Dave Kopel

Open Carry of Handguns in Texas — A Historical Perspective

In 1871, the Texas legislature banned carrying guns outside the home–a move largely directed at controlling blacks during the Reconstruction era. That ban was altered in 1995, when Texas adopted the concealed carry of handguns, yet a prohibition against openly carrying handguns in public remained on the books. It took the Republican-controlled 2015 Texas legislature and Governor Greg Abbott (R) to abolish that final prohibition, thereby making it legal to carry handguns openly in public in the Lone Star State–and achieving liberty for all.

Open Carry in Texas