I was talking with someone recently who claimed that although in MGL there's nothing that specifies anything about open vs. concealed carry, there used to be such a distinction, but it got lost in one of the law re-vamps ('98? He didn't say which one). He also said that there was some other court decision, CMR, judicial opinion, something that "defined" carry as including "concealed" as one of its requirements. Therefore open carry isn't actually legal.
Now, he's usually not full of crap, he's usually pretty well informed on such things, so I'm reluctant to just tell him he's full of crap without having better/more information.
My understanding is that open carry has never been illegal, and concealed carry has never been a requirement, but concealed carry has in nearly every case in Massachusetts, a VERY GOOD IDEA, simply because people freak out and call the police, and when guns are involved the police will arrest you before checking that you're breaking any laws, and then charge you with disturbing the peace.
Can any of you fill in the backstory I'm missing?
Now, he's usually not full of crap, he's usually pretty well informed on such things, so I'm reluctant to just tell him he's full of crap without having better/more information.
My understanding is that open carry has never been illegal, and concealed carry has never been a requirement, but concealed carry has in nearly every case in Massachusetts, a VERY GOOD IDEA, simply because people freak out and call the police, and when guns are involved the police will arrest you before checking that you're breaking any laws, and then charge you with disturbing the peace.
Can any of you fill in the backstory I'm missing?