help with law

[pieperz06]

hey every one this is my first time posting so sorry if this has been covered 10000 times but the search function sucks on here and i could not find much about what im looking for.

first off im 19 and i have loved shooting for many years(mostly sporting clays) but the one thing i have not done very much is shooting a hand gun. but a few night ago i was thinking about the laws about guns and how screwed up some of them are so i decided i would start looking in to how i could start learning to shoot a pistol well. from my research i discovered that i "should" be able to have a handgun if im under 21 i can just not buy one or the ammo. how ever my mother has had a pistol for many years and it just sits in the gun safe back home and i have shot it on one time and i was thinking this would be a great gun to hone in my skills.

how ever what im worried about is the legal part of all this. i dont want to get my self in to a situation where im sitting in jail thinking was it worth it to be able to shoot this gun.

so basicly im looking for some ideas on getting definitive evidence of what exactly i would and would not be able to do with the gun in my possession.

i would rather not bais my knowledge on this subject on some thing that i read on google because it could keep me from getting a CHL in a few years. so i would like to find a lawyer or some one that has intimate first hand knowledge about this and feel this is a great place to get information on what i should and should not do.

[O6nop]

Some of the issues, although not exactly the same, may be covered here.

[pieperz06]

that does clear up a few things but....

there are a few mor things i am wondering like

if having the ammo is any sort of a crime?

and also where exactly this law is stated

thanks for the quick reply

[Grog]

I would not say it would be illegal to possess ammo as there are many rifles which shoot handgun ammo. I'd just consider it ammo that's usable in both types of firearms.

[Pawpaw]

Welcome!

You can download a pdf file with most, if not all, of the current laws here: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/InternetFo ... CHL-16.pdf

IANAL, but Texas law is pretty silent on ammunition other than the age requirements for purchase. In fact, the laws on having a handgun on your person don't even address whether it's loaded or unloaded.

If you read the entire thread that was posted earlier, that individual received an apology and his handgun was returned. Since he had it in his car for protection, I think it's safe to say it was loaded.

[rm9792]

you can carry ammo all day long, it isnt mentioned. What caliber are you talking about, I am sure we can find several carbines or rifles that shoot it.

[The Annoyed Man]

hey every one this is my first time posting so sorry if this has been covered 10000 times but the search function sucks on here and i could not find much about what im looking for....

Well, first of all this 4 page long thread from 6 days ago covers some of what you're asking: viewtopic.php?f=23&t=37168" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The opening post in that thread said:

Ok so my cousin from pennslavina came down to start school here in Texas he's 19. So his third day here last night he gets pulled over for broken tail light and the officer asked him if he had any weapons in the car. He answered yes I have a 45 in the consel and do the officer gets him out and he runs his stuff and then arrests him for unlawful poession of a firearm. Now It's my understanding that under the mpa act you can carry a consealed pistol at the age of 18 to 21 and up in your car. If I'm wrong please tell me but if I'm right could you help me find the info to help my cousin because I told him he was ok to carry it so it's my fault he even had it because i told him he would be ok to have it thank you.
And if their are any law enforcement officers that read this what you suggest to do to deal with this and what proof do I need to show that where right.

This was my answer to him, and it would be the same to you:

I have a 20 year old son who will be 21 in January. He is absolutely responsible with guns, very safety conscious, and very well versed in their use and maintenance.

When he asked me after he turned 18 if it was OK for him to carry in the car, I said "yeah, it's legal, but unless you can afford a good lawyer and don't mind if you never see your Kimber Pro Raptor again, I wouldn't do it if I were you." I'm not against the idea of his being armed, but I think there are certain attendant risks involved if you are under 21.

This is exactly why. I don't think your cousin necessarily did anything wrong or illegal, but in the real world, some cops are not going to take it kindly when they are faced with someone traveling on an out-of-state ID while carrying a firearm, under the age of 21, and sans some kind of reciprocating carry license from that other state. Again, it's not that it is wrong or illegal, but rather that some officers bring their own prejudices to the table, and right or wrong, that's just a reality of what you might have to deal with if you get stopped.

My son considered what I told him, and he decided not to carry in his vehicle until he is A) over 21; and B) has his CHL (which he is going to apply for right before his birthday.)