TexasCHLforum.com

Marksmanship training is offered nationally within the JROTC programs through the DoD. In these parts they use air rifles.

Hunter education might be taught in small districts in the hill country, but in the large cities it is unheard of. Even if taught, you can't presume that everyone allowed to carry in Texas also attended a Texas high school where gun safety was taught. I believe that the second amendment should apply to everyone eligible, but owning a weapon and carrying it in public are different matters. Some people just need to stick with the gun range if you know what I mean. Carrying in public presumes a higher level of knowledge and responsibility that not all gun owners share equally. OCT may have its roots in a well meaning and directed effort, but it has like a magnet, pulled the fringe elements in allowing the rest of us to see what could happen. They have some scary folks there, and having some in their group carrying openly without any sort of licensing or standardized training simply scares the bejeebers out of me.

Constitutional carry may or may not exist in those terms, but I believe that it far more defensible to require anyone carrying in a public location to have experienced the minimal training offered by the CHL class. Even if you required non-CHL folks to read a book, take a test, and pass it prior to open carry was allowed, it would be an improvement over no training whatsoever.

I think there needs to be a distinction made between having the right to purchase or own a gun, knowing how to properly use it, and then carrying it in a public place with the potential of doing harm. The CHL training has never been what I could call comprehensive, but it is enough to open eyes and draw attention to the important aspects of CC. Yes, there are likely people who never fired a weapon before the proficiency exam, but at least they did it then in a regulated environment. Open carry with no license requirement means you can own that gun, carry it, never fire it until you think you need to, and have no vision of the outcome. I imagine a Texas with open carry for those licensed for concealed carry. Easy task to vet yourself upon demand by showing the proper person your license which eliminates any question of your criminal pedigree.

From the DMN:

"Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, introduced a bill that would allow people to carry handguns without obtaining a concealed handgun license."