80% lowers in MA

I've posted about this before and had discussions here with Len and Dr Grant. There's no clear answer (big surprise with MGL, huh?) so what's your risk tolerance and how good is your lawyer? You can read more here: AR15 BUILD in MA
MA Gov't attitude towards this is: Did you have that AR before you completed it? If not, then you OBTAINED one by building it. They will prosecute if they investigate and find substantial info that you built it after becoming a MA Resident and didn't register it. How you fare will depend on how many thousands you want to spend on a top-notch attorney.
 
NOTE: The likelihood of an "investigation" on this is very small unless something else is going on to bring you to the improper authorities attention.
 
Chapter 140 Section 128B

"shall within seven days after receiving such firearm, rifle, shotgun or machine gun, report, in writing, to the commissioner of the department of criminal justice information services the name and address of the seller or donor and the buyer or donee, together with a complete description of the firearm, rifle, shotgun or machine gun, including the caliber, make and serial number."
 
How do you think (the amended version of) Haynes v United States would play out? If you're a legal owner, you might be covered by not registering, but that wouldn't affect the status of a post 7/20 lower.
 
hey, I'm one of the few pro 2A guys at that liberal school...unfortunately there are a bunch of little Maura Healey in the making there.

Where are you, definitely lot of wannabes where I am. She and Martin O'malley "debated" the topic by essentially trying to one-up each other for an hour and a half earlier this year at BC. After she called on 2 of us who put the coals to her on the glock issue and then on her "interpretation" of the law (I even had a professor tell me she refused to give me an answer to my question, so I wasn't crazy) she decided it best not to call on any more students and instead call on Jon Rosenthal, who she invited, to go on a rant for the remaining time about how those of us who grilled her wanted dead children. Jon Rosenthal, by the way, is one of the biggest pieces of shit I've ever met. He's a rude, self-important liar. Don't you dare question his life's work, you have no right lol. Though I'm pretty sure his life's work is getting rich and buying his seat next to important people in special social circles to feel better about being such a cuck.

Mike
 
After she called on 2 of us who put the coals to her on the glock issue and then on her "interpretation" of the law (I even had a professor tell me she refused to give me an answer to my question, so I wasn't crazy) she decided it best not to call on any more students and instead call on Jon Rosenthal, who she invited, to go on a rant for the remaining time about how those of us who grilled her wanted dead children.

Mike

Are Healey and Rosenthal pro-infanticide?
 
If you look at this Public Safety Notice about 3D printed weapons, and you replace the phrase "3D printing" with "completing an 80% lower", there does not seem to be any reason that a Mass resident with an FID could not complete his own 80% lower. He would NOT need to register it. But he would not be able to sell or transfer it, unless it was serialized and registered.
https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2018/08/08/Public Safety Notice re 3D Printing 8 9 2018.pdf

Of course he would have to possess it before 7/20/2016 to avoid the Enforcement Notice: "The Guidance will not be applied to possession, ownership or transfer of an Assault weapon obtained prior to July 20, 2016."
https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2018/11/13/assault-weapons-enforcement-notice.pdf
But then he is in the clear.

Anybody have a statute citation to indicate otherwise?
 
Enforcement notice is not law, just Maura’s opinion.

If you look at this Public Safety Notice about 3D printed weapons, and you replace the phrase "3D printing" with "completing an 80% lower", there does not seem to be any reason that a Mass resident with an FID could not complete his own 80% lower. He would NOT need to register it. But he would not be able to sell or transfer it, unless it was serialized and registered.
https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2018/08/08/Public Safety Notice re 3D Printing 8 9 2018.pdf

Of course he would have to possess it before 7/20/2016 to avoid the Enforcement Notice: "The Guidance will not be applied to possession, ownership or transfer of an Assault weapon obtained prior to July 20, 2016."
https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2018/11/13/assault-weapons-enforcement-notice.pdf
But then he is in the clear.

Anybody have a statute citation to indicate otherwise?
 
Since you are the manufacturer, you're free to call it anything you like.

complete description of the firearm, rifle, shotgun or machine gun, including the caliber, make and serial number:

Caliber: .233
Make: Swatgig Bolt Action
Serial_Number:3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169399375105820974944592307816406286208998628034825342117067982148086513282306647093844609550582231725359408128481117450284102701938521105559644622948954930381964428810975665933446128475648233786783165271201909145648566923460348610454326648213393607260249141273724587006606315588174881520920962829254091715364367892590360011330530548820466521384146951941511609433057270365759591953092186117381932611793105118548074462379962749567351885752724891227938183011949129833673362440656643086021394946395224737190702179860943702770539217176293176752384674818467669405132000568127145263560827785771342757789609173637178721468440901224953430146549585371050792279689258923542019956112129021960864034418159813629774771309960518707211349999998372978049951059731732816096318595024459455346908302642522308253344685035261931188171010003137838752886587533208381420617177669147303598253490428755468731159562863882353787593751957781857780532171226806613001927876611195909216420198
No! I have used that number! Jack.
 
Chapter 140 Section 128B



Also see Chapter 140 Section 121
Old thread but here are my thoughts on definition of a rifle. Any weapon capable of firing a bullet with each PULL of the trigger and with a barrel over 16”. If I install a binary trigger (pull goes bang, release goes bang) and a 8” barrel, do I no longer have a rifle? It’s not a SBR because the trigger eliminates the PULL definition for a rifle. It’s not a pistol because of the serial number or lack of one. It’s no a AOW. Are we in limbo here?
 
So owning and purchasing an 80% lower is 100% legal in MA? The grey area is when building and registering a complete build? Looking for some more info as like mentioned there is nothing that I can tell like CA/NY/NJ/RI banning them outright. Would like to have some in the event I move to a free state or *laughs* AWB is lifted in MA.
 
So owning and purchasing an 80% lower is 100% legal in MA? The grey area is when building and registering a complete build? Looking for some more info as like mentioned there is nothing that I can tell like CA/NY/NJ/RI banning them outright. Would like to have some in the event I move to a free state or *laughs* AWB is lifted in MA.
The only gray area is if you believe in healeys bullshit "press conference" / edict.
 
Once the 80% lower is finished and is capable of firing (Lower Parts Kit) installed and upper attached - you have to register within 7 days.
 
Oh well my time in this state will be short lived... 2 1/2 about to be done with law school this summer, defiantly not moving back to NY. f*** these Communist I'm moving down south.
JFC, your a law student you should be telling us where to find this info and a a list of case law?
 
:rolleyes: I thought we had a "transaction registration" here in MA, not a "gun registration" .

If I buy an 80% lower (not a firearm) and complete it, where's the transaction between seller and buyer?

(just pointing out the vagueness of the law, or lack thereof)

Maybe when I finally build one, I put myself down as both the seller and buyer. Hopefully blows up the entire databse ;)
 
So owning and purchasing an 80% lower is 100% legal in MA? The grey area is when building and registering a complete build? Looking for some more info as like mentioned there is nothing that I can tell like CA/NY/NJ/RI banning them outright. Would like to have some in the event I move to a free state or *laughs* AWB is lifted in MA.
An 80% lower is just a piece of metal, a lot like a metal sheet or a shovel at Home Depot.

You can buy one, your grand mother can buy one, anyone can buy one.

It is NOT a gun.
 
Once the 80% lower is finished and is capable of firing (Lower Parts Kit) installed and upper attached - you have to register within 7 days.
I thought registration was once it is finished (all necessary holes and bending/welding/filing done). Nothing needs to be attached to it. As long as it can accept all those parts and work, it is a firearm.
 
An 80% lower is just a piece of metal, a lot like a metal sheet or a shovel at Home Depot.

You can buy one, your grand mother can buy one, anyone can buy one.

It is NOT a gun.
When you build it out if you follow the non law enforcement notice you would need to make it a fixed mag if I’m not mistaken?
 
How do you register something that doesn't have a serial number....... oh.. i see what happened there..

When I lived in MA and built my .308 AR from an 80% group buy, I did in fact efa10 it. For serial number I put N/A. This was before Healey went off the deep end.

If I was to have it engraved I would have put 0010 1010 which is binary for 2A (in hex)
 
When I lived in MA and built my .308 AR from an 80% group buy, I did in fact efa10 it. For serial number I put N/A. This was before Healey went off the deep end.

If I was to have it engraved I would have put 0010 1010 which is binary for 2A (in hex)
I am partial to serial numbers that match the caliber of the gun. I have several such guns including 40S&W, 38SUPER and 50BMG. I think I may also have 45ACP around here somewhere along with 1911. I had to argue to get a shop transferring a frame to me because the clerk knew it did not require a 4473 as it had only a caliber designation, not a serial number. At the least the fifty has "Serial No." before the 50BMG.

I am tempted to use the number you suggest on a future build.
 
I thought registration was once it is finished (all necessary holes and bending/welding/filing done). Nothing needs to be attached to it. As long as it can accept all those parts and work, it is a firearm.
Not sure about that Broc.

It seems to me that if a real AR15 lower is considered a block of metal in Mass, then an 80% lower (after completion) is also.

Now I'm not sure.
 
"According to the attorney general’s office, charges include two counts of possession of a silencer, two counts of possession of a machine gun, five counts of possession of explosives, 20 counts of possession of large capacity magazine, six counts of possession of a firearm, one count of possession of ammunition, three counts of improper storage of a firearm and one count of unlawful possession of fireworks."

I don't see "ghost gun" on the list of charges. A lot of bloviating about something they want to outlaw but no law he was charged with breaking that contains "ghost".
 
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