Owning a gun provides many advantages in regards to protection and fun hobbies. The role also comes with much responsibility, including obeying laws governing actions such as drinking and carrying your handgun. Continue reading to discover if it’s legal to carry a firearm while under the influence of alcohol, explained by the firearms experts from LTC Austin, your premier choice for Austin conceal carry online classes.
Legal Basics
Carrying a firearm in Texas while having a drink is legal. However, you cannot be intoxicated while the gun is in your possession. If you’re positive you’ll only have one or two alcoholic beverages—no more than the legal limit for driving—you can carry your pistol. However, it’s best to keep the handgun in a safe, secure, and legal storage area if you plan to go out for numerous drinks with friends, coworkers, or family members.
Business Owners
Event hosts or other authoritative figures at the business you’re visiting have the legal right to exclude you from their property if you’ve been drinking and a firearm is in your possession. Although Texas law doesn’t prohibit you from carrying while drinking—only while you’re intoxicated—business owners aren’t required to permit you on their property if you’re under the influence of alcohol. They can also stop serving you and ask you to leave the premises for many reasons, such as causing people to feel threatened or unsafe. However, Texas law prevents gun owners from taking their firearms into bars or any other establishment that derives more than 51 percent of its business from alcohol sales. Refusing to leave could lead to a criminal trespass charge or worse.
The Impact of Alcohol
Drinking alcohol is a personal choice, and no one should feel ashamed of their preferences as long as their actions are legal. If you want to have drinks at home, you have that right. Likewise, if you choose to go on an outing with friends and accept a ride from associates who aren’t under the influence or you decide to use a rideshare service, you can do so. However, carrying a gun while intoxicated isn’t legal. Alcohol can impair your brain function and lead to questionable actions. The visual impairment caused by excessive drinking could also put you in harm’s way.
Repercussions
Carrying a firearm while intoxicated could result in various consequences, such as having your license revoked, being fined, and having to serve jail time. A more severe issue is making a wrong decision, firing your handgun and causing bodily harm to yourself or others while under the influence of alcohol. It’s best to learn more about Texas laws for gun owners and various safety tips before carrying your firearm, especially if you plan to have a drink. You can educate yourself more by enrolling in an online license to carry class and joining a network of gun owners.
If you’re carrying a firearm in Texas, it’s essential to make sure you learn how to do it safely and follow all the applicable laws. License to Carry Austin is committed to providing the best firearms training available. Whether you want to take an Austin concealed carry class online to get your carry permit or you simply want to learn how to shoot and handle a gun safely, LTC Austin has what you need. Give us a call today at 512-766-3039.