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Also, yes that is the reason I don't carry the G22 loaded. It's usually in my maxpedition bag, which does have a dedicated carry pouch but I don't want to accidentally discharge it pulling it out the bag. It's possible something could snag the trigger. Unlikely but possible. Plus I haven't been carrying it like this for very long. Even though I know it's safe, I'd rather be extra safe until I can legally carry a concealed weapon inside of a safe holster. That's why I bought the PPS. I don't carry the PPS at all though and haven't even loaded any of it's magazines yet. It's still brand new and I haven't even shot it yet. So I'm unfamiliar with it. Better safe than sorry!

Wow! Thanks for the info! It does seem like I avoided the Class A by weeks if not days! Hell they probably changed it because of me. lol. I'm pretty sure I got the officer in trouble as well for the way he dealt with the situation. In fact I haven't seen that officer since and he was normally patrolling the area. But yea I'm just glad nothing seriously bad happened in that situation. I was really scarred of him at the time which also forced my instincts to start running. I could have been shot by the officer for all I know? He was definitively a rookie and treated the whole situation unprofessionally. If he only didn't scare the crap outta me and give me a chance to run things might have gone differently. I honestly should have just been arrested for the 2 small joints I had. sigh!

I live in Houston. I was stating my experience with previous fights when I was younger. I actually haven't been in any real street fights since 2004. So I was a bit younger when fights were common in my life. The place I grew up in had lots of crimes, gangs, and other madness going on quite a bit. Still does if not worse by now! I didn't have a choice most of the time especially once someone slapped or punched me or by grabbing my belongings out my hands to mess with me. Bullying and violence in schools and on the streets is no joke. Hell look at what just happened at Cy Fair college here in Houston the other day. I also felt like If I didn't fight back some of those times the crap would just get worse anyways. I can recall at least 2 occasions during a fight where after I threw a good jab-cross combo and connected, my attacker would immediately lounge at my legs & grab me, with the intentions of getting me on the ground, and beating me senseless. It's similar to real cage fight, just without rules, fairness, and the guys friends joining in. I've been jumped once but luckily wasn't hurt very bad, but then again I've also witnessed someone else get jumped outside school and he ended up in a coma for a few days! Crazy stuff can happen whether you add fuel to the fire or not. I've also had friends murdered by guns and knifes for all sorts of ridiculous reason! I actually feel blessed and lucky nothing seriously bad has happened to me or any of my family members. But I can't say the same thing about many of my peers. The female victims I've known throughout the years disturbs me the most. This may not seem real but I can assure you that it is real life stuff!

I've experienced a lot in my 31 years of life dealing with violent people on the streets and in schools. Stuff like this hasn't happened in a long time but just like any situation you never know when it will. I had one crazy guy who threatened to stab me with a knife as I was filling up gas several years back. He started slashing at me from 10 ft. away with a knife asking me if I had a problem. After I apologized calmly he just got in his car and took off. From my understanding I was looking at him because it was obvious he was looking at me suspiciously. Just being cautious of my surroundings. Plus the fact he had tattoos all over his face and was starring at me to begin with made me really suspicious. People are literally crazy nowadays and it is pretty scary not knowing somebody's intentions! But I did notice something was wrong at the time. My only defense at the time would have been to spray the gas I was filling in my vehicle into his face if he were to attack me. That situation was avoided pretty well though. (I almost forgot to add the best part!) He had his girlfriend and baby in the back seat too!

But yes to answer the question it was definitely harsh growing up for me around here. I have corrected my attitude on dealing with this kind of nonsense for many years now and it's worked out very well. I've been training various martial arts for over 9 years which actually made me better at dealing with trouble on the streets. Especially with my confidence and self-control with controlling the fight before it even happens. My first line of defense is usually martial arts because attackers usually get right in your face. It's a mind game in many ways! But regardless you never know what someones intentions are. Which led me to buying a firearm for protection. All the MA instructors I've had also emphasized on keeping the fights in the ring and letting guns & police officers deal with the criminals & problems on the streets. Nowadays somebody will flick me off on the road and i just ignore it and continue driving as if they didn't exist. When I was younger I probably would have gave them the finger back and proceeded to yell obscenities out an open window to them. I have grown up quite a bit and will continue to walk as straight of a line as possible. Trouble of any kind isn't good for me or my family and we all deal with enough normal problems as it is!

I will probably carry my weapon loaded in the future but as of now I don't believe I'm ready to. In fact I've decided that carrying into the business is not practical for me right now because I can't get a CHL and will only keep it at home and in my vehicle until I learn more and talk to a lawyer.

Def good advice to follow and that's what I thought from reading the Texas penal code. Yea I don't understand some peoples logic with drawing their weapon to scare someone off if they verbally assault you. I had a friend a while back who told me he got into a few road rage situations and one of those times 2 guys in a SUV chased him and started throwing full cans of beer or possible soda cans at his truck while driving on I-10. He said one almost flew into his open window and hit him in the face. That's when he pulled out the .45 XD and saw them hit the brakes and almost wreck on the highway. Bottom line is they backed off and he went on his way afterwards with no more threat following him. I had another guy tell me a similar story as well. Both still walking free as well!

I don't condone this behavior either but I'd also like to state that I knew for a fact both of these guys had a CHL! I don't own one and I even know better than that. But somehow there are people out there using this type of reaction to deescalate situations.

Also when I said friend, I really just mean some guys I know such as associates or classmates. Not speaking of real good friends I would allow into my house! lol. Just clearing that up. I guess seeking real legal advice from a lawyer and taking a CHL class will do me some good. Until I learn more information I'll just stick to keeping it in my house and vehicle concealed!

Zimmerman! Yep! That's why I really don't ever want to be in that situation. I even feel that with my record it makes me look bad enough even if it was justifiable! Which brings to to another subject. What do you guys think about the brandishing law or concealment law. Most of my friends stories and just random people's stories of deescalating the situation involved brandishing their weapon and deescalating the situation by seeing the threat flee like rabbits! lol. Most of the people with these stories claims it works because the person you pulled the gun out on is breaking the law and will not inform the police that you just aimed a firearm at them. 100% guaranteed! Plus they will most likely never come back around! This is just what I've been told and a lot of people I've talked to endorse this behavior as opposed to just shooting someone and ending up in court. It is a felony assault with a deadly weapon charge if I'm correct so I don't see why they do it! Either way it's possible to end up in court am I right? But they say it should work 99% of the time. lol. Although, that 1 % makes me suspicious of their advice!

Yea a lot of my friends who carry tell me the same thing. For some reason I just don't feel comfortable having it loaded the majority of the time. Even though I've never accidentally pulled the trigger it still bothers me for some reason having it loaded. To me it's more of a problem because if someone attacks me close quarters I don't want them accessing my weapon with it ready to discharge. And 99% of the time if I have a problem with a guy they always try to take me down to the ground. Also at that point it's a fight so would pulling my weapon to discharge it be justifiable instead of just using martial arts to deal with the guy? This has happened to me several times during an argument that escalated into a fight. I did not have my weapon on me but wonder what would happen if I did? This is also the reason I learned not to use ankle holsters. I guess there's still much I need to learn though. Even the guys at the jujitsu gym I go to brag about not fighting on the street and they'd rather shoot first ask questions later. There's so many questions to consider and so many possible outcomes its hard to figure out the right answer is sometimes. Especially regarding the law. I really hate that saying, "I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6"! With my life experiences I want nothing to do with either! lol

Do you guys think taking a CHL class even if I can't get my license would be helpful? Is that even allowed?

I am trying to learn as much as possible about this. As for the people who don't think I should even own a gun, well all I can say is that despite some petty mistakes I made, I still have rights too! I'm not violent and have plenty of good morals and respect for life. I can't even shoot a squirrel which also make me question my ability to discharge my weapon if I really needed to. People make mistakes and sometimes making them pay with their life can't be justified. I totally understand that! So that is why I'm here trying to get as much info and life experiences as I can until I am allowed to have a CHL. Maybe it's a good thing I have to wait until 2016 to get one. I obviously don't know as much as most of you on this forum about any of it. But I'm willing to learn.

Thanks for the info! I have a lot to consider now!

Yes, I am one of those doesn't feel the need to have a round in the chamber when I carry. I've lived 31 years without having to shoot someone and will hopefully live the rest of my life without having to do so. I just want my weapon near, semi-ready to go, just in case. Keep in mind I'm proficient with all the weapons I train with. Racking the slide to load the chamber and reloading the magazine for me only takes fractions of a second. Also I feel that your ability to sense danger before it strikes is your best defense. If someone already has a gun drawn on you it's best to not reach for your weapon if you value your life. By that time it's too late anyways! Although I do keep a round in the chamber when I pick up money. Other than that it's not loaded 90% of the time. And plus my groupings with the G22 speaks much confidence for myself even at a distance! So I don't understand why some hate on me for the way I choose to carry my weapon. I'm not a police officer and as far as I know nobody has a hit out on me? lol. I honestly feel safe enough not having it loaded the majority of the time.

Also I know for a fact that it is a Class B misdemeanor for Evading Arrest on foot. It's a Felony with a motor vehicle. It says Class B on my court papers I signed to accept the probation. I did try to fight the case for a while but I was obviously wasting my time. Also, the officer was being unprofessional and had no probable cause to approach me the way he did.

Also, the charge I got for the theft was a class C misdemeanor. At least that's what the database told me when i did my own background check. I haven't done one recently since the evading thing. I also don't remember what they sentenced me for the theft but I only really spent 1 week in jail since they are usually packed with people who did a whole lot worse crimes than stealing beer. The info says I was convicted of Class C misdemeanor Theft tho? Think because it was under $50 or $100 dollars.

My last probation papers states I'm allowed to own a firearm and vote! So I'm legal!

Yes, I'm trying to be very honest about the bad decisions I've made. And honestly I haven't done many illegal things in my adult life other than the two incidents mentioned. I never stole anything from anyone ever since I was 18 but am labeled a thief for life! Yes, I have to live with that and deserve it. I'm 31 now and feel like I got my stuff together pretty well and also feel that I have the correct attitude to carry a weapon safely. I was hanging with the wrong type of people when I was younger and made some bad decisions that I take full blame for. The incident that happened in 2009 was very unfortunate for me since I was doing really good at the time. I was in college and ended up dropping out due to lawyer fees, court costs, probation, and the fact I figured I would never get a job in my field of study for a long time with this on my record. Which is one of the biggest reasons I probably ran away in the first place hoping to protect that future. All that hard work in school for nothing! Trust me! I feel bad enough about the previous decisions I've made and learned from them. I may continue school later on which brings me to now and the reason I own this business.

I guess if you consider me a drug addict for smoking weed for several years (mostly in my adolescent years) that could be arguable but other than that I have never put anyone in harms way. So in my opinion I'm not near as bad as some of the people I've met who already own a CHL. But I guess that's just my opinion.

Well I've been completely marijuana free for almost 4 years. I don't even drink alcohol and rarely ever did even before I got into my last legal troubles. Another point I'd like to make is I don't even carry my weapon with a round in the chamber just as a safety precaution. I am always safety checking my weapon and following proper gun safety rules. I keep the loaded magazine in it so I actually have to rack the slide before using it. Which I really hope I never have to do. I'm really cautious of my surroundings so carrying an unloaded weapon doesn't bother me. I can load it when needed which takes only a second or two. I also usually practice on a monthly basis. Never once had a negligent discharge. Zero incidents involving any of my firearms. So I feel I'm fairly experienced as far as owning firearms goes just not with carrying one everywhere I go. I never felt like I needed to until recently. I use to feel like a small knife was enough. Times have changed!

I also understand the proof concept when using lethal force that my life has to be in danger and is 100% provable to justify any action of lethal force such as the threat pulling a gun out on me. Which to me is the only reason I would shoot them in the first place. I really just want to learn as much as possible and stay within my legal rights! Trust me when I say I'm more afraid of doing the wrong thing and going to prison than I am of dying. So I'm not the type of person who will just jump to conclusions and start firing shots like an idiot! Regardless what other might assume, I value my freedom dearly but also my life and loved ones lives as well!

I don't think the lease mentioned anything about firearms but I'll check it to make sure. Thanks for the suggestion!

Hey everyone. I was hoping someone with knowledge of the TX law could give me some advice or insight on whether or not I'm eligible for a CHL and if it would be in my best interest to get one.

I have been carrying a Glock 22 around with me legally according to my understanding of the TX law. I usually have it near me when I'm at home and when I go to my vehicle I carry it inside of a Maxpedition ccw bag so it stays concealed and somewhat easily accessible. My main reason for getting a CHL is because I go to pick-up money from a business I co-own with another person. We have been robbed a handful of few times in the past 5 years. There was 2 incidences where masked men came in with guns demanding money during business hours but usually it's break-ins overnight to steal something. Honestly I just fear for the employees and customers safety, which are mostly women including the employees. I can pray & hope it never happens again but that defeats the reasoning behind it happening the first several times. I'm also pretty sure the local news screwed up my optimism along with some other things that happened in my life such as being robbed at gun-point by 5 wanna-be thugs outside of a Jack-in-the-box drive-thru. My friends joke around and say I got Jumbo Jacked! But that's a long story I can tell later if people want to hear it. lol.

Anyways, the business I own is located inside of a shopping center and my name is the only one on the lease. My business partner is not on the lease but title is also president of the corporation. I do not know if the property owner even allows business owners to carry in the rented location they are leasing. Do I need to ask them if it's allowed or get permission? And let's say they don't allow it, would a CHL override the property owners decision? I just want to make sure that I'm legally carrying in regard to the Castle Doctrine? And also if my business partner & employees who potentially want to carry will be doing it legally as well,.... with or without a CHL?

Am I eligible for a CHL?
A few months before my 18th birthday in 1999 I was arrested and charged with a Class C misdemeanor for theft. Yes, I was a stupid immature kid who thought running out your local Kroger's with 2 cases of beer would be funny. This turned out to be one of the biggest mistakes of my life. Definitely made it hard getting jobs for awhile. I was convicted as an adult and my mother who was totally irate didn't get me a lawyer and made me take the punishment. I was sentenced to 30 days in the Harris County Jail.

Then many years later in Sept 2009 I made another bad decision by running from a police officer and then later returning to turn myself in only to get thrown to the ground and arrested. Bad Decision! Reason I made this decision is because I had marijuana on me and was scarred to death of getting arrested for it. So I ran and got rid of it in the grass. I was also probably really stoned at the time and paranoid/ scarred out of my mind when this happened. I didn't know what to do and my first instinct was to RUN!!! I have quit smoking the stuff since 2009 at the request of my family & for my own future benefit. I previously used it as a pain reliever for sports related pains, sleeping aid for the insomnia I suffered, and yes the occasional relaxation from a hard day of working a crappy 9-5. I liked the concept of medical marijuana as opposed to pain pills and numerous other stuff. At least I did before I got arrested. But since reality hit me I realized I'm only asking for more trouble if I continue to use it. So I quit!
Well after getting arrested that day I found out that the little amount of marijuana I disposed of was a class C misdemeanor and I decided to choose a Class B Evading Arrest misdemeanor over it. Yes, I felt extremely dumb about it despite my attempt to not have a drug charge on my record.

I received probation in June 2011 after multiple court resets due to the courts loosing my file the first time scheduled, then after my paid lawyer decides to reset the case date to look at evidence, she decides not to show up! Then the court gave me time to find a new lawyer. Reset! It was hell for 2 years and in the end my lawyers assistant shows up to court instead of the lawyer and advised me to take probation and get it over with. So I took the year probation in June 2011 and recently got off in June 2012. Does the 5 year time period for Class B misdemeanors start the first day the DA charged me when arrested or the date I received or finished probation?

With all this said and done, what is the estimated date I will be eligible for a CHL??? Also, do you think it's worth it with the business situation described to even bother getting a CHL? I really want to start carrying this smaller Walther PPS .40 I just purchased along with a Comp Tac Minotaur IWB holster. It's seriously a hassle to carry a Glock 22 inside of a CCW bag filled with other stuff. I'm only 5'9" and 155 lbs! It's not very practical for self defense either but it does have some potential and I can shoot it very well.

Well thanks for reading! All thoughts and information given is greatly appreciated!!!