A question about Licensing requirements in Massachussetts for a business idea.

[Skysoldier]

I do not have a LTC.....Hell, I don't even have an FID card.....which is OK, because I don't really "live in Massachusetts" anyway.

(Those of you that know me will get the joke.)

I know that this state is so screwed up, that I can't even be in possession of a damn 22 cal. bullet without breaking the damn law!

But I have an idea for a business venture......and was wondering what kind of hoops it would entail to be legal in Massachussets.

Basically, the business would take possession of Firearm components, and provide a coating service to those components, and then
return them to the customer. The customer could be a Gunsmith, or a Firearms Manufacturer, or an individual.

And I am not talking about TiN or DLC.......I have a system that could make all that be ancient technology!

What kind of license to I need to take possession of a component part just to coat it?

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Are you referring only to the non-regulated components, or including frames/receivers?

If it's any sort of metal plating, beware the environmental regulations.

 

[Skysoldier]

Are you referring only to the non-regulated components, or including frames/receivers?

If it's any sort of metal plating, beware the environmental regulations.

I am talking about any part of a firearm.

And I am not talking about nasty chemical plating......it is a process of Magnetron Sputtering....no environmental concerns.

The only regulations I need to worry about are the laws of being in possession of the components being coated.

The process doesn't need any nasty chemicals......just a vacuum chamber and a killer pulsed Plasma Generator.....which I am a famous for!

EDIT TO ADD: I don't even know what a frame or receiver is.......

I just know I can make them better, and reduce friction and corrosion.

 

[edmxz2002]

How long does the process take? Could it be a while you wait? Or you "hire" an LTC holder as an assistant. They take possession of serialized parts.

 

[FreeWillie]

Sky, PM me. I'm only a few months from retirement and I can be your LTC on site to take possession while the work is done.

 

[terraformer]

You would reasonably need a FFL and state gunsmith's license for some of the parts (as opposed if you were taking parts in from customers) and the reality is such that any FFL wouldn't work with you on the parts that don't require it if you didn't have the FFL/gunsmiths license. And most of this is based on federal law, not state law.

If you have someone else provide the FFL, then state law will require all employees (that becomes you) to be background checked to the extent of the LTC here in MA.

 

[FreeWillie]

You would reasonably need a FFL and state gunsmith's license for some of the parts (as opposed if you were taking parts in from customers) and the reality is such that any FFL wouldn't work with you on the parts that don't require it if you didn't have the FFL/gunsmiths license. And most of this is based on federal law, not state law.

If you have someone else provide the FFL, then state law will require all employees (that becomes you) to be background checked to the extent of the LTC here in MA.

Why would he need an FFL or gunsmith license if he is only accepting bare frames or bare receivers to "work" on?

 

[Skysoldier]

You would reasonably need a FFL and state gunsmith's license for some of the parts (as opposed if you were taking parts in from customers) and the reality is such that any FFL wouldn't work with you on the parts that don't require it if you didn't have the FFL/gunsmiths license. And most of this is based on federal law, not state law.

If you have someone else provide the FFL, then state law will require all employees (that becomes you) to be background checked to the extent of the LTC here in MA.

I don't plan on being an employee.....and I can pass a Federal Background Check. It's the shitty Mass. Laws I have to worry about dealing with.

 

[terraformer]

Why would he need an FFL or gunsmith license if he is only accepting bare frames or bare receivers to "work" on?

If a FFL takes in a gun, it must go on their book. If it leaves to another location, it must come off, with a transfer noted in the book. It can be NICS'd out or transferred to another FFL. There is an exception, but the person must be an employee (https://www.atf.gov/file/55481/download). Hence if a gunsmith sent a gun to Skysoldier, they would need him to be an employee. If you took it, then he would need to be your employee and you would need to be an 07 and a gunsmith for the state of MA (because at that point you are now gunsmithing for a business and your LTC wouldn't be enough). That would then require you to MA MIRCS check all "employees" (ie; anyone on site with access to those parts). Even if you are on site at the same time. You can't gunsmith on your LTC.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't plan on being an employee.....and I can pass a Federal Background Check. It's the shitty Mass. Laws I have to worry about dealing with.

You asked, I answered. I don't care what you can and can't do/be/pass. The interplay between the state and Federal rules on this makes both sets of laws relevant. So I needed to make clear what needs to be passed and why.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Hence if a gunsmith sent a gun to Skysoldier, they would need him to be an employee.

To elaborate further, Skysoldier would have to be a W2 employee, not a 1099 employee or volunteer.

And remember, this will require an LTC, an FFL and a MA gunsmith license, the later not being available at a home address.

 

[Kevin_NH]

Find a gunshop who will rent you a corner of their premises for your coating eqpt

Safe to assume your business will have a commercial lease, thus a street address in a town in MA?

If you only need to be MA legal (that is, you aren't accepting the serialized part and have no need for a FFL to comply with Federal law) then you'd need the MA gunsmith license. At that point, might as well also apply for "resident" LTC from the MA town where the business address is.

Realistically, your best option is to find a gunshop with some space available, lease a corner of their space for your equipment.

 

[drgrant]

How long does the process take? Could it be a while you wait? Or you "hire" an LTC holder as an assistant. They take possession of serialized parts.

Sky, PM me. I'm only a few months from retirement and I can be your LTC on site to take possession while the work is done.

none of this matters- ATF eventuallly will point a gun at someone and require an FFL. If course that's not what the law actually says but in the past few years the ATF seems to not give a shit with the law actually says. They've threatened dudes with laser engraving machines on more than one occasion so the only safe way to do this kind of stuff at least to gun receivers is the do it under an 01 or an 07 FFL on their premises....

 

[42!]

Just brainstorming.
The situation is that to handle the part that is considered a gun, you need an FFL or need to be an employee.

But what about being a partner on an LLC which is listed on the FFL. It's not a W-2 employee but I'm willing to bet it will satisfy the ATF. Partners can divide profits any way they want. Profits you generate you get, profit he generates he gets.

As for the State, there are no retail gun sales. Is there a state gunsmith's license?

I'm curious so I may look into this while I'm looking into the possibility of getting an 07 FFL and have a couple questions on MG licensing if your business is in MA but you reside in NH.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[terraformer]

Just brainstorming.
The situation is that to handle the part that is considered a gun, you need an FFL or need to be an employee.

But what about being a partner on an LLC which is listed on the FFL. It's not a W-2 employee but I'm willing to bet it will satisfy the ATF. Partners can divide profits any way they want. Profits you generate you get, profit he generates he gets.

As for the State, there are no retail gun sales. Is there a state gunsmith's license?

I'm curious so I may look into this while I'm looking into the possibility of getting an 07 FFL and have a couple questions on MG licensing if your business is in MA but you reside in NH.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

It's not the feds that cares about employees (code for anyone who has any sort of access), its the state as of 2015.

 

[Skysoldier]

Thanks for those who posted here, and also for the e-mails regarding same.

I have discussed this with friends back in Albuquerque, and we are going to do this there, and not in MA.....

 

[CrackPot]

Wise choice

Thanks for those who posted here, and also for the e-mails regarding same.

I have discussed this with friends back in Albuquerque, and we are going to do this there, and not in MA.....

 

[GlockJock]

Thanks for those who posted here, and also for the e-mails regarding same.
I have discussed this with friends back in Albuquerque, and we are going to do this there, and not in MA.....

If I had the option (I don't)??...I'd do anything and EVERYTHING (including waking up, breathing, etc etc) in Albuquerque and not in MA.

Just sayin'

 

[one-eyed Jack]

Check out "Responsible Person" and see if that is something that might help. Jack.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

It's not the feds that cares about employees (code for anyone who has any sort of access), its the state as of 2015.

Where the feds do care is if an FFL is shipping a gun to an employee under the license of the FFL (unlicensed employee operating under the employer's FFL).

This manner of operating under the FFL of an employer only extends to a W2 employee, and not to a 1099 or unpaid consultant.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I'm curious so I may look into this while I'm looking into the possibility of getting an 07 FFL and have a couple questions on MG licensing if your business is in MA but you reside in NH.

MGL does not allow issuing any MG license to a Non-Resident.

Thanks for those who posted here, and also for the e-mails regarding same.

I have discussed this with friends back in Albuquerque, and we are going to do this there, and not in MA.....

Smart move!

 

[drgrant]

MGL does not allow issuing any MG license to a Non-Resident.

So you can't get an MG license like an MA Res Business LTC?

-Mike

 

[Len-2A Training]

So you can't get an MG license like an MA Res Business LTC?

-Mike

Correct . . . at least that is what I have been told. I haven't dug deeper to study it however.

 

[BTSDOG]

Thanks for those who posted here, and also for the e-mails regarding same.

I have discussed this with friends back in Albuquerque, and we are going to do this there, and not in MA.....

if you can, patent the process, then sell either licences to other businesses, or sell the patent and live happily ever after....let someone else do the manual labor part.....

 

[drgrant]

Correct . . . at least that is what I have been told. I haven't dug deeper to study it however.

Is there actually wording in MGL which blocks this? (eg, is the wording different from the LTC wording in MGL which basically says "resident or business owner" ) Or is this an EOPS / Gliddenism / institutional type thing?

-Mike

 

[Choctaw]

Best of luck on your venture Sky. I met a guy once who developed an electroplating process that could corrosion proof rebar embedded in cement. He said that there was big demand on bridges and such.

 

[bfm]

Thanks for those who posted here, and also for the e-mails regarding same.

I have discussed this with friends back in Albuquerque, and we are going to do this there, and not in MA.....

seems a long way to go to jerk off on a gun.

 

[swatgig]

I just know I can make them better, and reduce friction and corrosion.

And under Linsky's proposed law, reducing friction may increase the rate of fire, subjecting you to 20 years in prison.

Please tell the lawmakers that you are NOT starting your company in Mass for that reason.

 

[JDL]

An 07 FFL with an SOT is able to manufacture machine guns and to have them on the book as test and sample guns. These guns are NFA Form 2 guns and listed to the FFL not a person. The problem is you would need a Mass Machine Gun License to even touch a machine gun out side of the manufacturing facility even if your name is on the FFL. If you have a Mass Machine MG License and a copy of the Form 2 for each gun you have in your possession, a copy of the 07 FFL and a copy of the SOT you can go to the range and test these guns.