Citizens in Texas are allowed to own some types of guns. Most common are rifles and shotguns, often used for hunting, and handguns. However, despite the legality of firearm ownership in the United States, not all weapon types are prohibited.
So, where do you draw the line? You don’t want to assume you’re allowed to buy or possess a gun that is against the law just because of the Second Amendment. Some illegal weapons include:
- Armor-piercing rounds
- Machine guns
- Explosive weapons
- Zip guns
- Short-barreled rifles
Other types of weapons and accessories are controlled. For instance, some shooting ranges are allowed to own weapons that would not be allowed for personal ownership, and they can be fired on the range, even though it would be illegal to buy one for your home.
It is important to note that weapons laws change all the time. For instance, brass knuckles and switchblade knives are items people often assume are illegal, and they were for a long time. However, switchblades became legal in Texas in 2013 and brass knuckles just became legal in 2019.
One of the major problems with these changing laws is that people may not know what they are and are not allowed to own. If you handled a gun at a range, now you may think you can buy one for yourself. If you grew up hearing that brass knuckles were illegal, you may have no idea that people can buy them and carry them in 2020.
This confusion can lead to honest mistakes and land people in police custody. If you get arrested, you need to know what defense options you have.
