How buying a gun in Waco works
Pick an FFL dealer near you that accepts shipped transfers and name it at checkout. We confirm their license and ship the firearm to them. Ammunition, optics and parts ship straight to your door where Texas law allows.
Texas adds no state layer to the federal process: there is no purchase permit, no registration and no waiting period. The Texas dealer you name at checkout handles the transfer and charges their own fee. The dealer runs the NICS check directly with the FBI, which usually clears in minutes. At pickup you show a current photo ID and complete ATF Form 4473. Federal age limits apply, 21 for a handgun from a dealer and 18 for a rifle or shotgun.
Dealers in these communities all work for Waco-area buyers:
- Hewitt
- Woodway
- Robinson
- Bellmead
- Lorena
- McGregor
- China Spring
- Temple
- Marlin
Carrying a gun in McLennan County
Texas has allowed permitless handgun carry since September 2021 for adults 21 and over who may lawfully possess a firearm, openly in a holster or concealed. The optional License to Carry is issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety and is worth holding for reciprocity in other states. After federal litigation DPS no longer refuses licence applications solely because the applicant is 18 to 20. Schools, courthouses, polling places and properly posted private property stay off limits with or without a licence.
Hunting near Waco
Texas Parks and Wildlife sets white-tailed deer seasons county by county, with most of the state in a North Zone and a South Zone. The usual pattern is archery from early October, a general season opening in early November and running into January, and youth and late seasons around it. Centerfire rifles, handguns, muzzleloaders, shotguns with slugs and archery gear are all legal for deer. Bag limits are set county by county, so read the current Outdoor Annual before you buy tags.
McLennan County sits where the Blackland Prairie meets the post-oak belt on the Brazos; whitetail leases and year-round hogs run in every direction, and Fort Cavazos is just south.
The Brazos and Bosque bottoms hold hogs all year, so a bolt rifle for deer and a semi-auto for hogs is the standard two-gun set here.
Public shooting ranges near Waco
These ranges are run by or officially listed by a state wildlife agency, a state forest or a national forest. Most ask for a hunting licence, a range permit or a small day fee, and hours change with the season, so check the agency page before you go.
Source: State wildlife agency, state forest and U.S. Forest Service public range listings, September 2026. Distances are approximate; call or check the agency site before you drive out.