Texas

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Texas

This jurisdictional hub aggregates FRC holdings related to Texas. It supports research on the state’s firearms history, technology, law, policy, and culture from Spanish and Mexican periods through the Republic of Texas, statehood, and the present.

Legal sources: statutes and session laws, administrative code, attorney general opinions, appellate decisions, and select municipal ordinances.
Historical materials: newspapers, photographs, maps, catalogs, frontier and ranger records, ranching and oil-and-gas archives, border and military collections, and oral histories tied to Texas people and places.
Research outputs: technical reports, academic studies, training manuals, and curated datasets relevant to the state.

Cite the Firearms Research Center and the item’s handle/DOI when using materials. Rights and licensing vary by item.

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Now showing 1 - 40 of 45

Tex. Const., Art. I, § 13
(1845)
Declared every citizen "shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defence of himself and the State"
1933 Tex. Gen. Laws 219-20
(1933)
1st Called Sess., An Act Defining "Machine Gun" and "Person"; Making It an Offense to Possess or Use Machine Guns. . . , Ch. 82, §§ 1-4, 6: Prohibited possession of a machine gun; punishable by imprisonment up to 10 years. Prohibited selling, leasing, giving, bartering, exchanging, or trading a machine gun; punishable by imprisonment for 2 months to 10 years.
1901 Texas Spec. Laws 74
(1901)
§§ 169–170: The city council may also regulate or prohibit and prevent the carrying on of work and manufactures that are dangerous in promoting or causing fires, and may prohibit the building or erection of cotton presses and sheds, or may restrict the same to such limits as are prescribed by ordinance; and may regulate or prohibit and prevent the use of fireworks and firearms, or the keeping and management of houses or other structures or places for storing gunpowder, dynamite, or other combustible, explosive, or dangerous material or substances within the city, and may regulate the keeping and conveying of the same.
1919 Tex. Gen. Laws, at 297-98
(1919)
An Act to Preserve, Propagate, Distribute, and Protect the Wild Game, Wild Birds, Wild Fowl of the State . . . , Ch. 157, § 42: It shall be unlawful for any citizen of this State to hunt outside of the county of his residence with a gun without first having procured from the Game, Fish and Oyster Commissioner or one of his deputies or from the County Clerk of the County in which he resides a license to hunt, and for which he shall pay to the officer from whom he secures such license the sum of two ($2.00) dollars. . . Any person hunting any game or birds protected by the laws of the State, and who shall refuse to show his license herein provided for to any sheriff . . . on demand shall be deemed guilty of a violation of the provisions of this law, and any person violating any of the provisions of this Section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be fined in a sum of not less than ten (10.00) dollars nor more than one hundred (100.00) dollars.
Willson's Criminal Statutes Art. 338
(1897)
"Arms.-If any person in this state shall carry on or about his person , saddle, or in his saddle bags , any pistol , dirk , dagger, slungshot , sword cane, spear, or knuckles made of any metal or any hard substance , bowie knife , or any other knife manufactured or sold for purposes of offense or defense , he shall be punished by fine of not less than twenty- five nor more than two hundred dollars ."
1907 Tex. Gen. Laws 210
(1907)
An Act Defining "Burglary with Explosives," Prescribing Penalty for the Commission Thereof, and Declaring an Emergency, §§ 1-2: Any person who shall commit burglary as defined by the Penal Code of this State, and in the commission of the offense uses nitro-glycerine, dynamite, gunpowder or other high explosives, shall be deemed guilty of burglary with explosives.
1898 Tex. Gen. Laws 234–35
(1898)
Ch. 118, Art. 10: That from and after the passage of this act it shall be unlawful to fire any pistol, rifle, shot gun, or other kind of fire-arms, within the limits of the town of Round Top, and any person violating this act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor,
1909 Tex. Spec. Laws 270
(1909)
Ch. 7, § 18: Power to prevent and suppress riots, affrays, noise, breach of the peace, assaults, disturbances or disorderly assembly in any public or private place within the limits of said city, and to provide punishment therefor; to prohibit and restrain the firing of guns, and pistols in the city limits, and to prohibit and restrain the carrying of pistols.
1901 Tex. Gen. Laws 300
(1901)
An Act to amend Article 336 Chapter 3, Title IX of the Penal Code of the State of Texas, relating to affrays and disturbance of the peace: If any person shall discharge any gun, pistol or firearms of any description, or shall discharge any cannon cracker or torpedo on or across any public square, street or alley in any city, town or village, or in any street, or within one hundred yards of any business house, in this State, he shall be fined in any sum not exceeding one hundred dollars.
1897 Tex. Gen. Laws 221- 22
(1897)
Ch. 155, § 1: Prohibited the selling or giving to a minor a pistol, dirk, dagger, slungshot, sword cane, spear or knuckles made of any metal or hard substance, Bowie knife or any other knife manufactured or sold for the purpose of offense or defense without the consent of their parent or guardian. Punishable by fine of $25-200 and/or imprisonment for 10-30 days.
Revised Ordinances of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, at 64-65
(1880)
An Ordinance prohibiting the shooting off, firing or discharging of Fire-arms; the firing, exploding or setting off of Squibs, Firecrackers, Torpedoes, Roman Candles, Sky-rockets or other things containing powder or other explosive matter, or the throwing of any fire balls, or making of any bon-fires in the corporate limits of the City of Fort Worth. Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Fort Worth § 1: It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to shoot off, fire, or discharge any gun, pistol, revolver or any firearm of any description, or to fire, explode or set off any squib, firecracker, torpedo, roman candle, sky-rocket, or other thing containing powder or other explosive matter, or to throw any fire-ball or make any bon-fire in the corporate limits of this city
1887 Tex. Gen. Laws 7
(1887)
Ch. 9, Art. 318: Prohibited any person from carrying on his person, saddle, or in his saddlebags, any pistol, dirk, dagger, slung shot, sword cane, spear, or knuckles made of any metal or any hard substance, Bowie knife, or any other kind of knife manufactured or sold for purposes of offense of defense.
Revised Ordinances of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, at 207
(1885)
Ordinance no. 157, § 1: Any person carrying concealed on or about his person any pistol, dirk, dagger, slung shot, sword cane, spear, brass knuckles, Bowie knife, or any other kind of knife manufactured or sold for the purpose of offense or defense, unless having or carrying the same on or about his person for the lawful defense of the State as a militiaman, in actual service, or as a peace officer or policeman, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof, shall be punished by fine of not less than twenty-five nor more than one hundred dollars.
Revised Ordinances of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, at 113-14
(1879)
An Ordinance defining and punishing affrays and Disturbances of the Peace, § 2: If any person shall go into any public place, or into or near any private house, or along any public street or highway near any private house, and shall use loud and vociferous, or obscene, vulgar, or indecent language, or swear or curse, or expose his person, or rudely display any pistol or other deadly weapon in such public place, or upon such public street or highway, or near such private house, in a manner calculated to disturb the inhabitants thereof, he shall be fined in a sum not exceeding one hundred dollars.
Tex. Const. of 1876, Art. I, § 23
(1876)
Declared every citizen to have the right to bear arms in defense of themselves or the state, but the legislature shall have power to regulate the bearing of arms to prevent crime.
1879 Tex. Penal Code Tit. IX
(1879)
Ch. 4, Art. 320: Prohibited carry of a pistol, other firearm, dirk, dagger, slung-shot, sword-cane, spear, brass-knuckles, bowie-knife, or any other kind of a knife manufactured and sold for the purposes of offense and defense into any church, religious assembly, school room, or other place where persons are assembled for amusement or for educational or scientific purposes, or into any circus, show, or public exhibition of any kind, or into a ball-room. Violators fined not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars and shall forfeit the weapon.
1889 Tex. Gen. Laws 33
(1889)
Tit. 9, Ch. 4, Art. 338: Prohibited any person from carrying any pistol, dirk, dagger, slung-shot, sword-cane, spear, or knuckles made of any metal or hard substance, Bowie knife, or any other knife manufactured or sold for purposes of offense or defense. Violators fined not less than twenty-five nor more than two hundred dollars, or imprisonment not less than ten nor more than thirty days, or both.
1879 Tex. Penal Code, art. 163
(1871)
Tex. Act of Apr. 12, 1871, as codified in Tex. Penal Code (1879) Art. 163: Prohibited the carrying of a concealed or open gun, pistol, Bowie knife, or other dangerous weapon within a half mile of a polling site on an election day. Also prohibited generally carrying a pistol, dirk, dagger, slungshot, sword cane, spear, brass knuckles, Bowie knife, or other kind of knife used for offense or defense. Punishable by fine and forfeiture of the weapon.
1889 Tex. Gen. Laws 36
(1889)
Malicious Mischief, Ch. 40, Art. 683b: That any person who shall willfully or maliciously throw a stone or other missile or fire a gun or pistol at or into any coach or passenger car of a moving railway train, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum of not less than twenty-five dollars and not more than one thousand dollars.
1873 Tex. Gen. Laws 1322
(1873)
Prohibited entry into any church, religious assembly, school-room, or other place where persons are assembled for educational, literary, or scientific purposes, or into a ball room, social party, or other social gathering, composed of ladies and gentlemen, or to any election precinct on the day of an election, where people may be mustered for public duty or public assembly while armed with a Bowie-knife, dirk, butcher-knife, or any firearms known as a six-shooter, gun, or pistol of any kind. Violators guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars at the discretion of the court.
Tex. Act of April 12, 1871, Art. 320
(1871)
Tex. Act of April 12, 1871: Expands the places where carrying a weapon may be prohibited to include "places where persons are assembled for amusement [... including] any circus, show, or public exhibition of any kind [...]" — however, the law makes an exception "as may be required or permitted by law." Gun shows are permitted by law under CA Penal Code § 27300 et seq. The restrictions on general public carry may be overbroad and thus invalid in light of the Bruen decision.
1876 Tex. Gen. Laws 29
(1876)
An Act To Incorporate The City Of Galveston And to Grant A New Charter, Tit. 7, Art. II, § 108: To direct, control and prohibit the keeping and management of houses, or any building for the storing of gun-powder and other combustible, explosive or dangerous materials, within the city; to regulate the keeping and conveying of the same, and the use of candles and other lights in stables and other like houses.
1889 Tex. Gen. Laws, Art. 3294
(1889)
An Act to Amend Militia Law, Chapter 16 [H.B. 515]: And it shall not be lawful for any body of men whatsoever, other than the regularly organized volunteer guard, to associate themselves together as a military company or organization, or to parade in public with arms in any part of the state, without the license of the governor therefor.
1897 Tex. Gen. Laws 214
(1897)
An Act To Preserve And Protect The Wild Game, Birds, And Wild Fowl, Of The State And Provide Adequate Penalties For The Unlawful Taking, Slaughter, Sale Or Shipment Thereof, And To Repeal All Laws And Parts Of Laws In Conflict Therewith, Chap. 149, § 4: It shall be unlawful to destroy any wild geese or wild ducks by any means otherwise than by an ordinary gun, capable of being held to and shot from the shoulder, and whoever violates the provision of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than ten nor more than one hundred dollars.
1881 Tex. Penal Code, at 205–08
(1881)
Tit. 15, Ch. 16, Art. 610: Any person who shall, within this State, fight a duel with deadly weapons, or send or accept a challenge to fight a duel with deadly weapons, either within the State or out of it, or who shall act as a second, or knowingly aid or assist in any manner those thus offending, shall be deemed guilty of a felony and upon conviction shall be punished by confinement in the penitentiary not less than two nor more than five years.
1873 Tex. Gen. Laws 1321–22, art. 6510
(1873)
An Act to Prohibit the Carrying of Firearms on Premises or Plantations of Any Citizen Without the Consent of the Owner, Art. 6510: It shall not be lawful for any person or persons to carry firearms on the enclosed premises or plantation of any citizen, without the consent of the owner or proprietor, other than in the lawful discharge of a civil or military duty, and any person or persons so offending shall be fined a sum not less than one nor more than ten dollars, or imprisonment in the county jail not less than ten days, or both, in the discretion of the court or jury before whom the trial is had.
1874 Tex. Gen. Laws 1323
(1874)
Prohibited any person from carrying a pistol, other firearm, dirk, dagger, slung-shot, sword-cane, spear, brass-knuckles, bowie-knife, or any other kind of knife manufactured and sold for offense or defense into any church, religious assembly, school room, other place where persons are assembled for amusement, educational, or scientific purposes, or into a ball-room, social party, or social gathering, or any election precinct on the day of election, or places of muster or other public duty, or to any other public assembly. Violators guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not les than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars with forfeiture of the weapon on first offense. Further offenses may also be imprisoned not more than ninety days.
1871 Tex. Gen. Laws 25–27
(1871)
An Act to Regulate the Keeping and Bearing of Deadly Weapons: shall be the duty of any sheriffs, constables, marshals, and their deputies, and all policemen, to enforce §§ 1-3 of this law regulating carry, self-defense claims, and sensitive places.
1870 Tex. Gen. Laws 63
(1870)
Ch. 46, § 1; An Act Regulating the Right to Keep and Bear Arms: Banned carry of any bowie-knife, dirk, or butcher-knife, or firearms,whether known as a six-shooter, gun, or pistol of any kind at any church or religious assembly, any school-room or other place where persons are assembled for educational, literary, or scientific purposes, or into a ball room,social party, or other social gathering, composed of ladies and gentleman, or to any election precinct on the day or days of any election, where any portion of the people of this state are collected to vote at any election, or to any other place where people may be assembled to muster or to perform any other public duty, or any other public assembly
1859 Tex. Gen. Laws, 458
(1859)
Tex. Penal Code arts. 611–12: If one commits a killing with a Bowie-knife or dagger that would render a homicide manslaughter, that killing shall be deemed a murder.
1873 Tex. Gen. Laws 1322
(1870)
An Act Regulating the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Art. 6511: If any person shall go into any church or religious assembly, any school-room or other place where persons are assembled for educational, literary, or scientific purposes, or into a ball room, social party, or other social gathering, composed of ladies and gentleman, or to any election precinct on the day or days of any election, where any portion of the people of this state are collected to vote at any election, or to any other place where people may be assembled to muster or to perform any other public duty, or any other public assembly, and shall have about his person a bowie-knife, dirk, or butcher-knife, or fire-arms, whether known as a six shooter, gun, or pistol of any kind, such person so offending shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be fined in a sum not less than fifty or more than five hundred dollars, at the discretion of the court or jury trying the same
Tex. Const., Art. I, § 13 (1869)
(1869)
Declared everyone shall have the right to keep and bear arms, subject to regulations as the legislature "may prescribe."
1871 Tex. Gen. Laws 25
(1871)
Ch. 34, § 3: Prohibited carry of pistol, other firearm, dirk, dagger, slung-shot, sword-cane, spear, brass knuckles, Bowie-knife, any other knife for offense or defense in public assemblies for education or amusement, ball rooms, social parties, elections, locations for muster. Violators guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by fine no less than fifty but not more than five hundred dollars and forfeiture of the weapon. Subsequent violations shall also be jailed for no more than ninety days.
Tex. Penal Code ch. 14, arts. 611-12 (1857)
(1856)
Provided that the use of a Bowie knife or a dagger in manslaughter is to be deemed murder.
1871 Tex. Laws 25, ch. 34, § 1
(1871)
Prohibited the carrying of a concealed pistol, dirk, dagger, slungshot, sword cane, spear, brass knuckles, Bowie knife, or any other kind of knife used for offense or defense, unless carried openly for self-defense. Punishable by fine of $20-100, forfeiture of the weapon, and for subsequent offenses, imprisonment up to 60 days.
1898 Tex. Gen. Laws, 1140 § 3
(1863)
An Act Amendatory of an Act to punish certain offences committed on Sunday, § 3: That any person or persons who shall engage in hunting game, either with gun or dogs, or otherwise, on Sunday, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction, shall be fined not less than five nor more than twenty-five dollars
1873 Tex. Gen Laws 1321, Art. 6508a
(1867)
An Act to Prohibit the Discharging of Firearms in Certain Places Therein Named, Art. 6508a: It shall not be lawful for any person to discharge any gun, pistol, or firearms of any description whatever, on, or across any public square, street, or alley, in any city or town in this state
1874 Tex. Gen. Laws 1323
(1870)
Art. 6511: Prohibited the carry of any bowie-knife, dirk, butcher-knife, or fire-arms, including any six-shooter, gun, or pistol into any church, religious assembly, any school-room or other place where persons are assembled for educational, literary, or scientific purposes, or into a ball-room, social party, or other social gathering, composed of ladies and gentlemen, or to any election precinct on the day or days of any election, where any portion of the people of this state are collected to vote at any election, or to any other place where people may be assembled to muster, or to perform any other public duty, or any other public assembly.
1866 Tex. Gen. Laws 210
(1866)
An Act To Prohibit The Discharging Of Fire Arms In Certain Places Herein Named, chap. 170, § 1: It shall not be lawful for any person to discharge any gun, pistol, or fire arms of any description whatever, on, or across any public square, street, or alley, in any city or town in this state; Provided this act shall not be so construed as to apply to the "outer town," or suburbs, of any city or town.
1873 Tex. Gen. Laws 1321, Art. 6509
(1866)
An Act to Amend Article 382, Title XI, Chapter 3 of the Penal Code. Art. 6509: If any one or more persons shall, in any public place, by loud and vociferous talking, swearing, or rudely displaying any pistol, or other deadly weapon, so as to disturb the inhabitants of the place in the prosecution of their lawful business, any person engaged in such disturbance shall be fined in any sum not exceeding fifty dollars.

Texas

Texas

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