Can I legally bring someone else's gun to the range?

J

JayMac

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Sorry if this is a newbie question, but as the title states, if I'm a LTC-holding member of a gun club, is it legal for me to transport, possess and fire a handgun that is owned by another individual that is not with me? (aka, my uncle...)
Any insight is appreciated.
Jeremy
 
I'm guessing since you used the term "LTC" that you (and your uncle) live in MA. If so, than yes, it is legal.
 
I'm in Haverhill MA. I'm non-licensed as of today (until it arrives in the mail), and the owner is licensed but lives in Maine. the owner would not be with me at the range.
 
JayMac said:
I'm in Haverhill MA. I'm non-licensed as of today (until it arrives in the mail), and the owner is licensed but lives in Maine. the owner would not be with me at the range.
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Are you a member of HHRG? Make sure you join our group here.
Hope the license arrives soon for you :)
 
If you have a license you can be in possession of a gun whether it is yours or not.

Your Uncle doesn't need to have an LTC for you to be in possession of his gun.
He needs an LTC to be in possession of his own gun (if in MA).
That has nothing to do with you.

If he lives in Maine he doesn't need a license to own a gun...again this has nothing to do with you.
If you wanted to borrow his gun, he still doesn't need a license.

Being since you said you don't have an LTC you can't really do anything.
 
ryan81986 said:
If you arent licensed then no you cannot take posession of the firearm and bring it anywhere.
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Of course. I know that. I'm asking for future reference. Sorry, I should've stated that.
DirtyPacMan, I took my safety course from Jerry Dennig at HHRG. I'll be attending the next BOD meeting (Nov. 30th, right?), and then the subsequent member meetings to apply for my membership!
I didn't know there was an HHRG group on here, I'll have to join up!
Thanks!
Jeremy

And again, I wasn't implying that I do anything illegal without my license. Just want to make sure that when I DO get it, I won't be doing anything illegal by bringing someone else's gun with me!
Thanks again for the responses~
 
JayMac said:
Just want to make sure that when I DO get it, I won't be doing anything illegal by bringing someone else's gun with me!
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Quick note on that since the gun is from out of state...
Make sure if your bringing magazines for that gun, that they are 10 rounds or less if they are not pre-ban. Also, if you happen to be bringing any type of semiautomatic rifle with a detachable magazine and pistol grip, (AR-15 and AK-47 type rifles among many others) it must comply with the mass assault weapons ban. No flash hider or collapsible stock.
 
Underwhere said:
If you have a license you can be in possession of a gun whether it is yours or not.

Your Uncle doesn't need to have an LTC for you to be in possession of his gun.
He needs an LTC to be in possession of his own gun (if in MA).
That has nothing to do with you.

If he lives in Maine he doesn't need a license to own a gun...again this has nothing to do with you.
If you wanted to borrow his gun, he still doesn't need a license.

Being since you said you don't have an LTC you can't really do anything.
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This brings up an interesting question for me. The gun the OP was asking about is legally owned by a ME resident. If ME resident transports gun to border then MA LTC-A resident takes posession of the gun at the border, how long can the MA resident borrow the gun? And would it make a difference if it were a rifle or a handgun. I have a relative in a border state that I would love to borrow some different guns from to shoot at the range.

Obviously no machine guns but maybe a handgun not on the list or rifle that I would not have to wait to find in some existing MA stock or spend the cash on to try out.

Thanks
 
Baldkat82 said:
Quick note on that since the gun is from out of state...
Make sure if your bringing magazines for that gun, that they are 10 rounds or less if they are not pre-ban.
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Ahhh... good point. It's a new M&P 9mm FS with 17 round mags. I'll have (once my license comes in, of course) the MA compliant M&P 9c w/ the 10 rd. mags.
I can only assume that the compact mags will not fit in the FS, for obvious reasons.
So is that a "NO" on bringing that gun to the range with me?
 
JayMac said:
Ahhh... good point. It's a new M&P 9mm FS with 17 round mags. I'll have (once my license comes in, of course) the MA compliant M&P 9c w/ the 10 rd. mags.
I can only assume that the compact mags will not fit in the FS, for obvious reasons.
So is that a "NO" on bringing that gun to the range with me?
Click to expand...

Its not a "NO" on the gun, but leave the high cap 17 rd mags in Maine. Pick up some 10 rd mags to use when you use the full size in MA.
 
red87930 said:
how long can the MA resident borrow the gun?
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You can borrow a gun from a resident of another state "for temporary use for lawful sporting purposes" only. That's all the law states. I have never seen any clarification as to what that means, exactly. I tend to err on the side of caution and say that if the owner is not generally around (as in, they give you the gun and go back home) it's not really temporary use, it's more like a transfer and so is not legal. However, that is only my interpretation. Borrowing the gun for a few days/weeks while the owner goes back to their own state may actually be legal.

You also touched upon a good point that should be highlighted. While you can borrow a gun from a resident of another state, you cannot go pick it up and bring it to your home state. You can borrow it in their state (if state law allows) or you can have them bring it to you in your state (again, if state law allows). But you cannot personally cross the border into your home state with it. (Yes, I know, it's retarded, but that's the federal law on the matter).
 
JayMac said:
Ahhh... good point. It's a new M&P 9mm FS with 17 round mags. I'll have (once my license comes in, of course) the MA compliant M&P 9c w/ the 10 rd. mags.
I can only assume that the compact mags will not fit in the FS, for obvious reasons.
So is that a "NO" on bringing that gun to the range with me?
Click to expand...

It's a "no" if you can't locate the 10 round mags for it. Dependig on what you want to do, you could buy the 10 rounders and then bring the pistol with you into state perfectly legally. Maybe a gift to the uncle for letting you borrow the gun?
 
jar said:
And let me know where you find them. They seem to be on back order everywhere.
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Have you talked to the S+W shooting sports center? Price probably won't be pretty, but they might have em...

-Mike
 
Ive had this same question before. mines is a lil different, I cant get an LTC yet still gotta wait a lil. but my friend has one and so does my father. Now if me and my friend go to the range would it be against the law to take my dads gun with us. seeing as one of us is legally authorized to have it.
 
SteveCase said:
Ive had this same question before. mines is a lil different, I cant get an LTC yet still gotta wait a lil. but my friend has one and so does my father. Now if me and my friend go to the range would it be against the law to take my dads gun with us. seeing as one of us is legally authorized to have it.
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The bottom line: Whoever has a license can borrow any gun they want from whoever they want.

The only restrictions are things like high capacity mags and assault weapons ban stuff but that does not have anything to do with borrowing guns.
 
alright thanks for clearing that up, but another questions is day say im going to take a class at the Smith and Wesson shooting sports center, I don't have my own firearm. would i be able to take my fathers if i had some one with me who has a LTC and is taking the same class.
 
SteveCase said:
alright thanks for clearing that up, but another questions is day say im going to take a class at the Smith and Wesson shooting sports center, I don't have my own firearm. would i be able to take my fathers if i had some one with me who has a LTC and is taking the same class.
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As long as they (the LTC holder) grab the gun from your dads house, perfectly legal as well.
 
I know that the OP's question has to do with borrowing a firearm from a relative but, as a more general issue, if you lend a firearm to someone who says that they are going to the range and they hold up a bank instead you have become an accomplice.

Just a thought in case anyone else was planning on lending out their firearm. Not that you would lend it to someone shady but if there is a legal issue don't be surprised if, at a minimum, it gets back to your issuing authority.

Why not invite your uncle to a day at the range and spring for the ammo?
 
T Dog said:
I know that the OP's question has to do with borrowing a firearm from a relative but, as a more general issue, if you lend a firearm to someone who says that they are going to the range and they hold up a bank instead you have become an accomplice.

Just a thought in case anyone else was planning on lending out their firearm. Not that you would lend it to someone shady but if there is a legal issue don't be surprised if, at a minimum, it gets back to your issuing authority.

Why not invite your uncle to a day at the range and spring for the ammo?
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Just curious, what law or case law states this?
 
If you're stupid enough to lend your gun to someone who will then turn around and rob a bank and THEN burn you with a lie that you knowingly supplied him with a gun for illegal pur[oses you DESERVE to go to jail...for Felony Stupid.
 
Bill Nance said:
If you're stupid enough to lend your gun to someone who will then turn around and rob a bank and THEN burn you with a lie that you knowingly supplied him with a gun for illegal pur[oses you DESERVE to go to jail...for Felony Stupid.
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Well, this situation woudl be highly unlikely in the first place in massachusetts. Nobody in their right mind would loan a pistol to someone that didn't have an LTC. If someone is planning on robbing a bank, somethign tells me that they...
(a) prob already have a record that disqualifies themn from obtaining an LTC/FID.
(b) wouldn't be someone a responsible individual would led a gun to in the first place.

So, I would have to agree with you there Bill. If your dumb enough to lend a gun to someone that ends up robbing a bank, then your prob an idiot in the first place yourself.

However, if your "buddy" were to legitimately have an LTC and you loaned him a pistol, I think that even in mass you'd have a hard time getting charges pressed against you bc you loaned him a gun. He was legally permitted to posses it in the first place. (as unlikely as this scenario is)
 
Baldkat82 said:
Just curious, what law or case law states this?
Click to expand...

PRATT vs. MARTINEAU is one that comes to mind. The defendant bought a firearm and allowed his son to store it. The son stored it improperly and the son's friend found it and accidentally killed another kid with it. The father was sued for wrongful death. The judge originally issued a summary judgment in favor of the father, but the appeals court reversed the decision. I'm not sure what happened after that, but even if the father was ultimately not responsible, it was a costly multi-year legal mess.
 

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