House Bill 1927 (popularly known as the Texas “Constitutional Carry” Bill) was signed on 6/16/2021 and takes effect on 9/1/2021. For detailed information concerning this Bill, click here.

At Best Shot Range, we support our U.S. and Texas Constitutions and their declaration of our unalienable rights – freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, petition, and the right to keep and bear arms.

Now that our Texas Legislature has acknowledged “Constitutional Carry” for law-abiding Texans to own and carry a gun in public, we’re being asked what this means for the “License to Carry” program.

Owning, operating and carrying a firearm in public is a big responsibility. Most gun owners understand this and make the effort to educate themselves on the safe operation and handling of their firearms. For those that need training, there are many options available.

“Constitutional Carry” does not change many of our Texas Gun Laws including Use of Force laws. It’s incumbent upon the gun owner to know the laws that affect them.

There are still many good reasons to pursue a Texas License to Carry a Handgun:

Interstate Travel: There are currently 36 states that recognize the Texas LTC. Our Texas “Constitutional Carry” ends at our State border. If you do any traveling outside the Great State of Texas, you’ll need a Texas LTC for reciprocal states to recognize your decision to carry a handgun in their state.

Gun Laws: The burden is on you to know the laws that affect you when carrying a handgun in public. The LTC class covers the laws and regulations related to carrying a gun. Plus, the LTC class provides for questions and answers with the instructor and other students and this dialogue offers an improved understanding of these laws.

Firearm Purchases: Because you go through a State and Federal background check to get a Texas LTC, you are not required to undergo the NICS (National Instant Check System) process when buying a gun from a licensed dealer. During the Virus in 2020, the FBI, who oversees NICS, experienced delays of more than 30 days. With a LTC, there is no delay because there is no NICS requirement. When you buy a gun, your LTC allows for an immediate purchase with no additional waiting. For private firearms sales, the LTC is considered the “Gold Standard” for transacting a deal between the gun seller and the gun buyer.

Contact with Law Enforcement: If you have an encounter with a Police Officer, how does he know you can legally carry your handgun? With a LTC, there is no question – you have the License and you have the gun – it’s self-evident you’re in legal possession of a firearm. With no LTC and depending on why law enforcement has made contact with you, you may be detained while the police determine your eligibility status to own and carry the gun.

At Best Shot Range, we’ll continue to offer the Texas LTC course in the Instructor-Led and Online formats. Likewise, we’ll have Learn to Shoot and Personal Learn to Shoot classes for those individuals that would like to learn the fundamentals about guns, ammo and basic marksmanship.

And, we’ll have a new training offering: CCC – Constitutional Carry Class. You’ll experience the Learn to Shoot training instruction with a review of Texas Gun Laws and a shooting exercise that will include the LTC Shooting Proficiency course of fire. Instead of the 4 to 6 hours for the LTC course, this class will be 2 to 3 hours and be limited to 10 students.

As always, we want you to have the Best Shooting Experience possible at Best Shot Range. If you have questions or need further assistance, please contact us and let us know how we can serve you.

To read an article discussing this Bill, click here.