GF to carry my registered pistol legal?

[cekim]

Virtually every new gun made since 1968, has some records retained on it somewhere by the feds.

Well, that's the theory anyway... From what I've heard mildew/mold in storage had something else to say about it, but maybe that's what they want you to think...

 

[jasons]

If you buy a new gun from a dealer the same thing is just a three, maybe four hop BATFE trace.... (Manuf > disti > FFL > you) so not sure what the difference is here. This "problem" you speak of also exists in any free state, unless you buy a gun used without passing papers, or you buy/inherit a gun that is so old that it's effectively off the books. Virtually every new gun made since 1968, has some records retained on it somewhere by the feds. I'm not justifying the MA system, just saying that you're overstating the "problem" by quite a bit. I don't like having my guns registered in any kind of a database, either... but it is what it is..... The CHSB system data quality is also very poor. (If you pay the $20 and request the printout of the guns you supposedly own, if you've been a gun owner for a long time you will laugh at the level of inaccuracy of the report. I've seen cases where guns that were recently bought from dealers didn't even show up in the report, probably because the dealer spelled your name wrong, or typoed your LTC number wrong, etc. (Although MIRCS tends to reduce this problem somewhat, it still exists with the paper forms).

I never said it was a "problem." I was really just replying to the "there are no registered pistols in Massachusetts" comment. While that statement may be technically correct it's more than a bit misleading IMHO.

Why would you need a lawyer? (Contrary to popular belief, most gun traces are not the spanish inquisition, not even in MA. ) Worst case scenario you would want to have information of where to send the investigative agency to next. (Unless it was yours and it was stolen, in which case you would want to show them the police report and the copy of the FA-10 indicating loss.) This is no different than it would be if BATFE traced the same gun. If LE wants to trace a gun badly enough, they'll still show up at your door... I guess that's what I'm getting at here.

-Mike

Why would you need a lawyer? You don't think the AG's office or some other DB bureaucrat would love a chance to appear "tough on crime" by jamming up someone that used to own a gun that ended up being used in a crime, even if that person had nothing to do with said crime? If a detective knocks on my door and says something to the effect of "How did Mr. BadGuy get a hold of a gun that you used to own?" I going to shut up and lawyer up right then and there. Yes, I keep multiple copies of all my FA-10 forms - the detective can get them from my lawyer. This is MA where gun owners are often presumed guilty until proven innocent and I wouldn't take any chances. That's just my opinion though, I'm not saying it's the only one.