lot usually had more than one pickup with a rifle or shotgun visible in a gun rack. That's the way it should be....but that was pre media hysteria about guns.

That brings up a good question. . .

Do loaded long guns - legally open carried on foot OR in a vehicle and accessible to the driver - present a problem in school zones with the current laws?

I thought the Federal law banned all firearms within x feet of a school with a clause of deference to the local laws, in which case CHL holders are specifically allowed to carry in their vehicles, but that would only include concealed handguns.

Thoughts?

Texas CHL's are completely exempt from the federal GFSZ restrictions regarding any schools in Texas. Doesn't matter what kind of gun or where you are.

I though the only problem with a rifle in your car was the rifle being stolen.

Jumping Frog wrote:Texas CHL's are completely exempt from the federal GFSZ restrictions regarding any schools in Texas. Doesn't matter what kind of gun or where you are.

But a non-CHLer, who is otherwise free to carry a long gun in Texas (visible or concealed; on their person or in their car). . . the GFSZ restriction would apply to them, even for long guns?

My understanding is "yes". If I'm right, then that is also important info for OP.