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Explain to a new resident the ammo shipping laws in Mass

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I am NOT asking to name companies that ship, BE CLEAR ON THAT!

I'm just trying to understand why companies can't ship here. Reading the law it seems that companies can/could ship with a copy of LTC but they won't because of the AG.. Is that accurate?

Thanks for having a discussion.
 
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I am NOT asking to name companies that ship, BE CLEAR ON THAT!

I'm just trying to understand why companies can't ship here. Reading the law it seems that companies can/could ship with a copy of LTC but they won't because of the AG.. Is that accurate?

Thanks for having a discussion.

It is because the AG's office threatens the companies that say they do. Companies don't want to deal with the BS so a lot of them don't even though it is legal to do so.
 
There is no law, just Marsha threatening to sue if they do, because she thinks there is. Apparently, in her deranged world of logic, companies who sell ammo must be licensed in MA to sell ammo, if they want to sell ammo in MA. Of course, MA isn't issuing out-of-state licenses to anyone to sell ammo in MA. Just another kind service presented to the subject of the commonwealth by idiotic one-party nanny .gov.
 
Here is what happens - the AG finds out that company X ships to MA. The AG sends a threatening letter to company X saying "We will make life hard for you if you don't stop". The AG's argument is that you need a MA ammunition selling license to sell ammunition in MA. Company X is not located in MA, so what town would it get a license from? How many towns would they need a license in? Would any towns even issue them licenses (no of course not). Company X has less money to fight legal battles with than the AG, also has a small market in MA, Company X stops shipping ammo to MA.
 
There's no law. Our stupid slutbag whore AG threatens them with horseshit lawsuits. they're not interested in the legal fee burden that that would entail.

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except that the transaction occurs out of state, but then again, MA thinks they are entitled to stake out people' activities and purchases in NH on a regular basis, too...

that's bc MA cleverly calls its sales tax a sales and use tax....see you're using it in MA so all your stuff are belong to us.
 
Not to be a jerk, but suck it up and support your local gun shop man.

If you're looking to save a couple cents a round after shipping, why not go to the guy down the street and see if he can match their price for you in that kind of bulk?

I've recently starting doing some accounting work for a LGS... Margins aren't really as hot as you'd think, and this is a small shop, so it's even worse than you are thinking now. I'm sure the Four Seasons of the world are doing okay, but I don't even buy ammo at big box stores anymore. (I refuse to give Dicks a single penny after I was informed of the ban on "Modern Sporting Rifles".)
 
There are none. Companies don't ship here because the AG is a large type douchebag and sends them threatening letters. Its easier to stop caring about it and just work around it.
 
There's no law. Our stupid slutbag whore AG threatens them with horseshit lawsuits. they're not interested in the legal fee burden that that would entail.

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that's bc MA cleverly calls its sales tax a sales and use tax....see you're using it in MA so all your stuff are belong to us.

Use taxes are pretty common in states with sales taxes, or at least the few that I've filed taxes in.
 
Not to be a jerk, but suck it up and support your local gun shop man. If you're looking to save a couple cents a round after shipping, why not go to the guy down the street and see if he can match their price for you in that kind of bulk? I've recently starting down some accounting work for a LGS... Margins aren't really as hot as you'd think, and this is a small shop, so it's even worse than you are thinking now. I'm sure the Four Seasons of the world are doing okay, but I don't even buy ammo at big box stores anymore. (I refuse to give Dicks a single penny after I was informed of the ban on "Modern Sporting Rifles".)

I agree. Not to get all hippie, but you've got to support local business or they go away.
 
It is because the AG's office threatens the companies that say they do. Companies don't want to deal with the BS so a lot of them don't even though it is legal to do so.

The thing that sucks, is that oftentimes the repercussions go deeper than that.

Some vendors have simply said "**** it", and given up on selling/shipping even non-ammo related items to MA.
 
Not to be a jerk, but suck it up and support your local gun shop man.

If you're looking to save a couple cents a round after shipping, why not go to the guy down the street and see if he can match their price for you in that kind of bulk?

I've recently starting down some accounting work for a LGS... Margins aren't really as hot as you'd think, and this is a small shop, so it's even worse than you are thinking now. I'm sure the Four Seasons of the world are doing okay, but I don't even buy ammo at big box stores anymore. (I refuse to give Dicks a single penny after I was informed of the ban on "Modern Sporting Rifles".)

The problem is in MA this doesn't work very well as most of the LGSes are full rape mode. It's mostly the fault of the mid level distributors more than the dealers. The 6.25% sales tax doesn't help matters either.
 
The problem is in MA this doesn't work very well as most of the LGSes are full rape mode. It's mostly the fault of the mid level distributors more than the dealers. The 6.25% sales tax doesn't help matters either.

Yeah... I've seen the invoices lol... It's a brutal business to be in. (Retail in general is tough, often times, especially in the beginning all your profits are tied up in inventory. Then every Tom, Dick and Harry wants a free Tee shirt and two boxes of ammo, along with a 10% reduction of price when they buy an M&P.)

Similar things happen with alcohol, you'd think in a state owned by the Kennedys would at least be a bit easier on the ol' booze.
 
Does anyone have a copy of such a letter sent from the AG to a company regarding shipping ammo to MA?
 
The problem is in MA this doesn't work very well as most of the LGSes are full rape mode. It's mostly the fault of the mid level distributors more than the dealers. The 6.25% sales tax doesn't help matters either.
Constrained sources of supply leads to inflated prices...

I feel like there is an echo here, but its almost as if there is an anti-trust situation going on here (constrained supply from reduced pool of competitors leading to higher prices), but the AG is the one causing it, so they won't be the one fixing it.
 
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Your help in shipping Ammo to MA

I am NOT asking to name companies that ship, BE CLEAR ON THAT!

I'm just trying to understand why companies can't ship here. Reading the law it seems that companies can/could ship with a copy of LTC but they won't because of the AG.. Is that accurate?

Thanks for having a discussion.

There is one brave company that WILL SHIP to MA ...and could care less about the AG!!! Here you go!

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Here you are...no thanks needed!
 
Not to be a jerk, but suck it up and support your local gun shop man.

If you're looking to save a couple cents a round after shipping, why not go to the guy down the street and see if he can match their price for you in that kind of bulk?

I usually support the local stores by buying my firearms through them. Everything else I buy online or at larger stores at a much lower price. Best example was recently I was at a new to me store and made a purchase where they threw in a box of Tula 7.62x39. I think they were selling it for 8-9$ a box of 20. I can go to Basspro and they have the same box for around $5 a box. As much as I don't want to see local places go under I can't fathom why none of them can seem to find cheaper sources/distributors to get product from.
 
I usually support the local stores by buying my firearms through them. Everything else I buy online or at larger stores at a much lower price. Best example was recently I was at a new to me store and made a purchase where they threw in a box of Tula 7.62x39. I think they were selling it for 8-9$ a box of 20. I can go to Basspro and they have the same box for around $5 a box. As much as I don't want to see local places go under I can't fathom why none of them can seem to find cheaper sources/distributors to get product from.


They don't have near the volume of a big box store. They can't buy as much, nor do newer shops have the "in's" needed to get the better prices that more established and bigger shops do.

They also have margins to worry about, and don't have the variety of products to cover over head. Bass Pro can afford to make 3% on a box of ammo as it will sell 2 cases for every box LGS does, not to mention clothing and other things they sell at higher margins to make up for it.

Just like buying a cell phone, the phone store makes it's money off the accessories and data plans, the LGS makes it's money off accessories and ammo. The three local shops I go to are within 2-4 cents a round than most of the deals I've seen online (I admittedly don't look very much), or at the Dicks near me. For the $10-$20 I'm glad to give it to the little guy.

Plus I found a gem of a store recently that has 22 like it must have been like back in the day. Stingers, multiple brans, was able to buy two bricks... Glorious. Dicks hasn't had that since I"ve been calling.

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Is it The Armory in Woburn?

lol, no. And if it was I wouldn't be outing my clients on an internet forum. I have ethical standards of confidentiality.
 
if local companies had cases of the ammo i need for online prices i'd support them in a heartbeat, unfortunately they don't.....

What is the price difference per round you're saving? If you don't mind me asking, including shipping.
 
Does anyone have a copy of such a letter sent from the AG to a company regarding shipping ammo to MA?

I've asked a couple vendors in a long drawn out polite email and they stop responding as soon as I ask for a copy of the letter lol. I know it's crazy to think a company would be willing to just hand out a somewhat confidential document like that but I figured why not ask anyway.
 
if local companies had cases of the ammo i need for online prices i'd support them in a heartbeat, unfortunately they don't.....

LGS's (even the good sized ones), might not stock hard to find and/or uncommon calibers, and even with common calibers, they
don't carry as many offerings with regard to manufacturers, bullet weights, single boxes or by the case, etc.
 
What is the price difference per round you're saving? If you don't mind me asking, including shipping.

Let's put it this way. FS is the only cheap LGS in the state and they are considered expensive by those of us who shop for ammo at the best possible price. Take a trip up to Rileys , Shooters Outpost. or Collectible and you will see what "true market floor" bulk pricing of ammo looks like. Or go to a Walmart and look at the price of their centerfire handgun ammunition, just for starters.

Online vendors sometimes even beat this local market floor by $10-25 per case, depending on what "it" is. Of course at that point it's not worth going through the shipping bullshit just to get ammunition, its easier to just go pick it up.

When it comes to defense ammo (eg, JHPs, etc.) online prices pretty much wipe the floor with everyone else. No getting around it unless you have a badge and can get into some of the LE supply places in the region.

-Mike
 
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