Do I still need a Texas LTC if Texas has permitless carry?

Legally, no. But the LTC provides reciprocity in dozens of other states, and license holders are generally afforded more trust by law enforcement, which is why many people still pursue it.

Is the shooting range indoor or outdoor?

Outdoor, on 55 acres. This tends to be quieter and less intimidating for first-time shooters than an indoor range.

Can a first-time shooter go straight to the LTC class?

No, the LTC class assumes basic firearm proficiency. First-time shooters should start with a Learn to Shoot class before attempting the LTC proficiency test.

What does firearms training cost near Princeton, TX?

A 2.5-hour Learn to Shoot session is $90 (plus $30 for a rental handgun and ammunition if needed). The Texas LTC class, including online classroom and in-person range qualification, is $90 combined, or $45 for proficiency testing only.

Do I need to return on a separate day for the LTC shooting qualification?

No. The online classroom module is completed independently, and the in-person range qualification is handled in a single visit.

Firearms Training for Princeton, TX Residents

If you live in Princeton and you are looking for a Texas License to Carry class or a beginner-friendly place to learn to shoot, McKinney Firearms Training has been teaching Collin County residents for about ten years, including a growing number of Princeton students. This page covers what to expect from training here, what Princeton-area students have said about their experience, and answers to the questions we hear most from people searching from Princeton.

We train at a private outdoor range in Collin County, and Princeton residents in particular are very close to it — a much shorter drive than what you would face heading into McKinney, Plano, or Frisco proper for training elsewhere. We do not publish the exact address publicly; you will receive driving instructions directly once you register for a class.

Princeton Is Growing Faster Than Almost Anywhere Else in the Country

This isn't exaggeration for marketing purposes: Princeton was named the fastest-growing city in the entire United States by the U.S. Census Bureau, with its population surging roughly 30% in a single year, from about 28,000 to over 37,000 residents between mid-2023 and mid-2024. That growth has more than doubled the town's population since 2020, and it held the #1 national spot again the following year. The story has been covered locally by FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth, and nationally by the Associated Press and the Texas Tribune.

Part of what is drawing so many new residents is affordability: median home values in Princeton run around $325,000, notably lower than neighboring McKinney or Frisco. That means a lot of new households moving in every month — many of them first-time gun owners furnishing a new home in a new town, which is exactly the population that benefits most from a proper Learn to Shoot class before ever touching a firearm on their own.

Why Princeton Doesn't Have Many Local Training Options Yet

Unlike Plano or Frisco, Princeton does not yet have an established retail gun range or training facility of its own. Most "Princeton, TX" search results for LTC classes turn out to be national online-only providers that sell the classroom portion over the internet and then simply direct you to schedule your range qualification somewhere else entirely — often a considerable drive away. Princeton's rapid growth means the training options will likely catch up eventually, but for now, most residents end up driving to McKinney, Plano, or Frisco to actually complete an LTC or learn to shoot in person.

That's the gap we're positioned to fill well: genuine in-person instruction. The classroom part is done from home, followed by the live-fire qualification at our nearby range, without the long drive into the middle of a bigger city that residents further out in McKinney, Plano, or Frisco already deal with.

What Changed: Permitless Carry and Why Training Still Matters

Texas has allowed permitless (constitutional) carry since September 1, 2021, meaning most adults 21+ no longer need an LTC to carry a handgun in public. That has not made training optional in any practical sense. When the law took effect, even gun range owners who supported the change publicly encouraged customers to get trained anyway — removing the legal requirement does not remove the need to actually know how to safely handle, store, and, if it ever comes to it, use a firearm. (NBC 5 DFW)

The LTC itself still carries real, practical value even under permitless carry: it is honored through reciprocity in dozens of other states, and license holders tend to get more benefit of the doubt in interactions with law enforcement simply because they have been vetted and trained. We cover this in more detail on our FAQ page.

What Princeton Students Are Saying

These reviews are from students who identified their city as Princeton when leaving a review on our reviews page:

"I have never shot a gun and knew virtually nothing about gun safety before this class. Sandy is personable, helpful, and has extreme attention to detail which is so comforting when you're handling guns... I recommend anyone to attend Sandy's training class if you want a class that feels safe and an instructor that actually cares about their students!" — Kaitlyn B., Princeton

"My wife and I took Sandy's LTC class together. Sandy did a great job explaining the curriculum in layman terms... I highly recommend taking this course." — John A., Princeton

"Great class! Instructions were clear and practical. Been licensed in other states and this was the most useful class." — Robert R., Princeton

"Well planned, concise and to the point. Filled with meaningful examples and advice. Good follow ups." — Glenn D., Princeton

Read all 212+ student reviews →

What to Watch For When Choosing an Instructor

Because Princeton has so few local options, most residents end up researching instructors further out in McKinney, Plano, or Frisco. Students who compared multiple options before choosing us mention the same frustrations with other providers:

Online-only "Princeton" LTC providers that never actually offer a range in or near Princeton, just a referral elsewhere
Large classroom sizes with little individual attention at busier facilities
Having to return on a separate day to complete the shooting qualification instead of finishing everything in one visit
Instructors who read straight from slides for four hours with no real-world context or examples
Noisy, crowded indoor ranges that are harder on true beginners than an open outdoor setting

Our classes are intentionally kept small, the online classroom module and the range qualification happen as part of the same process, and the range itself is a quiet outdoor setting. Our promotional video below shows you what the range looks like.

Training Options for Princeton Residents

Learn to Shoot — for absolute beginners, or anyone who wants a foundation before attempting an LTC proficiency test
Texas LTC Class — online classroom plus in-person range qualification, handled as one continuous process
Defensive Shooting — for students who already know the fundamentals and want practical self-defense skills
Ladies Gun Training — our beginner classes typically run 80%+ women; this option is 100%
Defensive Shotgun — home-defense-focused shotgun instruction
Church Security Training
Choosing a Pistol — guidance if you do not yet own a firearm

Frequently Asked Questions — Princeton Students

How far is the range from Princeton?: We do not publish the exact address on the website, but the outdoor range is about 10 minutes from Princeton. Residents tend to have one of the shorter drives to reach us compared to students coming from McKinney, Plano, or Frisco proper. You will get complete directions once you register.
Do I still need an LTC if Texas has permitless carry?: Legally, no — but the LTC still gets you reciprocity in dozens of other states, and license holders are generally treated with more trust by law enforcement. Many Princeton students take the class for those reasons alone, separate from any legal requirement.
Is the range indoor or outdoor?: Outdoor, on 55 acres. It is quieter and less intimidating than an indoor range for most first-time shooters, though you will need to work around weather occasionally.
I have never shot a gun. Can I go straight to the LTC class?: No — the LTC class assumes basic proficiency already. Start with a Learn to Shoot class first; most students who do are well prepared for the LTC proficiency test afterward.
What does training cost?: Learn to Shoot is $90 for a 2.5-hour session (add $30 if you need to rent a handgun and ammunition). The LTC class is $90 for the combined online classroom plus range qualification, or $45 for proficiency testing only if you have already completed the online portion elsewhere.
Do I have to come back on a different day for the shooting test?: No. The online classroom module is completed independently on your own schedule, and the range qualification happens in one visit — no separate trip required.
Is there a minimum age?: 14 for public classes, accompanied by an adult. Younger students are often better served by a private family class, which we also offer.

Service Area: Communities Near Princeton

In addition to Princeton, we regularly train students from these nearby Collin County communities, which do not yet have a dedicated page of their own on this site:

Farmersville, TX
Melissa, TX
Nevada, TX
Josephine, TX
Lavon, TX
Copeville, TX
Blue Ridge, TX
Lowry Crossing, TX

(McKinney is covered throughout the rest of this site as our home base, Frisco and Plano each have their own dedicated pages.) If you are in one of the communities above, everything on this page applies to you too — get in touch and we will get you scheduled.

View the class schedule → | Contact us →