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How To Improve Your Shooting Accuracy

For anyone who is committed to mastering firearms, the struggle to sharpen their accuracy seems to be a never-ending challenge. Of all the firearms in our arsenal though, the handgun can be the most challenging to master. It is small with a short sight radius and generally has a trigger that requires more pressure than the gun weighs. With so much to wade through, it is time to look at eight simple things anyone can do to improve their overall accuracy with a handgun.

Trigger Control
The first thing to focus on is trigger control. We often hear this phrase used when discussions of accuracy arise. Few times however is it given sufficient attention. The truth is that pistols for the most part are accurate. It’s our manipulation of the weapon that interferes with its ultimate capability. Here are some solid trigger control drills to help you improve.

Dime on the Front Sight Drill
Always easier with the help of a partner, unload your weapon and remove the magazine if possible. Reset the action on your pistol and have your partner balance a dime on the front sight. Now, execute a smooth, clean press of the trigger. If you do this correctly, the front sight will not dip or move and the dime will stay in place. If the dime falls off, you are generally jerking the trigger and causing movement in the gun. That movement translates into missed shots. The key to keeping the dime steady is a smooth continuous trigger press with a clean “break” at the end.

Keep the Slack Out
The more we move the trigger, the higher the probability that we will miss our shot. The trigger press is composed of three stages: the slop, which is the distance the trigger travels freely to the rear before you encounter resistance; the slack, or the distance the trigger will still travel while under tension prior to firing; and the shot, which is where the trigger finishes its’ travel and ultimately fires the weapon. In our initial press of the trigger, we will experience all three stages of the trigger motion. However, after the initial press, the trigger will reset. The distance required for reset generally takes it only as far as the “slack” point. Do not allow the trigger to travel any further forward than is necessary. A great drill for this is to empty your weapon and press the trigger. With your support side hand, rack the slide, and as it is moving forward relax your trigger finger. The tension of the trigger will push forward and allow it to reset. Only let the trigger move as far forward as it has to. Having a partner actually rack the slide for you while you stay pointed in is also very helpful. Continuous dry practice with this drill will familiarize you with how far your trigger needs to travel. At all costs we look to avoid letting the trigger move all the way forward and even worse, our finger comes off the trigger. This generally ends up in a “slap” of the trigger on subsequent shots and will interfere with accuracy.

Follow Through
Follow-through is the act of keeping the gun steady to send follow up shots on target. The challenge faced comes in the way of anticipation or flinch. Especially true with newer shooters, the anticipation of the next shot can cause a flinch response to the weapon firing. This causes muzzle dip and is never helps to accuracy. To deal with this challenge try this proven drill.

Ball and Dummy
One of the most classic pistol drills, the ball and dummy drill is designed to help eliminate flinch. The drill is generally done with a partner to assist. While the shooter is turned away, the partner will place their weapon in a state of readiness. It will either be set with a round in the chamber or reset without around. Either way, the trigger will function. The shooter has turned back around and given the weapon. They point in and press as if they were shooting a bull’s eye. If the weapon is unloaded, the trigger will “click” yet the muzzle should not dip. If there is a noticeable dip, it is a sign of anticipating the shot. Continue this drill with an occasional live round placed in the chamber so as to keep the shooter off balance. Approximately 75% of the time it should be empty, however. This is a solid drill for learning to overcome the anticipation of the shot firing.

Sight Picture and Alignment
The last part of our accuracy formula looks at sight picture and alignment. There are many theories and methods of shooting when it comes to the world of sites. At the most fundamental and reliable level though we look to align the sights on target while intently focusing on the front sight. The rear sights should be slightly blurry as will be the target. The front sight should be crystal clear. A few reliable drills to build confidence are these:

Bench Shooting
One of the best ways to learn certain components of shooting is to minimize the need to focus on other parts. By shooting from a benched position you are able to eliminate the need to stabilize yourself in order to make good shots. This is a confidence builder as well as a drill to help you build good sight alignment habits. Sit at a bench with your arms resting on a shooting bag. Acquire a solid sight picture and alignment. Take your time and fire shots with the intent of managing perfect sights throughout the process.

Figure 8 Drill
One of the challenges we face is the feeling that our sights are all over the place as we begin to make a shot. For the most part that is just our perception and not reality. With good mechanics, you can make good accurate shots consistently. A drill to show you this, as well as to work on trigger control is the figure 8 drill. At about six yards point in at your target, now take all of the slop and slack out of the trigger. Intentionally move the front sight six to eight inches in figure 8 over the bull’s eye. Now, as you come across the bull’s eye, break your shot and reset your trigger to shoot again. Continue this for five or six shots. What you will find is that you are much more accurate than you may think. By managing the trigger well, it allows for quite a bit of motion and you still maintain good accuracy.

The goal is always to bring these components together. Unless you are a static bull’s eye shooter, there will be many moving parts to making a shot. Here are a few drills designed to start mixing components without overwhelming yourself:

Bring Them All Together
Ragged Hole Drill
The ragged hole drill is another classic. From six yards, you will slow fire five rounds into a single point on your target. Do your best to focus on a small portion of the target. Better yet, get a target that has one to two-inch dots on it as focus points. Take your time and use the exact same point of aim each time. Do not chase your shots or try to make corrections. If you manage your trigger and sights well, you should end up with a single ragged hole. If your shots are spread out, it is a sign that you need to polish up on one or more of the basics.

Shrinking Targets
Similar to the ragged hole drill, the goal is to start shrinking your shot groups. Find or make a target that has three or four circles on it each a little smaller than the previous one. From six yards, fire five rounds into each circle. The goal is to have all the rounds inside the circle. As you master one circle, move to the next smaller and so on. This is as much a confidence builder as it is a skill builder.

Shooting a handgun can be a challenge. As with all shooting, it always comes back to the fundamentals. By practicing these drills you can improve individual portions and ultimately bring them all together. In the end, like all complex motor skills, shooting is a perishable skill. The practice must be ongoing but with practice comes skill!

Need help with your new firearm? Enroll in our Basic Pistol 101 Class….

5 Levels of Shooting Competence

                   What Level or Type of Shooter are you?

Intentionally Incompetent
A classic example of Intentionally Incompetent gun owners are those who are aware of organized shooting events,
but refuse to attend or even acknowledge the potential benefits.
Typically, these individuals mislead themselves and others by fabricating lies justifying non-participation or below average
results: You may hear them say things like…
“Competition shooting will get you killed.”
“Organized/target shooting isn’t real shooting.”
“Marksmanship is for soldiers/police/hunters and very different than marksmanship for competition.”
“I’m horrible on paper targets, but I’m deadly in the field.”

UNCONSCIOUSLY INCOMPETENT
The UI does not know what he or she does not know. The UI represents the majority of all gun owners and includes people
(police and military) who carry a gun for a living. The UI is incompetent but does not know he or she is incompetent
because he or she had no training or low-level training and has not yet experienced a situation exposing his or her
inadequacies.
Examples of the UI can be found everywhere:
**The officer who only practices shooting his weapon a few times per year only to pass the POST or department
mandatory range qualifications is UI.
**The gun owner who buys a gun and box of ammo, only attends mandatory CCW classes, fires a few shots at the
range and then places the gun in his closet, confident he or she can use it effectively to protect him or herself is UI.
**The hunter who only attends mandatory hunter safety and only shoots once a year to sight-in his or her rifle before going
hunting is UI. **Most plinkers are UI. **Military personnel who only shoot the same course of fire as in Basic training
(even with an “Expert” qualification) are still UI. **Any gun owner who has never attended an organized shooting
event beyond a mandated safety/basic training course is UI.

CONSCIOUSLY INCOMPETENT
The next level of competence hits you like a ton of bricks because you immediately become aware that you know very little, or
previously held notions are incorrect, and that there is so much to learn. This often happens when the UI
attends his/her first organized shooting event. This is the quickest, cheapest and safest way to figure this out.

CONSCIOUSLY COMPETENT
If the CI makes the effort to learn, through study, proper training and practice, the CI develops into the CC. The
length of time needed to develop from CI to CC is directly related to the quality of the training or events attended
and the motivation of the student. Study brings you to the level of theoretical knowledge. You understand the
concepts, but to apply them, you have to think about them. In a lot of subjects or skills, you might never move
beyond this level. Every decision and action occurs as a result of an intricate thought process and has not yet
reached the reflex response level.

UNCONSCIOUSLY COMPETENT
The speed of reflex. Riding a bike, driving a car, touch, typing and speaking in your native tongue are common
skills most people are Unconsciously Competent in. At this level, theoretical knowledge is transformed into practical
knowledge. Study might get you to CC, but only proper practice and training will get you to UC.

The UC has programmed his mind and body (after thousands of correct repetitions) to react in a fraction of a
second with consistent responses that require no perceivable thought process. The UC functions flawlessly even
under stressful situations because the UC’s extensive training overrides his conscious thought process. As you can
imagine, the UC is not common in today’s society.

CONSCIOUS UNCONSCIOUSLY COMPETENT (very rare & often not considered a sixth level)
The highest level of competence is the ability to do something without thinking about it, yet retain a level of
awareness of how you do it. This level of competence enables you to teach the skill to someone else and is the
identity of a true Master. Many people who are experts at something find it difficult explaining it to someone less skilled.
They are so unconsciously competent, that they don’t know how they do it. They just do it. The CUC is a UC who can effectively teach others to reach a similar level of skill.

Color Codes of Awareness

  • White “The condition of MOST Victims”
  • Never while “Armed” – Defensive shooting might occur & could’ve been avoided
  • Smart phones, MP3 players provide the perfect atmosphere for condition white
  • Criminals prefer Victims in this condition 
  • Victims fail to recognize emotions or aggressiveness of others
  • Yellow “Aware of Your Surroundings”
  • Anytime in Public
  • Not paranoid but scan for possible threats and their sources
  • Posture and demeanor says “I am alert”
  • MUST be In condition Yellow when ARMED
  • Orange “Identified Possible Threat or Threats”
  • Realize something may be wrong
  • You make a plan on how to react/ Ex. Exit strategy, Increase distance, Verbal commands “stay back”, Taking Cover
  • Defined a mental trigger that will move you to take action such as an individual refusing your commands and moving into your protective bubble
  • While your weapon may still be holstered, you should prepare to access it
  • Red  “Action is Immediate”
  • Your mental trigger has been tripped and you execute your plan to Escape, Take Cover or Engage the Threat
  • Trust your instinct, it’s far better to run away from a situation that turned out NOT to be a threat than it is to be stuck in a mental block of “this can’t be what I think it is and guessing wrong”
  • The use of FORCE is still governed by the obligation to retreat if possible and the obligation to use something less than deadly force if it will suffice. 
  • A use of FORCE is NOT the REQUIRED outcome. 
  • LTC (License To Carry) is an option that may be used if we find ourselves unable to avoid or escape a dangerous situation when we are out in public. 
  • It is NOT a permit to go places, say things or act in a way that we should not do otherwise

⚖️Texas License-To-Carry (LTC) Application Fees

There are three standard fees when going through the process to receive a Texas License-To-Carry card. They are as follows:

  1. Instructor Fee: Varies. The state does not set this fee, the instructors set their own fee for their class sessions.
  2. Fingerprint Fee: $9.95 and is set by the fingerprinting company.
  3. Application Fee: Varies by condition. See Application Conditions and fees below.

License To Carry a Handgun (LTC) applicants may be eligible for a discount and/or certain exemption(s) based on what condition they apply under.

As of September 1, 2017 the following application fees apply:

Application Conditions

Standard Condition

Individuals who do not meet the requirements for any discount.

Original/New Application Fee = The initial license is $40.00 and is issued for a period of 4 years. The initial license expires on your next birthday following a 4-year period. On renewal, the standard license fee is $40.00 for a 5-year license, which will expire on your birthday.

Renewal Application Fee = $40

Active Judicial Officer/Supervision or Juvenile Probation Officer

Individuals who are serving as judges or justices of the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals, a court of appeals, a district court, a criminal district court, a constitutional county court, a statutory county court, a justice court, or a municipal court; or a federal judge who is resident of Texas; or persons appointed and serving as associate judges; or a Texas Supervision or Juvenile Probation officer.

Original/New Application Fee = $25

Renewal Application Fee = $25

Retired Judicial Officer

Individuals who were serving as judges or justices of the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals, a court of appeals, a district court, a criminal district court, a constitutional county court, a statutory county court, a justice court, or a municipal court; or a federal judge who is resident of Texas; or persons appointed and serving as associate judges.

Original/New Application Fee = $25

Renewal Application Fee = $25

Active Military/Active Texas Military Member/Active Texas Peace Officer/State Correctional Officer (TDCJ)/ County Jailer

Individuals currently serving in the military OR who were honorably discharged within the last 365 days; or Licensed peace officers under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, and are employed as a peace officer by a Texas law enforcement agency; or Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) Correctional Officer; or an Active Texas Military Member; or County Jailer.

Original/New Application Fee = $0

Renewal Application Fee = $0

Honorably Retired Texas Peace Officer

Individuals who were licensed as peace officers under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, and who were honorably retired from having been employed full-time or as a reserve peace officer by a Texas law enforcement agency.

Original/New Application Fee = $25

Renewal Application Fee = $25

Retired Federal Officer

Individuals who are honorably retired Officers of the United States who were eligible to carry a firearm in the discharge of the officer’s official duties.

Original/New Application Fee = $25

Renewal Application Fee = $25

Senior Citizen

Individuals who are at least 60 years of age at the time of application.

Original/New Application Fee = $40

Renewal Application Fee = $35

Indigent

Individuals who fall below the poverty threshold as set forth by the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Original/New Application Fee = $40

Renewal Application Fee = $35

Felony Prosecuting Attorney/United States attorney/Assistant United States Attorney/Texas Attorney General/ Assistant Texas Attorney General

Individuals who are elected or employed attorneys representing the state in the prosecution of felony cases; or an United States attorney; or an Assistant United States Attorney; or a Texas Attorney General; or an Assistant Texas Attorney General

Original/New Application Fee = $0

Renewal Application Fee = $0

Veteran (Honorably Discharged)

Individuals honorably discharged from military service.

Original/New Application Fee = $25

Renewal Application Fee = $25

Other / Assistant Prosecutor/

Individuals who are prosecuting attorneys or assistant prosecuting attorneys

Original/New Application Fee = $40

Renewal Application Fee = $40

Instructor Certification/Online Course Provider

Certified Instructors are individuals trained and certified by Texas Department of Public Safety to instruct the License To Carry a Handgun training courses to the public; Online Course Providers are individuals trained and certified by the Texas Department of Public Safety to instruct, online, the classroom portion of the License to Carry Handgun Proficiency Course.

Original/New Application Fee = $100

Renewal Application Fee = $100

⚖️ Steps to Getting a Texas Concealed Handgun License*

To earn your Texas LTC the following criteria must be met:
  1. Meet all the eligibility requirements to earn a Texas Concealed Handgun license.
  2. Pass the state written exam with a 70% or better passing score.
  3. Pass the state proficiency/shooting exam with a 70% or better.
  4. Submit the following documents:
    • Upon successful completion, the required training certificate will be issued to you by your LTC instructor when you have completed and passed your Texas LTC written exam and proficiency shooting exam.
    • The photo from you Texas Drivers License or ID will be used for your License-To-Carry.
    • If you DO NOT have a valid Texas Drivers License or ID you will need the following items.
      • 2 passport photos 
      • LTC-6 Photo Form 
  5. Link to apply for To DPS for License: APPLY_TXDPS_LTC_ONLINE
  6. Link to upload documents: RSD_DOCUMENTS_UPLOAD

*** IMPORTANT NOTE *** It is the sole responsibility of each individual to determine if they are ELIGIBLE to receive a Texas License-To-Carry. Alamo City Self Defense, Acselfdefense.com, their owners, employees, and representatives are not responsible, nor obligated, to determine eligibility of any individual as to their ability to be issued a Texas Concealed Handgun license. Each individual must verify their own eligibility status or verify eligibility through consultation with an attorney or qualified legal representative. NO REFUNDS shall be issued after an individual has completed our training courses even if it is determined that the individual is or was not NOT ELIGIBLE to receive a Texas Concealed Handgun license from the State of Texas.

 

  • You must be 21 (18 for Military & Veterans) years of age when DPS receives the full application.
  • If you are a citizen of another country you must have a resident visa.
  • If you have a Felony conviction with deferred adjudication, you must wait 10 years to apply unless the charge is for offenses against people, which includes homicide, kidnapping, restraint, human trafficking, sex offenses and assaults or Robbery.
  • You may NOT have been convicted of a Class A or B misdemeanor within the last 5 years.
  • You may NOT have been convicted of the Class C misdemeanor for Disorderly Conduct in the last 5 years.
  • You may NOT have been found by a court to be Currently in default on any student loan.
  • You may NOT have been found by a court to be Currently in default on any state or city taxes.
  • You may NOT have been found by a court to be Currently in default on child support.
  • You may NOT presently be charged with a: 1)Felony; 2)Class A or B misdemeanor; 3)Class C Disorderly Conduct.
  • You may NOT be currently under a court protective order or subject to a restraining order affecting the spousal relationship, other than a restraining order solely affecting property interest.
  • You may NOT (in the last 10 years preceding the date of application) have been adjudicated as having engaged in delinquent conduct violating a penal law of the grade of felony as a juvenile.
  • You cannot have made any material misrepresentation, or failed to disclose any material fact, in an application submitted to DPS.
  • You cannot have been convicted twice within the last 10 years for any Class B misdemeanor, or greater, involving the use of alcohol or a controlled substance.
  • You cannot be a fugitive from justice; a chemically dependent person; or a person of unsound mind.

At Alamo Self Defense, we offer several ways to get your Texas License To Carry Permit. Click here to get started.

This Good Samaritan Attempt Teaches Valuable Lessons

Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country.

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Texas License-To-Carry Shooting Test

Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country.

Continue Reading

LTC Eligibility

LTC Eligibility
Sec. 411.172. ELIGIBILITY
(a) A person is eligible for a license to carry a handgun if the person:

(1) is a legal resident of this state for the six-month period preceding the date of application under this subchapter or is otherwise eligible for a license under Section 411.173(a);

(2) is at least 21 years of age;

(3) has not been convicted of a felony;

(4) is not charged with the commission of a Class A or Class B misdemeanor or equivalent offense, or of an offense under Section 42.01, Penal Code, or equivalent offense, or of a felony under an information or indictment;

(5) is not a fugitive from justice for a felony or a Class A or Class B misdemeanor or equivalent offense;

(6) is not a chemically dependent person;

(7) is not incapable of exercising sound judgment with respect to the proper use and storage of a handgun;

(8) has not, in the five years preceding the date of application, been convicted of a Class A or Class B misdemeanor or equivalent offense or of an offense under Section 42.01, Penal Code, or equivalent offense;

(9) is fully qualified under applicable federal and state law to purchase a handgun;

(10) has not been finally determined to be delinquent in making a child support payment administered or collected by the attorney general;

(11) has not been finally determined to be delinquent in the payment of a tax or other money collected by the comptroller, the tax collector of a political subdivision of the state, or any agency or subdivision of the state;

(12) is not currently restricted under a court protective order or subject to a restraining order affecting the spousal relationship, other than a restraining order solely affecting property interests;

(13) has not, in the 10 years preceding the date of application, been adjudicated as having engaged in delinquent conduct violating a penal law of the grade of felony; and

(14) has not made any material misrepresentation, or failed to disclose any material fact, in an application submitted pursuant to Section 411.174.

(b) For the purposes of this section, an offense under the laws of this state, another state, or the United States is:

(1) except as provided by Subsection (b-1), a felony if the offense, at the time the offense is committed:

(A) is designated by a law of this state as a felony;

(B) contains all the elements of an offense designated by a law of this state as a felony; or

(C) is punishable by confinement for one year or more in a penitentiary; and

(2) a Class A misdemeanor if the offense is not a felony and confinement in a jail other than a state jail felony facility is affixed as a possible punishment.

(b-1) An offense is not considered a felony for purposes of Subsection (b) if, at the time of a person’s application for a license to carry a handgun, the offense:

(1) is not designated by a law of this state as a felony; and

(2) does not contain all the elements of any offense designated by a law of this state as a felony.

(c) An individual who has been convicted two times within the 10-year period preceding the date on which the person applies for a license of an offense of the grade of Class B misdemeanor or greater that involves the use of alcohol or a controlled substance as a statutory element of the offense is a chemically dependent person for purposes of this section and is not qualified to receive a license under this subchapter. This subsection does not preclude the disqualification of an individual for being a chemically dependent person if other evidence exists to show that the person is a chemically dependent person.

(d) For purposes of Subsection (a)(7), a person is incapable of exercising sound judgment with respect to the proper use and storage of a handgun if the person:

(1) has been diagnosed by a licensed physician as suffering from a psychiatric disorder or condition that causes or is likely to cause substantial impairment in judgment, mood, perception, impulse control, or intellectual ability;

(2) suffers from a psychiatric disorder or condition described by Subdivision (1) that:

(A) is in remission but is reasonably likely to redevelop at a future time; or

(B) requires continuous medical treatment to avoid redevelopment;

(3) has been diagnosed by a licensed physician, determined by a review board or similar authority, or declared by a court to be incompetent to manage the person’s own affairs; or

(4) has entered in a criminal proceeding a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.

(e) The following constitutes evidence that a person has a psychiatric disorder or condition described by Subsection (d)(1):

(1) involuntary psychiatric hospitalization;

(2) psychiatric hospitalization;

(3) inpatient or residential substance abuse treatment in the preceding five-year period;

(4) diagnosis in the preceding five-year period by a licensed physician that the person is dependent on alcohol, a controlled substance, or a similar substance; or

(5) diagnosis at any time by a licensed physician that the person suffers or has suffered from a psychiatric disorder or condition consisting of or relating to:

(A) schizophrenia or delusional disorder;

(B) bipolar disorder;

(C) chronic dementia, whether caused by illness, brain defect, or brain injury;

(D) dissociative identity disorder;

(E) intermittent explosive disorder; or

(F) antisocial personality disorder.

(f) Notwithstanding Subsection (d), a person who has previously been diagnosed as suffering from a psychiatric disorder or condition described by Subsection (d) or listed in Subsection (e) is not because of that disorder or condition incapable of exercising sound judgment with respect to the proper use and storage of a handgun if the person provides the department with a certificate from a licensed physician whose primary practice is in the field of psychiatry stating that the psychiatric disorder or condition is in remission and is not reasonably likely to develop at a future time.

(g) Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(2), a person who is at least 18 years of age but not yet 21 years of age is eligible for a license to carry a handgun if the person:

(1) is a member or veteran of the United States armed forces, including a member or veteran of the reserves or national guard;

(2) was discharged under honorable conditions, if discharged from the United States armed forces, reserves, or national guard; and

(3) meets the other eligibility requirements of Subsection (a) except for the minimum age required by federal law to purchase a handgun.

(h) The issuance of a license to carry a handgun to a person eligible under Subsection (g) does not affect the person’s ability to purchase a handgun or ammunition under federal law.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 10.01(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 9.03(a), 9.04(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 255, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 486 (H.B. 322), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1146 (H.B. 2730), Sec. 11.03, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 437 (H.B. 910), Sec. 17, eff. January 1, 2016.

Other Eligibility Questions
If I was convicted of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), am I eligible for a Texas License to Carry a Handgun (LTC)?

DWI is classified as at least a Class B misdemeanor, and you are ineligible for a license for five years after a conviction for a Class A or Class B misdemeanor. For the purpose of determining eligibility, a conviction includes those that were dismissed after you completed probation or deferred adjudication.
If I received deferred adjudication for an offense, am I eligible for a Texas License to Carry a Handgun (LTC)?

Texas Government Code Chapter 411, Subchapter H states that deferred adjudication will be considered the same as a conviction. Depending on the type of offense and the date of the order of deferred adjudication, you may not be eligible for a LTC. See GC §411.171 and §411.1711
If I was arrested for a crime but the charges were dismissed, am I eligible for a Texas License to Carry a Handgun (LTC)?

If charges were dismissed without prosecution, then they are not disqualifying. A deferred adjudication is not a dismissal without prosecution and is considered a conviction for purposes of the LTC.
If I am delinquent in paying child support, am I eligible for a Texas License to Carry a Handgun (LTC)?

Texas Government Code Chapter 411, Subchapter H states an application for a LTC may be denied if the applicant has been finally determined to be delinquent in child support obligations.
Am I required to list all arrests on my application, even if the cases were dismissed or if I was found not guilty?

Yes. Applicants are required to report all arrests in order to ensure the background checks can be conducted timely. The application should include the year, the offense, the location and the final disposition. Copies of the dispositions will assist in the timely processing of your application. Applicants should also include information on cases that resulted in probation or deferred adjudication. Failure to provide any requested documentation could result in the termination of an application as incomplete.

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