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Is a locked, center console a legal place to temporarily leave a pistol in Massachusetts?
- Thread starter rogersmithiii
- Start date
You are posting in the "GENERAL FORUM", are you enquiring about MA Law? Are you parking on PO Property?
Asaltweapon
NES Member
I’ve never disarmed to walk into a post office.
18 USC 930
Can someone point to one documented incident where someone was charged with violating 18 USC 930 and they weren’t doing anything else illegal?
People get all worked up over the post office issue and I don’t understand why. My opinion is that someone is more likely to see you have a firearm when you take it off in your car and secure it somewhere than if you just walked in, did your business, and left. Concealed means concealed.
Can someone point to one documented incident where someone was charged with violating 18 USC 930 and they weren’t doing anything else illegal?
People get all worked up over the post office issue and I don’t understand why. My opinion is that someone is more likely to see you have a firearm when you take it off in your car and secure it somewhere than if you just walked in, did your business, and left. Concealed means concealed.
rogersmithiii
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Fair comment. Is it possible to move a thread?
I swear I got the stink eye in Cambridge many times when coming out of Roach's. They shared the front entrance alcove with the Porte Square PO. It was walking distance from the main office, and I went in every payday walking to my bank. I love that the owner of the old Roach's spot can't keep a tenant. f*** them.
![[laugh]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/012.gif "Laugh [laugh]")
Some post offices have signs, some don't. Some interpret the post office law as "Its only illegal if you use the Gun in the commission of a crime at the post office"..
I don't carry a gun in the post office.
Down south post offices suck.. because of developments many areas don't get new offices... Massachusetts is spoiled with post offices as they are everywhere
There are areas the size of Framingham with ONE post office!.. strangely USPS doesn't expand..
I lock my gun in the glove box, I usually go on Saturdays... and go in.. also post offices are at high risk to get robbed believe it or not due to postal money order cash $.
safetyfirst2125
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Can You Carry A Gun At The Post Office? – The Legal Brief ~ VIDEO
www.ammoland.com
Your options are:
Can You Carry A Gun At The Post Office? – The Legal Brief ~ VIDEO
Today we are talking about carrying firearms on postal property. And no, we are not discussing shipping firearms through the mail...
www.ammoland.com
Your options are:
- Concealed means concealed.
- Leave your gun at home.
- Park in a parking lot that is not on post office property, store your firearm securely, walk to the post office, conduct your business and then return to your car.
- Send someone else to handle your mail for you.
BTSDOG
NES Member
Years ago, dont remember how many, but a guy was attending a game at the then Schaefer stadium, and was prepairing to store his firearm in a lockbox in his vehicle when he accidentally shot himself in the leg. Of course police show up, ambulance takes him to hospital. Later when the News gets ahold of the story they question the police as to why they didnt arrest him. The answer then was "he didnt do anything wrong, he just had an accident." I dont know if it would be the same answer today.....
Except there's actually case law on it somewhere. That said I think it's stupid because, let's be real, you're not going to ever get rapped with it unless you had to shoot someone inside the post office.....
nstassel
NES Member
REYES, COMMONWEALTH vs., 464 Mass. 245
Nobody knows.
"This does not resolve whether a locked glove compartment might be adequate under the storage statute. We are of the view that it might depending on the particular factual circumstances including the nature of the locking mechanism, whether the motor vehicle was also locked and alarmed, and ultimately whether in the circumstances it was adequate to "deter all but the most persistent from gaining access." This is a question of fact, properly decided by the fact finder at trial."
Yosemite Sam
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Actually, I don’t believe it
maybe letter boxes on the street, but not the actual brick & mortar USPS
rogersmithiii
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Translation. It all depends on whether the state wants to f*** you. Welcome to the People's Republic of Massachusetts, comrade.REYES, COMMONWEALTH vs., 464 Mass. 245
masscases.com
Nobody knows.
"This does not resolve whether a locked glove compartment might be adequate under the storage statute. We are of the view that it might depending on the particular factual circumstances including the nature of the locking mechanism, whether the motor vehicle was also locked and alarmed, and ultimately whether in the circumstances it was adequate to "deter all but the most persistent from gaining access." This is a question of fact, properly decided by the fact finder at trial."
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There is a difference between "locked in a car", "unloaded in a locked case within a car", and "unloaded and locked in a trunk". Locked in a car does not meet the standard, but a locked case or trunk does (the EOPS made a statement regarding the trunk).
There is no exemption allowing a gun anywhere in a vehicle when parked on postal property.
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They would be wrong.
And a federal court has ruled that the "incidental to lawful purposes" does not include lawful (licensed or constitutional) carry.
Artifact
NES Member
Yes
namedpipes
NES Member
The parking lot of the post office is federal property.
Lol. Not even slightly.
If a post office is in a strip mall, as many of them are, then the parking lot is the strip mall owner's property. If the post office is a bank annex, as it is in my town, then the parking lot is the bank's property.
If it's a freestanding PO, then MAYBE the parking lot is "federal property." It's just as likely to be owned by the town, or by a developer. It's likely that the loading dock and the driveway leading to it are "federal property," but it's not like you're parking there.
Who cares? I'm another one who doesn't bother disarming when going to the PO. Hypothetically. I mean, anyone truly worried about getting nicked by the feds for leaving a pistol in the car of a parking lot is not being sensical.
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