AR-15 question..?

[pyro451]

But I thought NRA Basic Pistol was best because it has live fire

Many LTC applicants in MA have never owned a firearm before. They choose to apply for the LTC-A because it covers all guns that the lesser permits allow [wise choice]. From my experience, the most popular course to qualify for an LTC-A in MA is NRA Basic Pistol. If the course is taught according to the syllabus, it provides an excellent introduction to PISTOL shooting. Long arms are not part of the syllabus. The NRA stated course objective is "To teach the basic knowledge, skills, and attitude for owning and using a pistol safely."

As an instructor, when a brand new shooter asks me about the "pistol course" I try to convince them it is best to take the NRA Home Firearm Safety course first, followed by basic Pistol. HFS covers all firearm types. Our instructor team brings no less than a dozen guns to the HFS class so students can become familiar with the various types and how handle them safely.

Bottom line for the OP: It might make sense to find a HFS instructor near you and take that course as well. HFS contains lots of great info and is only 4-5 hours long.

Happy Shooting!

 

[gerrycaruso]

Two more points to confuse you further. You can buy long guns in New hampshire but not handguns. In Ma. we have the term "semi automatic assault rifle". That's like saying "4 cylinder v-8". One of the features of an assault rifle is the ability to fire in the full auto mode. They just changed the definition to suit themselves.

 

[Blitz1]

Dude, the constant SIG pimping grows tiresome. If you must own a euro-trash rifle at least be discreet about it.

Ummm, they're made in NH fan boi.

 

[MACGYVR]

Two more points to confuse you further. You can buy long guns in New hampshire but not handguns.

Not true. You can buy both long guns and pistols in NH.

Long guns you buy over the counter at an FFL and then when you come back to mass with it, you file an FA-10 form for it within 7 days.
If an assault rifle, it must be compliant with the assault weapon ban or be pre-ban. The FFL cannot sell it to you if it does not comply with the AWB since you are a Mass resident and it would be illegal in your state.

Handguns you buy at an FFL, but they must be shipped it to an FFL in Mass. You will go to this FFL and fill out both the federal 4473 form and the FA-10 for it when it arrives and pay a transfer fee.

The handgun must be on the Mass approved handgun roster and meet the Mass attorney general consumer protection regulations. It is your responsibility to know what is or is not approved in mass when buying in NH as the NH shops dont worry about such things. Your Mass FFL will charge you fees to return it if it is not approved for mass and the NH dealer will be none too happy. It is best to always check with a Mass FFL first as to the approval of a handgun being purchased out of state first before completing the sale.

Due to the Mass laws and regulations, many shops in NH have chosen as a matter of store policy not to sell handguns to Mass residents to avoid the hassles associated with the sale.

State Line in Mason will sell handguns and even stamps them MA OK to help in your selection.

 

[Dream to Dream]

Not true. You can buy both long guns and pistols in NH.

Long guns you buy over the counter at an FFL and then when you come back to mass with it, you file an FA-10 form for it within 7 days.
If an assault rifle, it must be compliant with the assault weapon ban or be pre-ban. The FFL cannot sell it to you if it does not comply with the AWB since you are a Mass resident and it would be illegal in your state.

n00b question time!

Does this only apply to NH? I'm a stone's throw away from CT and find myself drooling over long arms there. Any problem buying a firearm that is not MA compliant, but is either pre-ban or AWB compliant, and bringing it in-state and filing an FA-10?

 

[MACGYVR]

n00b question time!

Does this only apply to NH? I'm a stone's throw away from CT and find myself drooling over long arms there. Any problem buying a firearm that is not MA compliant, but is either pre-ban or AWB compliant, and bringing it in-state and filing an FA-10?

Any free state works. VT, Maine etc
Only hand guns have to be mass compliant.
Long guns in an assault weapon configuration must be AWB compliant. Your standard hunting rifle, o/u shotgun etc is not a problem.

I cannot speak to CT law as I have no experience with them.
If the state requires you to have a permit like Mass, to possess or purchase a firearm then it is most likely not possible to make an over the counter purchase in that state.
You can still purchase it however at the FFL and they can ship it to your Mass FFL where you will take possession of it and fill out the required paperwork.

 

[Bob P]

Ummm, they're made in NH fan boi.

Ok, then a 'euro-trash wannabe rifle'

 

[Kevlar]

n00b question time!

Does this only apply to NH? I'm a stone's throw away from CT and find myself drooling over long arms there. Any problem buying a firearm that is not MA compliant, but is either pre-ban or AWB compliant, and bringing it in-state and filing an FA-10?

You can purchase AWB compliant long-guns from a FFL in CT, but there is generally a 14 day waiting period (CGS c529 s29-37a)

 

[travis]

ar-15's are perfectly legal to own. you just cant own a fully auto, one w/ a bayonet lug, flash suppresor, collapsable stock one or any"post-ban" high cap mags. Since you are in Taunton I would suggest heading up to Zero hour in easton, they have plenty of examples of both MA ok and non-MA ok firearms and can school you on the differences. also keep in mind you can legally buy guns in FTF transactions that FFL dealers won't do.

Or you could move to Maine own ALL the above plus a suppressor all over the counter with ZERO state licensees ( that stupid ltc thing ) with the exception of a machine gun & suppressor those you do have to get a tax stamp for.

 

[foggy65]

Does this only apply to NH? I'm a stone's throw away from CT and find myself drooling over long arms there. Any problem buying a firearm that is not MA compliant, but is either pre-ban or AWB compliant, and bringing it in-state and filing an FA-10?

You can't buy a handgun in another state unless it is transferred to you by MA Federal Firearms License (FFL) holder. Due to the AG's regulations a MA FFL won't transfer a handgun to you that isn't on the approved lists.

Yes, you can buy a long gun in CT and FA10 it when you bring it to MA but CT has a 14 day waiting period before you get to take it home. I believe there is a waiver of the waiting period for holders of hunting licenses but I don't know if that applies to nonresidents.

If you buy a long gun out of state, you can't possess it in MA if it isn't MA assault weapons ban compliant.

Simple?, no? Jeez, even the tax code is clearer than our gun laws!!

Does anyone know if you can buy an AR-15 stripped lower out of state and then just FA10 it when you bring it into MA?

Foggy65

 

[MACGYVR]

Does anyone know if you can buy an AR-15 stripped lower out of state and then just FA10 it when you bring it into MA?

Foggy65

No. You cannot. Lowers are treated federally like handguns. A few years ago this was OK as the feds treated them as a long gun.
In ma you do not file the FA-10 until it is built into a complete functioning rifle.

 

[Bob P]

EDIT OK, guess I was wrong on lowers.

When did the ruling change and can you give is a cite?

 

[MACGYVR]

EDIT OK, guess I was wrong on lowers.

When did the ruling change and can you give is a cite?

2009

Licensees are reminded that firearm frames, receivers, and
other firearms that are neither handguns nor long guns
(rifles or shotguns) are considered “Other Firearms.” They
cannot be sold or delivered by a licensee to any person under
21 years of age. Additionally, 18 U.S.C. 922(b)(3) states that
a licensee shall not sell or deliver any firearm other than a
shotgun or rifle to any person who does not reside in the
State in which the licensee’s place of business or activity is located;
this restriction includes handguns, pistol grip firearms
utilizing shotgun ammunition, and frames and receivers.

http://www.atf.gov/publications/newsletters/ffl/ffl-newsletter-2009-11.pdf

Page 3 of that doc

 

[Bob P]

Thanks.

That sucks.

 

[foggy65]

In ma you do not file the FA-10 until it is built into a complete functioning rifle.

Now that's interesting! I thought that since you go through all the checks and legal gobbledegoop when you get the lower from a MA FFL holder that you already have registered firearm at that point. I wouldn't have felt the need to file an FA10 at any point for it. Another trap for the unwary??

 

[MACGYVR]

Now that's interesting! I thought that since you go through all the checks and legal gobbledegoop when you get the lower from a MA FFL holder that you already have registered firearm at that point. I wouldn't have felt the need to file an FA10 at any point for it. Another trap for the unwary??

When you buy a lower from an FFL, only a fed form 4473 is completed for the sale. No MIRCS check is performed and no FA-10 is filed at that time in Mass. Up to you when you put it all together and fire the first shot.

 

[cass1776]

I just bought a stripped lower the other day and after my paperwork and background check was performed then we went to the computer that was on the Mircs website and all info was filled out including me matching my fingerprint. So I figured that meant it was all registered. Also after the background check the salesman said to me "ok bud lets go to the computer and fill out your state form's ".

 

[MACGYVR]

I just bought a stripped lower the other day and after my paperwork and background check was performed then we went to the computer that was on the Mircs website and all info was filled out including me matching my fingerprint. So I figured that meant it was all registered. Also after the background check the salesman said to me "ok bud lets go to the computer and fill out your state form's ".

Some dealers do that and put down a fake configuration. Look at your FA-10 form for it, probably says rifle, 16" barrel, Black

In that case your lower is already registered on an FA-10 as a rifle with a 16" barrel that is black.

It is not required by law, but shops do it for any number of reasons. Mainly they just don't know better.

 

[cass1776]

That's exactly what my form says. The shop I bought the lower from always does this.

 

[xtry51]

In CT you must have a CT pistol permit to cash/carry a rifle or pistol. Non-res CT permit will also let you do this for rifles only. You can purchase a rifle without a permit and wait the 2 weeks though.

CT Rules Summary

 

[noddaduma]

Someone savvy in MA gun laws ought to make a flow chart. What a confused, f***ed up mess. I thought CA gun laws were bad.

-Jason

 

[william_munny]

Might as well just post the text of the AWB here for the noobs (not excluding myself from that category, because the wording has tripped me up before). Here's what is illegal to own in MA if it's not pre September of '94 (on top of magazines with 10+ rounds, which also must be pre Sep. '94):

Semi-automatic rifles able to accept detachable magazines and two or more of the following:

Folding or telescoping stock
Pistol grip
Bayonet mount
Flash suppressor, or threaded barrel designed to accommodate one
Grenade launcher (more precisely, a muzzle device which enables the launching or firing of rifle grenades)
Your post-94 semi-auto mag-fed rifle is MA compliant as long as it only has one of these

Semi-automatic pistols with detachable magazines and two or more of the following:

Magazine that attaches outside the pistol grip
Threaded barrel to attach barrel extender, flash suppressor, handgrip, or suppressor
Barrel shroud that can be used as a hand-hold
Unloaded weight of 50 oz (1.4 kg) or more
A semi-automatic version of an automatic firearm
Your post-94 semi-auto pistol is compliant as long as it only has one of these

Semi-automatic shotguns with two or more of the following:

Folding or telescoping stock
Pistol grip
Fixed capacity of more than 5 rounds
Detachable magazine
Your post-94 semi-auto shotgun is compliant as long as it only has one of these, as long as it's not considered a Destructive Device by the ATF (I believe, someone correct me if I'm wrong - I'm thinking pre-94 Striker, which would probably be illegal without NFA paperwork)... whole other can of worms

 

[CRSIII]

Might as well just post the text of the AWB here for the noobs

What our informative friend is trying to say is pat your head and rub your belly while hoping on one foot over broken glass with barney frank on your back reciting the alphabet in pig-latin backward with a sterno soaked flaming tampon in your ass after you've been hay maker'd in the back of the head by BigDaddy45acp while you have a bath tub gin hangover.

 

[william_munny]

What our informative friend is trying to say is pat your head and rub your belly while hoping on one foot over broken glass with barney frank on your back reciting the alphabet in pig-latin backward with a sterno soaked flaming tampon in your ass after you've been hay maker'd in the back of the head by BigDaddy45acp while you have a bath tub gin hangover.

Pretty much.

 

[CRSIII]

Pretty much.

 

[eric_07]

Hope you don't live in Suffolk County... no AR-15s allowed AFAIK.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Hope you don't live in Suffolk County... no AR-15s allowed AFAIK.

BAD INFO!

Counties do not make laws!!

Boston indeed does ban any AR-15s (and other guns/hi-cap rifle mags) that weren't granted a special license (Boston issued as a one-time thing) in 1989.

No other cities/towns in Suffolk County are affected by this misguided city bylaw.

 

[Mass-diver]

Hope you don't live in Suffolk County... no AR-15s allowed AFAIK.

Where did you hear this crap?

 

[George D]

Semi-automatic pistols with detachable magazines and two or more of the following:

Magazine that attaches outside the pistol grip
Threaded barrel to attach barrel extender, flash suppressor, handgrip, or suppressor
Barrel shroud that can be used as a hand-hold
Unloaded weight of 50 oz (1.4 kg) or more
A semi-automatic version of an automatic firearm
Your post-94 semi-auto pistol is compliant as long as it only has one of these

So, how do these get into MA, are they calling them "pre-94" even though it has a new receiver?

 

[william_munny]

So, how do these get into MA, are they calling them "pre-94" even though it has a new receiver?

I couldn't be less sure about that one.