Tomorrow I take the CHL class which is being put on by a pro-gun group on campus called Students for the Second Amendment. My plan was to take the class to get it out of the way and then save up the $140 for the application fee later on when I got the money, but after telling my parents I signed up, they very graciously gave me $140 in cash. Neither are CHL people or even own any guns, but they've always supported my hobbies. They're not wealthy people either, so I was very thankful. Anyway, I have even more excitement towards tomorrow's class knowing that I can send in my application immediately upon completion. I have no idea how I'm going to be able to stand the wait. Maybe I'll give DPS a call every day to check the status until I get my license!
Now for some random questions I have:
1) If I'm a passenger (say my wife or a friend is driving) in a car that gets pulled over and I'm carrying, do I have to present my CHL license? Or, would I only have to inform the officer of my gun and hand over my license if I was personally asked for my ID?
2) If I am travelling with a friend, can I leave my gun in their car (such as a place with a 30.06 sign posted) so long as the car is locked and the gun is not in plain view?
3) I live in an apartment complex and was wondering to what extent I could carry my handgun without a license on the property? I know having the gun concealed or not in my apartment would be ok, but if I take the dogs out on a walk at night, would I be able to take my gun without a license? Initially I would think "no", but included in the lease is the right to use other facilities like the swimming pool, tennis and racquetball courts, fitness center, etc. I'm paying for the right to use those, so does that mean I have the right to take my gun to those places, or even just walk around in the parking lot with it? If the answer to all this is "no", could I at least take my gun out to my car in response to the alarm going off and/or seeing some punks messing with it? If I understand this correctly, Texas authorizes the use of deadly force to stop a burglery or the attempt of it (among a few other situations). Would having the right to use deadly force imply being able to carry a gun?
4) I am 5'8" and around 140lbs, so I've got a pretty small frame to work with as far as concealment goes. My carry gun (and only handgun as of now) will be a Steyr M9. It's about the size of a Glock 19 and even looks a little like one too (was designed by a former engineer for Glock that was hired by Steyr). Any suggestions for holsters? I normally wear t-shirts and shorts since the weather is nice most of the year. I've been reading up on the Smart Carry holsters and they look very promising. Anyone with personal experience? I've also been stocking my gun in my waistband behind my back which I find pretty comfortable and very concealed, but sitting down is a little less comfortable and it's more likely to stick out. My only reservation to the Smart Carry is that it seems a little awkward being that the gun rests right on top of your uh... privates. I'm sure that I'd get over it pretty fast though.
That's about all for now, but I know I had more as I have been sitting and thinking about concealed carry a lot lately. I can't wait to take the course tomorrow. I even went to the shooting range today to practice for the proficiency test! It's an all day class from 8am to 9pm, so I better get to sleep. Thanks for all the information that has been contributed so far (I still have many more hours to spend reading old posts) and any help you can offer with my questions. Until then, I'll be eyeing the entrance of every place I go to looking to 30.06 signs!
