Introduction to My Page on
Some Things of Interest
to Texas Gun Owners

by Donald Ray Burger
Attorney at Law
Firearms law is complicated. It is complicated because it is contained in statues, case law and attorney general opinions. It is complicated because everything is not all in one place. It is complicated because there are regulations both at the state level and by lesser governmental entities such as cities. It is complicated because there are both state and federal regulations. And it is complicated because courts have to interpret all these regulations, and sometimes the decisions contradict each other.

It is complicated.

My first piece of advice is to contact the attorney of your choice with regard to specific legal issues related to firearms. Simply reading a statute may lead one astray if there is a court case interpreting that statute. Or there may be another, more specific statute, that adds restrictions not obvious on the face of the statute you are reading.

Also, some of your firearm "rights" are in the nature of defenses. That means you may be arrested even though you have a valid defense. Police officers are usually not attorneys, and just because you may ultimately win does not mean you won't have to fight for your victory. And fighting is expensive. And disruptive.

The one thing you can do to avoid many (but not all) of the above difficulties is to acquire a concealed handgun license(CHL) and use it properly. Several of the issues Texans face over handguns go away with a CHL. It is easier to buy a gun if you have a CHL. It is easier for you to sell a gun to someone who has a CHL. The whole area of guns in your car or pickup is much simplified if you have a CHL.

The other thing you can do is read Texas Gun Owner's Guide, by Alan Korwin and Georgene Lockwood. This is the book on Texas gun laws. If you take a class to obtain a concealed handgun license, this is probably the book they will use. It is a comprehensive guide to Texas laws on gun ownership. It should be read by every Texan who owns a gun, whether or not they carry concealed. If you only read one book, this is the one to read. You can usually find it at better gun stores.

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