Thanks, this is good information.
Interesting that the FA-10 form has a check box where you can select "registration". Does this mean that you are voluntarily registering the gun?
That checkbox is typically only used for a few purposes, eg:
-You're building a firearm. (when the gun is capable of firing a shot it hast o be registered, IIRC).
-You're bringing a gun into the state from out of state (eg, like a rifle you bought in NH or whatever), or you have a C+R and you just had a gun shipped to you
All of these are consided "acquisitions" under the law and must be reported.
When an FA 10 is not required:
-You're not actually owning a gun- eg, you are borrowing a gun from someone. No FA 10 is required if ownership doesn't change hands.
-You're moving into the state and you haven't taken residency yet- When you take residency no registration of any firearms is required. You could move into MA with 100 guns and not be legally obligated to register a single one of them. (They can't say its an acquisition or a transfer because you
already owned the guns when you moved into the state. ) Once you are a resident of MA then the rules change and then anything you bring in after that point must be FA-10ed.
Also interesting is that the CHSB website has an option where you can request a listing of what is "registered" under your name. I guess the implication is that they want you to voluntarily keep it up to date.
Yes, it has that appearance, but that's not what the law actually says. That "feature" is more for curiosity than anything else, as it's a pain in the ass to get that report (I think you have to notarize the form), and pay some kind of a fee. Worse yet, the report is not accurate. If you have sold guns they will still be on the report as there is no way to remove them from your name, forever. Now, if you've bought and sold guns those guns might also have other people's names on them, as well... but this is a graphic illustration of how dumb and poor the database is. What's really fun is finding an older gentleman who has been a gun owner forever, and looking at his report.... 75% of what he owns or has ever owned likely will not be in the report!
-Mike