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ammunition storage laws?
- Thread starter rufunky
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OfficerObie59
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Can't transport a loaded long gun on a public way, storage laws at home, vehicles, see 527 CMR 13.04 (page 8) and 13:11 (page 50): http://www.mass.gov/eopss/docs/dfs/osfm/cmr/cmr-secured/527013.pdf
Contrary to popular belief there is no law that says ammo and guns must be stored separately.
Contrary to popular belief there is no law that says ammo and guns must be stored separately.
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jpdopes
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MisterHappy
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WRT transportation, there are no specific laws, except that unless it's in a firearm under your direct control, the ammo can't be in a gun.
Don't leave it out where John Law or the Janie Fearall can see it, in the car.
Don't leave it out where John Law or the Janie Fearall can see it, in the car.
Powder and Ammunition Storage
"small arms ammunition, primers, smokeless propellants and black powder shall be stored in original containers and such containers shall be stored in a locked cabinet, closet or box when not in use."
The part about original containers just seems unusual.
Must make it tough for those who reload or for those who have a spare few rounds after trips to the range.
How about those who buy bulk ammo from the CMP with mixed head stamps? Original containers?
I know, it's probably already been discussed ad nauseam.
Cue dupe watchdogs..
"small arms ammunition, primers, smokeless propellants and black powder shall be stored in original containers and such containers shall be stored in a locked cabinet, closet or box when not in use."
The part about original containers just seems unusual.
Must make it tough for those who reload or for those who have a spare few rounds after trips to the range.
How about those who buy bulk ammo from the CMP with mixed head stamps? Original containers?
I know, it's probably already been discussed ad nauseam.
Cue dupe watchdogs..
So looks like I need to lock it up when coming home from walmart after stocking up on ammo. I honestly never thought that was necisary until I contemplated leaving a box in my truck in case I wanted to hit the range when I was in the area.
Also, I'm assuming that "such containers shall be stored in a locked cabinet, closet or box when not in use" should really say "such containers shall be stored in a locked cabinet, locked closet or locked box when not in use" and not just a locked cabinet?
MisterHappy
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AFTER coming home from Walmart....you do not have to have it locked up in your vehicle.
MisterHappy
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It means the container, whatever it is, must be locked.
An ammo can with a lock is sufficient. A locked closet is sufficient.
Be careful with "assume" and MGLs.
True with a caveat!
Who else has access to the MV? If any minors or anyone w/o a LTC or FID has access to the car, then you'd be in legal trouble not locking the ammo away in a fashion where they have no access to it.
Varmint
NES Member
If it's not "under your direct control" it needs to be locked, no?
This really clarifies things. Good thing I haven't though about it much. I generally store my powders and such in unlocked wooden boxes in my gun room that is always locked. You could get in with a good shoulder though. Maybe you could just keep people who shouldn't be there out of my house?
I had heard that in a fire , powder in a metal box was a bomb and the same powder in a wooden box just fizzled. Makes sense.
Now that I'm thinking about it I don't know what to do?
I had heard that in a fire , powder in a metal box was a bomb and the same powder in a wooden box just fizzled. Makes sense.
Now that I'm thinking about it I don't know what to do?
hv55maxx
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Regardless of whether you can shoulder the door open if it's locked it passes muster.
MisterHappy
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My comment was to the bolded part - that while transporting there is no requirement that ammo be locked up. You can toss the ammo onto the back seat, and drive home. If the ammo is in a gun it needs to be under your direct control.
Also what LenS said, about "unauthorized persons"
![[puke]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/023.gif "Puke [puke]")
MisterHappy
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Yes. Your local fire chief is his designee.
Quick question.. Would a locked room count as a locked closet?
Chevy 2 65
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no, it would be a locked room
So far wrt firearms, a locked room, locked house or locked car have been ruled as NOT adequate in MA court cases. Unknown wrt ammo as I'm not aware of any case law specific to ammo. Massprudence says to treat them both the same to avoid conflict.
527 CMR is here: http://www.mass.gov/eopss/docs/dfs/osfm/cmr/cmr-secured/527013.pdf
LEOs feel free to enforce this, even though it's a Fire Prevention Regulation. They locked up one of my students for having ammo locked in his trunk. He was locked up for a few hours, until the LEOs figured out that ammo locked in the trunk is locked up. I don't think they ever figured out that ammo doesn't need to be locked up when transporting it. Some LEOs don't know the law on this point, and it can be hard to educate them. It is a Fire Prevention regulation after all, hardly an LEO focus.
Yes, I know shotgun rounds are centerfire. I don't think our lawmakers know this. I'd say your shotgun rounds count toward your 10,000 round centerfire limit, but you're limited to a max of 5,000 shotgun rounds. This just my best guess as to how to interpret this.
Since primers come in boxes of 1,000, nearly all reloaders need a permit, so they don't need to store ammo in original packaging, nor do they need to lock it up.
Since rimfire comes 5,000 rounds to a case, anyone who buys it in bulk will likely need a permit.
This is just one bizzarre corner of the byzantine MA gun laws. If you want to understand this stuff, take Len's class: http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...23-2015-(E-Bridgewater)?highlight=non-lawyers
I hope your student is suing the department that falsely arrested him. Sadly that arrest record will follow him for life and needs to be explained away forever.
Ben Cartwright SASS
NES Member
another thought,
components are considered ammunition, which is why we cannot buy empty brass from Midway or anyone. Does empty brass need to be locked up? I have boxes of full of range brass in my workshop.
components are considered ammunition, which is why we cannot buy empty brass from Midway or anyone. Does empty brass need to be locked up? I have boxes of full of range brass in my workshop.
If you read the 527 CMR link above, you'll see that the fire code defines ammunition to be cartridges, including blanks. It makes no mention of components. This is the law that requires you to lock up your ammo, unless you have an ammo storage permit, which is available from your FD.
I believe some MGLs treat components like ammo, but the ammo storage requirement is a CMR, not an MGL.
The Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR) is the canonical collection of regulations promulgated by various agencies of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is the state counterpart to the national Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
MGL is Mass General Law.
Len's course covers all this stuff. It also addresses a bunch of questions folks here haven't asked. If you EDC, you should really take his class.
Ben Cartwright SASS
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I have a permit, it was the first ever issued in Walpole. The fire chief went to the COP to let him know he was issuing a permit and when the COP found out that you could have 1000 primers and 10k of centerfire without a permit he had a fit. But I got it.
MisterHappy
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Sorry if this is answered elsewhere, I've revisited Mass firearm storage laws at least 4 times since this past fall and I still feel foggy on some of them even after I think I've found the definitive answer.
Can a loaded handgun be stored in the trunk of a car if it is also secured in a gun safe and thus rendered inaccessable by unauthorized persons?
Can a loaded handgun be stored in the trunk of a car if it is also secured in a gun safe and thus rendered inaccessable by unauthorized persons?
Although it is a gray area, I would expect most cops to arrest and you'd have an expensive time getting out of it. Wisdom is to unload the gun when storing it in a MV.
