BootCamp

I'll have to check out how far my retirement dollars will go in Texas. We were planning on retiring in the NC/TN area because of the lower COL there. BUT now that Texas has extended the self-defense protection to civil actions, that sounds even more appealing.

I live in upstate NY - second most liberal state in the country. It takes the average citizen (who qualifies) 18 months to get a pistol permit in NY (outside of the "Five Burroughs" - regular NYS pistol permits are not valid in NYC).
You can be turned down for any number of reasons during the application process. The most common reason for being denied a pistol permit in NY is "omission of facts, or false statements on the application".
Once you HAVE your permit in NY, ANY Judge can revoke it at any time.
It took me 6 months to get my permit. I have no past arrests or convictions of any kind, have a clean drivers' license (yes, they check that), no disputes with neighbors at the time of application (yes, the Cops talk to your neighbors and ask their opinion of you during the "background check process"), answered the questions completely and honestly, and knew a few officers on the P.D. that processed my application and helped move it through a little quicker than the average.
After/if you get through the application and background process, you get an interview with a State Supreme Court Judge. They're the only ones who can approve a permit. When I went for my interview, the file that he had on me (and again, I have never been arrested, have not so much as a parking ticket, and have never been sued/fired/dishonorably discharged from the Military) was over two inches thick!
He approved my application. I am "permitted" to carry concealed, and restricted to carrying for "hunting and target shooting only". Of course, I ALWAYS have targets and earphones/muffs in my car in case I get a chance to stop at the range on the way to/from work. Otherwise, the only place I can "posess" my pistols is at my home.
I am not "authorized" to use my handgun for personal protection or to stave off a home invasion (that's what I have the shotgun for). Additionally, I am not allowed to even "show" the pistol as a deterrant, lest I be cited for "brandishing a firearm" and could lose my permit, my pistols and all of my other firearms, as well as answer a felony charge.

I believe if you break into my home or my car with "bad intentions" and I didn't invite you in there, I should have the right to escort you back out of my house, be it on a stretcher or in a body bag.
"You can run, .... you'll just die tired!".
Yes, Texas is looking better and better.