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 - 28 of 28

Revised Ordinances of the City of Fort Worth, at 206
(1873)
An Ordinance in Regard to Carrying Deadly Weapons, § 1: That it shall be unlawful for any person to carry about his person any pistol, Bowie knife or other deadly or unlawful weapon while within the corporate limits of this city
1871 Tex. Gen. Laws 14
(1871)
An Act To Incorporate The Town Of Millican, County of Brazos, 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 firearms, within the limits of the town of Millican, and any person violating this act shall be fined not less than five nor more then twenty-five dollars...
Charter and Revised Ordinances of the City of Galveston 94 (1873)
(1872)
Art. 418, § 26: Every keeper of a pistol or rifle gallery, a tax of twenty-five 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
1870 Tex. Gen. Laws 139
(1870)
Ch. 73: Prohibited carrying "any gun, pistol, bowie-knife or other dangerous weapon, concealed or unconcealed," within a half mile of a polling place while the polls are open.
1871 Tex. Gen. Laws ch. 34, §1
(1871)
Prohibited the carrying of any 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 up to twenty-five but not more than one hundred dollars, forfeiture of the weapon, and for subsequent offenses, imprisonment up to 60 days.
1871 Tex. Laws 25, An Act to Regulate the Keeping and Bearing of Deadly Weapons. § 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, 121 § 1
(1860)
An Act Authorizing the Corporate Authorities of the Town of Dangerfield, Fairfield and Springfield, to tax ten pin alleys, billiard tables and pistol galleries, § 1: That the corporate authorities of the Town of Dangerfield, in Titus county, Fairfield, in Freestone county, and Springfield in Limestone county, Texas, be and they are hereby authorized to levy a tax, of not more than five hundred dollars per annum, on ten pin alleys, billiard tables or pistol galleries, to be paid before any such alley, table or gallery is put in operation.
1873 Tex. Gen. Laws 1322–24
(1871)
An Act to Regulate the Keeping and Bearing of Deadly Weapons, Art. 6512: Any person carrying on or about his person, saddle, or in his saddle-bags, 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 be has reasonable grounds for fearing an unlawful attack on his person, and that such ground of attack shall be immediate and pressing; or unless having or carrying the same on or about his person for the lawful defense the state, as a militiaman in actual service, or as a peace officer or policeman, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor

Texas

Texas

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