Guide to gun rights in your Massachusetts town

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II've also seen differing posts with regard to "green", "red', and "black" ratings for Westford.

One showed Westford as being rated "green" for ALP and another post showed it as red. Which is accurate?

Here is a town list type your town and the color and someone will make the edit. Although we will do our best to keep this list accurate and updated as always your local issuing officer has the last say. This list is compiled from the experiences of NES members.

99% the information posted on this site is direct from our generous members. If see see conflicting information on this site, it could be that 2 or more members had different experiences with their town. Unfortunately that is not uncommon in this state.
 
I applied for a Class "A" LTC in Westford 12/16/06 and have not heard anything as yet. I realize that they have 40 days to act on the application

But, I've seen in other posts that the issuing PD was supposed to take fingerprints within 7 days of application for the background check. As of now, I have not been contacted.

I've also seen differing posts with regard to "green", "red', and "black" ratings for Westford.

One showed Westford as being rated "green" for ALP and another post showed it as red. Which is accurate?

Anyone familiar with the conditions for LTC issuance in Westford and any advice much appreciated.

Alex

Alex,

I don't recall ever seen any red or black postings on Westford; if there were, then they were totally incorrect. I teach most of my classes in Westford, and most of my students apply here as well. Chief Welsh has issued LTC-A (ALP) for anyone who isn't disqualified by statute since the day he took office. OTOH, delays are dissapointingly common. Just keep asking politely and you will get it. Mention that they haven't done the prints yet when you contact them; that's been a weak point with them for a long time.

Ken
 
Chelmsford is definitely green.

I applied for my Class A LTC on Oct 26th. The very nice woman who does the licenses said it "usually takes 30 days" , at 35 days I still had not heard back yet so I called and she told me the holdup was the State still had not printed the actual license but I was approved and in the system.

I got a phone call last night saying it was all set to go - and I picked up the license this morning.

During the interview she actually talked about good places to go to buy firearms and was very professional.

For what it is worth I was very pleasantly surprised by the process - and the Chelmsford Chief and the department deserve some praise for handling this professionally.
 
Lowell should be in red. the chief will not issue ALP unless you are a business owner or need it for work.
My LTC was lowered to "Hunting and Target" when i went to renew.
When i originally got my LTC it was for ALP and the Andover PD had no problem issuing it.

Now have the feeling that once i move out of Lowell i will have a hard time getting ALP back on it.
 
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I have a friend who lives in Rockland. She just applied and the L.O. put down (withouth asking her) a Class A, ALP. Now, I'm not sure if that's their SOP, because the LO is friends with her father and she's known him all her life. There's a good chance that Rockland is green, but I don't know anyone else that's got one there - FWIW.
 
Hi Ken,

Thanks for the very valuable information and encouragement.

Perhaps my apprehension was premature. But I got concerned when I had not heard anything for almost a month. I had seen posts that the town PD was supposed to take prints withing 7 days of the application.

Since I posted my message last week, I have since been called by the Westford PD asking me to come over for fingerprinting (which I did on 12/11).

The very nice Lieutenant who took my prints commented that Class "A" was "the way to go". He said I would hear from the clerk when the LTC was ready.

BTW, where can I get information regarding membership in the Westford Sportsmen's Club?

Thanks,

Alex
 
Hamilton is black.

I went to get an application tonight and was told that the chief doesn't issue ALP unless you own a business, need it for work, or have a valid reason to fear for your life.

Also doesn't want people to have high capacity weapons. All I can get is a target and hunting Class B unless I want to challenge the decision in court. Hurray. [frown]
 
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Set your User CP to show "all threads" and then ferret thru the threads in Gun Laws. We have 3 gun attorneys on here. Best results with this sort of chief is hire one of the attorneys up-front and go from there!

Good luck.
 
Northborough, under the current chief, Mark Leahy, issues ALP only. The chief here is a fair guy, unlike the arrogant authoritarian who used to hold the position.

Chief Leahy also told AG Reilly and DA Conte to go pound sand when they pressured him to stop the drunk-driving investigation of the Murphy girls in Northborough. His comment? "If it were my own daughter, I'd STILL investigate it." Gotta give him credit for that- he's a by-the-book kind of guy who'd seen REAL crime in his old jobs back in CT, not the political corruption in small-town MA which colors everything from gun licensing to school construction, and everything in between.

Of course, if he's a by-the-book kind of guy, and Deval disarms more of us by writ of law, then what?....
 
Haven't been following the thread much lately but got more good news on the LTC-A front: Just received my LTC Class A with NO restrictions in Tewksbury. Took about 2 months. This is my first hand experience and a friend also got theirs in Tewksbury so it's looking good.
 
Wayland and Weston should be green. As Vice President of a nearby gun club, I see a lot of licenses from new members. Both towns primarily issue unrestricted LTC A. I've only once seen anything different.
 
I have a friend who lives in Rockland. She just applied and the L.O. put down (withouth asking her) a Class A, ALP. Now, I'm not sure if that's their SOP, because the LO is friends with her father and she's known him all her life. There's a good chance that Rockland is green, but I don't know anyone else that's got one there - FWIW.


Update on Rockland. It seems they're ALP issue (so the green stands). My friend got her license (Class A - ALP) in about 4 weeks.
 
HAMPDEN is a HUGE GREEN. The PD approved me in less than three days for ALP and I am 22 years old, first application. The issuing officer also said that a significant number of citizens if Hampden carry, so it is a very gun friendly town. In fact, most of my neighbors shoot regularly in thier yards.
 
I can also speak for the towns surrounding me also if they haven't been rated yet. East Longmedow(RED), Longmeadow(Red), Chicopee, I would say yellow, must have a sufficent reason dur to some idiots they gave a license to in the past. Wilbraham, is also a big Green as well as Monson and Palmer.
 
Waiting 8 weeks in Bolton

LO put me down for ALP on 11/21.
Called at 6 weeks asking nicely if I should be expecting a call.
Dispatcher explained that this time of year applications are taking 8 weeks.
This Wednesday is 8 weeks.
I've put a reminder to call again in 1/31 as that will be 10 weeks.

Thoughts? Is this normal with the end of year holidays?
 
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Bolton update

Called again this morning as today is 8 weeks.
Dispatcher told me that it has not been received yet and that it can take up to 12 weeks.
 
I have several friends that have ALP's in Webster and they never got a hard time from the chief or any of the 3 LO's. I would definitely list Webster as green. It is definitely a pro gun town.
 
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I can account for two towns i know of.
Montague being one where ther isnt a problem getting an ALP,on my thrid renewal.
second town i know of is Sunderland,wife received her first ALP from there,no problems getting it.she has since renewed in Montague with no problems either.
 
I used to live in Sturbridge and they should be a green town, They are "shall issue" and the LEO who handles the permits (if he is still there) is a good guy who I have been told sets up tables at some of the mass gun shows. This was about 4 years ago (when i got my original permit) so unless something has changed since then Sturbridge is good to go!
 
Lincoln is green. I just received my class A LTC (no restrictions). The licensing officer was very professional and helpful.
 
Andover should be green.
well it was about 5 years ago when i first applied.
the day i dropped my application off, they called me to come in for the interview, printed me, took my pic, and never asked why i wanted ALP.
7 business days later i got the call that my license was in.

best experience ever!

Lowell on the other hand.....
 
Andover should be green.
well it was about 5 years ago when i first applied.
the day i dropped my application off, they called me to come in for the interview, printed me, took my pic, and never asked why i wanted ALP.
7 business days later i got the call that my license was in.

best experience ever!

Lowell on the other hand.....

As an FYI, Andover also requires that you get a letter from your doctor stating that as far as he/she knows, you're physically and mentally capable of being a gun owner. (most doc's do not like doing this, but I understand it's not supposed to count against you.) I've had other students who've applied for Class A, ALP and have been issued a Class B for unknown reasons (more recently than 5 years). I wouldn't list Andover as Green just yet.
 
I live in Abington, got my ALP from Quincy years ago. My wife had a restricted A from Quincy, she renewed in Abington and got ALP.

I went down and put my renewal in a couple of weeks ago, they were pleasant, told me they are running at just about 6 weeks, most if not all delays were caused by Mass Department of Mental Health. I exspect to get mine in 3 or 4 more weeks
 
After reading what Lynne wrote I have changed Andover to red.

FYI - Lawrence and No. Andover also require the letter. I've heard that unrestricted Class A's are issued, but not with any regular basis or assurity. No. Andover has gotten a BIT better, but only because the Chief was getting a lot of flak for his "discretionary licensing authority".
 
I live in Abington, got my ALP from Quincy years ago. My wife had a restricted A from Quincy, she renewed in Abington and got ALP.

I went down and put my renewal in a couple of weeks ago, they were pleasant, told me they are running at just about 6 weeks, most if not all delays were caused by Mass Department of Mental Health. I exspect to get mine in 3 or 4 more weeks

According to the Abington Police web site, they don't give out ALP very easily. I just moved from Abington, I almost had to renew there, but moved in time. I hope I am wrong, but I looked into it a little bit when I thought I was going to have to renew in that town. Good luck, I'm interested to see how you make out.
 
I went down and put my renewal in a couple of weeks ago, they were pleasant, told me they are running at just about 6 weeks, most if not all delays were caused by Mass Department of Mental Health.

Every department is always eager to blame the delays for which they're entirely responsible on someone else. The local PD can, but isn't required to check with Mental Health. Because running checks aren't a priority for Mental Health they rarely get done in a timely manner; after all, there's no requirement for them to respond withing any specific time frame, or even to respond at all. The local PD is required to check with the State Police within 7 days of receiving the completed application, and the State Police are required to respond within 30 days. Regardless of when or if they get any response from Mental Health, the State Police, CHSB or anyone else with whom they may check, the local PD are required to either issue or deny the license within 40 days. It's just that simple. And because there's no penalty for their failure to abide by the law, none of it means a damn thing. They can take as long as they feel like and either try to pass the blame onto someone else or just tell you to pound sand.

Ken
 
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