Massachusetts Firearms Laws

[rubberneck]

In a couple of weeks I'll be headed up to Mass for the Smith and Wesson Winter Championships.

Out of curiosity about the gun laws up there I went to the NRA website to see how I could legally transport my handgun into the state for the match. I see the state has an exemption for shooting competitions but then it seems to throw the strange requirement that the owner also must have a valid CCW from another state.

Since NJ doesn't grant CCW's to us common folk and I haven't gotten around to getting a CCW from another state, I wonder what I have to do to transport my guns legally. Can someone straighten me out here on the law. Am I misreading what the NRA says?

From the NRA's website:

MASSACHUSETTS--Nonresidents are allowed to bring personally-owned handguns into the Commonwealth for competition, exhibition or hunting. If the handgun is for hunting, a valid hunting license must be procured. Furthermore, the handgun owner must have a valid carry permit from another state and that state's permit requirements must be as stringent as those of Massachusetts. A person who does not meet these requirements must obtain a temporary handgun permit from the Dept. of Public Safety, 1010 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215.

[racerba]

MASSACHUSETTS--...and that state's permit requirements must be as stringent as those of Massachusetts. ...

I wonder which state complies with this statement.

Edited February 8, 2007 by racerba

[Dan Sierpina]

MASSACHUSETTS--...and that state's permit requirements must be as stringent as those of Massachusetts. ...

I wonder which state complies with this statement.

New York, probably New Jersey, and maybe Hawaii. I don't think you need a concealed carry permit, just one to have handguns.

Keep your pistol in a locked case, in the trunk. Keep speed under 75 MPH

Last time I went out of state, the firearm discriminating metal detectors weren't operational yet

Edited February 8, 2007 by Dan Sierpina

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

MASSACHUSETTS--...and that state's permit requirements must be as stringent as those of Massachusetts. ...

I wonder which state complies with this statement.

New York, probably New Jersey, and maybe Hawaii. I don't think you need a concealed carry permit, just one to have handguns.

Keep your pistol in a locked case, in the trunk. Keep speed under 75 MPH

Last time I went out of state, the firearm discriminating metal detectors weren't operational yet

Here are 2 places to have your questions answered correctly.

http://www.massgunlaw.com/ Contact Darius if you have questions. Tell him it is all my fault

http://goal.org/index.html If you call the GOAL Office they will help you

Here is the MA law:

Chapter 140: Section 131G. Carrying of firearms by non-residents; conditions

Section 131G. Any person who is not a resident of the commonwealth may carry a pistol or revolver in or through the commonwealth for the purpose of taking part in a pistol or revolver competition or attending any meeting or exhibition of any organized group of firearm collectors or for the purpose of hunting; provided, that such person is a resident of the United States and has a permit or license to carry firearms issued under the laws of any state, district or territory thereof which has licensing requirements which prohibit the issuance of permits or licenses to persons who have been convicted of a felony or who have been convicted of the unlawful use, possession or sale of narcotic or harmful drugs; provided, further, that in the case of a person traveling in or through the commonwealth for the purpose of hunting, he has on his person a hunting or sporting license issued by the commonwealth or by the state of his destination. Police officers and other peace officers of any state, territory or jurisdiction within the United States duly authorized to possess firearms by the laws thereof shall, for the purposes of this section, be deemed to have a permit or license to carry firearms as described in this section.

S&W usually includes that in the shooter registration packet.

Regards,

[rubberneck]

Thanks for the answer. S&W may have indeed sent something but I do not recall ever seeing it.

[chrisa006]

Make sure you have the letter from Smith about the match you are going to with you.

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

Thanks for the answer. S&W may have indeed sent something but I do not recall ever seeing it.

E mail Julie and have her fax one to you. jgoloski@smith-wesson.com She is the Match Director.

[Paul B]

Things may have changed since I tried this but I'll tell you my story just in case.

Several years ago I wanted to shoot a match in Mass. and I lived in Ohio. At that time, Ohio had no such thing as a CCW or any other kind of permit to carry. I called Mass. (don't remember who at the time but it was a state bureau) and they said I would have to get a temp permit there and sent me the forms. I filled them out including getting a background check from my local sheriff and got them back in record time as the match time was getting close. In the original phone call they said they would rush it through. I forget what the charge was for the service but I paid it. Received the temp permit 2 weeks after the match was over.

Have never felt the need to shoot a match there again.

[Rob Boudrie]

This non-resident exemption is at http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/140-131g.htm, and has also been reproduced earlier in the thread by Round Gun Shooter.

Note that the statute contains no reference to "... as stringent as those of Massachusetts. ...". Information is often lost in the translation when people try explain long laws with short sentences - even when the venerable NRA is producing the summary. Perhaps they felt this was a shorthand way to mention the limitations in MGL 140 131G, however, 131G does not make any reference to a training requirement so it does not appear that the provisions of 131G would be limited to CCWs from states that have such a pre-requisite to issuance - so much for "as stringent as".

Many people think that not having a permit is irrelevant if your state doesn't issue them, however, I haven't seen any official source to lend credibility to this conclusion. Even so, I am not aware of any case where a visitor shooting a match has had occasion to have their papers checked.

Once commercial range in Massachusetts that is near the state border has started a "league match" where competitors shoot on their own at any time, with the range keeping a record of participation for scoring purposes - that way, the non-residents coming to use the range are indeed "attending a match".

MA non-resident permits are now $100/year (yup, you read that right). They were $5/year, but the state went on a "we're not raising taxes, these are user fees" feeding frenzy a couple of years ago and hit everything from gun permits to licenses to sell milk. MA non resident permits can easily take a month or three to obtain, and there is no reliable way to know exactly how long one will take.

NH will mail order a CCW for $20/4 years, and by law must issue it within 15 days unless they can find a statuatory reason for denial.

[Paul B]

Rob, you will know the answer, but when I tried to get the temp permit in time for a match, the penalty for not having one was pretty severe - If I remember it was a no negotiation 2 years in jail. That's the reason I went through the hassle. Is it still this way?

[Rob Boudrie]

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QUOTE(Paul B @ Feb 9 2007, 10:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Rob, you will know the answer, but when I tried to get the temp permit in time for a match, the penalty for not having one was pretty severe - If I remember it was a no negotiation 2 years in jail. That's the reason I went through the hassle. Is it still this way?

Your information is incorrect. It's only 1 year in jail.

But, since other states permits seem to cover you under 140-131G, another option would be to apply for a non-resident permit from a state such as NH with a cheap, non-discretionary, issuance policy. Remember though, I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice.

Most importantly, remember free advise on the internet is worth what you pay for it. Postings such as this are a good starting point, but anyone would do well to research the information from official sources before relying on it.

[racerba]

Wouldn't the Federal Interstate Transportation Law supercede MA laws?

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/uscode18...26---A000-.html

[jkelly]

Wouldn't the Federal Interstate Transportation Law supercede MA laws?---racerba

I’m thinking normally yes but he is not transporting a firearm through Massachusetts he is stopping here to shoot and can not "...lawfully possess and carry such firearm.", or so I gather.

Respectfully,

jkelly

Edited February 11, 2007 by jkelly