MESSAGE TO MODS: If there is an more appropriate area to have the Post by all means move please.

I live in Northern NM and now with the family and I settling down here now I think its time to get my CCW, but don't know which one to get.

I am use to Texas' Conceal Handgun License and is fairly easy to get but I am 6hrs away (Many of my NM friends that lived on the border of NM/TX had TX CHL)

or

Should I get New Mexico's conceal carry license. I've been leaning slightly away due to the fact the dumb laws (as far as I understand what caliber you qualify with is the biggest you can carry please correct if false)

or

Something else. Any all info would be great.

Both states are almost equal in the number of states that offer reciprocity. However the Texas non-resident license is not valid in Colorado and the NM license is valid there. So if you are ever planning on visiting or traveling through Colorado, that may be an issue.

As for NM's caliber requirement, I would just qualify with a .45acp and then you can carry any caliber below that. The CCW course is not too difficult and you could qualify with a .44 magnum if you had one and then you could pack anything you want. Most CCW instructors will have handguns for you to qualify with and they will provide you with the largest handgun that you can handle in order to give the most choices in carry handguns.

DO they base the caliber selection on diameter or overall size like the listing in a reloading manual from smallest to biggest

According to the NM CCW regs, it is based on caliber:

NM CCW regs

The section that covers caliber is 12-19-6, subsection C-4:

"The category and largest caliber of handgun that the licensee is licensed to carry, with a statement that the licensee is licensed to carry smaller caliber handguns but shall carry only on concealed handgun at any given time."

It is my understanding that "Category" relates to whether the firearm is a revolver or semiauto, so if you wanted to be able to carry either one, you would need to qualify with both types of sidearms...again, most CCW instructors should have both types on hand for you to qualify with, so you are covered on either one.....

http://www.handgunlaw.us/LicMaps/ccwmap.php
Here's a handy tool that lets you switch back and forth to see what states are in play for reciprocity.  That map though does not indicate the difference between resident and non-resident permits for those states that discriminate.

NM would get you carry in CO, NV and OH, and you lose AL, GA and PA.  AL is soon to change to "recognize all permits", and if you plan on traveling to PA you can add a PA permit very easily if you have an NM.  I'd go for the NM permit unless there are other factors to deal with.

Thanks I've now been leaning towards a NM license mainly cuz I don't wanna drive but if I were to live  near the Texas border it would be a much hard choice

Really looks like a no-brainer to me, unless the NM licensing process is just some incredible PITA or very expensive or whatever.  I missed FL earlier that you would get with NM but not TX.

GA is really the only state I see in play for reciprocity as a negative, if you're going to PA you can get a non-res PA permit same day for a very reasonable price.  NV reciprocity is hard to come by and NM has it, along with several other states you can't get any other way than to have a permit from your home state.

The main thing I don't like is the stupid qualify with caliber, but as stated earlier a lot of times instructors has them so you can qualify

Something else to consider, is that only a few months ago NM cancelled virtually all other states for recognition of carry permits, essentially out of the blue.

After some backlash they reinstated most of them, but also indicated that there would be review and that some of them might be cancelled again in the future.  So any out-of-state permit that you're relying on for home carry could be cancelled on a whim.  If you have an NM permit there would be no such uncertainty.

Yeah I remember that. Kinda forgot about it. Thanks for reminding me

TX looks like to be the best bet based on what appears to be more states honoring their CCW. I don't know about training requirements for a non-residence CCW permit, so that's something to consider. I've heard that a VA non-residence permit is easy to get but like TX it's not honored in CO. Here's a link to check out

http://www.vsp.state.va.us/downloads/firearms/Checklist-Revised_2013.pdf

GLOCK 19!

I would get the license that works in the most states in that area,