Can I sit on my front porch with a shotgun?

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I'm not going to do it. But can I?


I'm thinking yes, since i'd be on my private property and not on a "public way" where i'm required to have it in a locked container.
 
I am familiar with hunting regulations, but for just hanging out on your porch, I have no clue.
Just to clarify your question though, is it loaded?
 
Assuming you're in the People's Republik of Mass, it is perfectly legal for you to sit on your porch with a loaded shotgun.

This does not mean that SWAT won't show up and shoot your dog because you're creating a disturbance, or the chief won't revoke your LTC because you're unsuitable.
 
I don't see why not....Though if sheep see you and get scared and call the cops, they could pull suitability BS with your LTC...if you only had a FID, there's not much they could do unless they really wanted to be pricks and trump up some brandishing charges.

How smart it is to do would depend on how far the house/porch is set back from the road/sidewalk. If everyone walking by is going to immediately notice some menacing looking guy clutching a shottie while staring at everyone walking by, I'd say it ain't too bright and expect a visit from the cops. In a normal state, no one would care. If the house is set back a bit and no one who's not really looking is going to notice then it's probably not an issue.
 
Walked around in my yard in Newton with my Tavor slung when I brought it home to show my dad.

You guys need to relax.

Mike

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
 
I don't see why not....Though if sheep see you and get scared and call the cops, they could pull suitability BS with your LTC...if you only had a FID, there's not much they could do unless they really wanted to be pricks and trump up some brandishing charges.

How smart it is to do would depend on how far the house/porch is set back from the road/sidewalk. If everyone walking by is going to immediately notice some menacing looking guy clutching a shottie while staring at everyone walking by, I'd say it ain't too bright and expect a visit from the cops. In a normal state, no one would care. If the house is set back a bit and no one who's not really looking is going to notice then it's probably not an issue.

I'm in a heavily populated area and my front porch is about 25 ft from the sidewalk. Like I said, I'd never do it, because the cops would be called within 60 seconds on me being out there. I was just curious as to the legality of it.
 
I remember as a kid in the early 80's walking through my neighborhood with a BB gun slung over my shoulder, headed to the woods to go shoot things. I wonder how that would go over today. [sad]
 
Other than transporting on a public way, the only other potential deterrent I could think of would be from the hunting abstract about "discharging a firearm or release of any arrow upon or across any state or hard-surfaced highway, or within 150 feet of any such highway, or possession of a loaded firearm, discharge of a firearm, or hunting on the land of another within 500 feet of any dwelling or building in use, except as authorized by the owner or occupant thereof." But if you are not hunting, I wouldn't see why the 500 feet rule would be in effect.

I agree with the sentiment up above though. Unless your house is secluded, someone is going to call the cops on you (even if they are unfounded), and you could get some headaches from the PD.
 
I remember as a kid in the early 80's walking through my neighborhood with a BB gun slung over my shoulder, headed to the woods to go shoot things. I wonder how that would go over today. [sad]

If you were a kid you would be expelled from school, even though you weren't in school, and you'd make the 5 o'clock news for being a threat to society.

I dislike this world we live in now.
 
If you were a kid you would be expelled from school, even though you weren't in school, and you'd make the 5 o'clock news for being a threat to society.

I dislike this world we live in now.

I know you will not do it. Mental note: You are sitting there with your gun advertising you have it. In certain neighborhoods you can expect break-in and entering shortly.
 
If you were a kid you would be expelled from school, even though you weren't in school, and you'd make the 5 o'clock news for being a threat to society.

I dislike this world we live in now.

We all know who the REAL threat to society is.
 
Probably, but I wouldn't want my name to be on the precedent that proves it's legal.

If you sit on the front porch with a shotgun, it's going to attract the attention of the sheep. They're going to call the cops. The cops will come and harass you, and may feel they have to do "something," i.e. disturbing the peace charges or something similar. You'll have to spend time and money defending yourself. And when all is said and done, the Chief of Police may find you "unsuitable" of an LTC, and bump you down to a FID card. You'll also instantly develop a reputation among both the authorities and the general population as "the gun guy" in the neighborhood, which means stricter scrutiny from the authorities (are you SURE those are preban mags?) and now you're a target for home invasion robbers looking to score guns.

Maybe some of those things will happen. Maybe none.

But definitely, it's a dumb thing to do.
 
Geez. [thinking]

In warmer months I sit at the picinic table in the side yard when cleaning my guns, I've met several neighbors (Hey ! What kinda gun izat ?) and made some friends. One of 'em split a case of 30 round P-mags with me recently. Another one I traded some ammo in a caliber I don't shoot for a .22 pistol.

Life is different just a few miles north.
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I remember as a kid in the early 80's walking through my neighborhood with a BB gun slung over my shoulder, headed to the woods to go shoot things. I wonder how that would go over today. [sad]

Same here, but I was on a bike with a WWII .303 or .308 heading to the sand pits with my buddies. The police never bothered us. That was NH, early 1990's
 
I remember in Mass in the early 60's having "wars" with BB guns, running around the neighborhood with them playing army and no one said a thing, that was in Wellesley, try that now!
 
It's under your direct control right? No problem.
Until you get tazed or shot by your local PD and then it's no longer under your direct control I guess....
 
Walked around in my yard in Newton with my Tavor slung when I brought it home to show my dad.

You guys need to relax.

Mike

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
Newton!? And you didnt get harrassed? My cousin lives there, drives a loud straightpiped f150, blue in color. I bet youve seen him! And hes gotten stopped multiple times just for being loud.
 
Id maybe venture to say you would get in some sort of trouble because same as if you have the front windows of your house open and people on street level can see you, theres no expectation of privacy and therefore can be seen as some sort of wrongful act, if you were in you driveway or side yard you could argue curtilage but your front porch you have no expectation of privacy because its reasonable for people to walk to your front door.
 
I remember as a kid in the early 80's walking through my neighborhood with a BB gun slung over my shoulder, headed to the woods to go shoot things. I wonder how that would go over today. [sad]

Back in the early 70's when I was a kid we used to use BB guns playing cowboys and Indians, no one gave a crap, what better way to teach a kid about safety with firearms and responsibility then a bb gun, the government is quick to send a 18 yr old off to war, at least let them have the benefit of some early age experience with shooting and playing war besides the 3 months in basic training.

Tim
 
What's the big deal and why would the cops show up? I've been open carrying in walmart and all other places (except the mall etc) and I've never had the cops called. It's sparked a few conversations but that's it.

One day I was coming home from a private range outing and had my plate carrier on(easier to carry this way) OC pistol on my side, 12ga over my shoulder and a rifle case. Leo was driving by and didn't say a word and kept driving. Now granted I take every opportunity to engage these guys on 2a, it may be one that I've spoken to. I didn't get a good look as to who but I know there was no missing me. So why again would a shot gun on your porch cause mass hysteria?
 
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