Legality of pistol grips (on rifles)

[Jay G]

Just curious what the legality is of adding a pistol grip to a rifle.

Can I put one of the Midway $20 pistol grips on my Winchester 1300 shotgun and not run afoul of the law?

How about a folding stock? Where do those fit in? If I put an aftermarket folding stock on my 10/22 am I breaking the law in MA?

(I already know about the Federal limits on barrels and total lengths; let's assume for the sake of argument that these all remain legal)

Thanks!

 

[C-pher]

I hope not. I have a Mossberg 500 with a pistol grip.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I am going to plead ignorance on this question. Plus I have a total lack of interest in adding bling, bling to my rifles or shotguns (I only have skeet/trap shotguns), so I'm not going to spend the time researching this question . . . sorry folks.

My suggestion is to read the MA Law very, very carefully! In 1998 they added the so-called AWB Ban as a mirror of the Fed Ban of 1994. In 2004 MA changed some language so that when the Fed Law sunsetted, the full ban would be in words in MGL and not just a reference to a now deleted paragraph in Fed Law. You might find that they put the same words in about pistol grips, silver-soldering muzzle attachments, etc. or they may have "screwed up" and not added those specific bans to the MGLs.

Please report back here what you do find so that others that might be interested can also benefit from your research? Thanks.

 

[C-pher]

I guess that I'll have to look. I do know that this shotgun had the pistol grip when the guy bought it back in the 80's. I just got it from him not too long ago becuase he didn't have his LTC anymore and was going to turn it in.

 

[Jay G]

I just did a very quick search of the Massachusetts General Laws and found exactly ONE result for a search on the word "grip". And it had to do with handgun testing.

There were seven results for "folding", none of which had to do with stocks.

A search on "pistol" comes up with 15 hits. Most have to do with the definition of a pistol. NONE have to do with pistol grips.

A search on "stock" comes up with 762 hits. Ain't gonna search all those...

It APPEARS that there are no laws specifically banning pistol grips or folding stocks. NOTE: I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on the internet.

 

[Admin]

NOTE: I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on the internet.

But he did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

[Jay G]

Thank you, thank you, he'll be here all week folks...

[lol]

 

[Len-2A Training]

Check MGLs C. 140 S. 131M and any following sections for thje info. This would most likely be under the MA AWB that was modified last year and I don't have the current text of the law.

 

[Jay G]

A check of the ATF's page on MA gun laws (http://www.atf.gov/firearms/statelaws/24thedition/mass.pdf) gives no hits for "folding" or "stock", one hit for grip, and several for pistol, none of which pertain to pistol grips.

I checked that section, it appears to be a continuation of the penalties for breaking the new MA AWB. No mention of pistol grips that I can find.

Very interesting indeed...

 

[Adam_MA]

I don't think it can be too illegal for MA. I have seen them for sale that way in a couple different shops. FS being one of them!

Adam

 

[KMaurer]

The revised Mass Cosmetically-Challanged Gun Ban references the definitions of the expired federal law (USC921(a)(30)) In addition to the list of firearms deemd guilty because of their names (sub-section (A)), here are the definitions based on charactersitics:

(B) a semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of -
(i) a folding or telescoping stock;
(ii) a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon;
(iii) a bayonet mount;
(iv) a flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor; and
(v) a grenade launcher;
(C) a semiautomatic pistol that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of -
(i) an ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip;
(ii) a threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer;
(iii) a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the nontrigger hand without being burned;
(iv) a manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded; and
(v) a semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm; and
(D) a semiautomatic shotgun that has at least 2 of -
(i) a folding or telescoping stock;
(ii) a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon;
(iii) a fixed magazine capacity in excess of 5 rounds; and
(iv) an ability to accept a detachable magazine.

Based on that, it would seem that the old federal law, and hence the revised Mass law, would make the pistol grip illegal only for a semi-auto rifle (with detachable magazine) or shotgun with two or more of the other specified evil baby-killing features. As such, either the pistol grip or folding stock individually would be legal, but not the two together.

Ken

 

[Jay G]

Is there such a thing as a folding stock without a pistol grip?

Even with this law, a tube-fed pump-action shotgun (i.e. no detachable mag or semi-automatic action) should be legal to have a folding stock...

 

[Admin]

Basically if it's a fun weapon, it's banned.

 

[Admin]

Basically if it's a fun weapon, it's banned.

 

[C-pher]

Even with this law, a tube-fed pump-action shotgun (i.e. no detachable mag or semi-automatic action) should be legal to have a folding stock...

or a pistol grip. I think I'm safe. Even though I've been thinking about geting a wooden stock put on.