Locking up guns

[eddieE76]

Hi, I have had my permit for 10 yrs, but never cared about having a gun in my house without it being in the safe. Is there a law about keeping a gun in your home without it being locked up? A friend just took the safety class for the permit and was told that you need to have the gun in the same room with you at all times or locked up. So, if your gun is in your nightstand and you are not home, it gets stolen, what are the repercussions for your? Could you lose your carry permit?

Thanks

 

[dnepro-mike]

it is absolutely if you are in MA

MGL c.140 s.131L Storage of Weapons

Section 131L. (a) It shall be unlawful to store or keep any firearm, rifle or shotgun including, but not limited to, large capacity weapons, or machine gun in any place unless such weapon is secured in a locked container or equipped with a tamper-resistant mechanical lock or other safety device, properly engaged so as to render such weapon inoperable by any person other than the owner or other lawfully authorized user. For purposes of this section, such weapon shall not be deemed stored or kept if carried by or under the control of the owner or other lawfully authorized user.

(b) A violation of this section shall be punished, in the case of a firearm, rifle or shotgun that is not a large capacity weapon, by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $5,000 or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment, and in the case of a large capacity weapon or machine gun, by a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than ten years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(c) A violation of this section shall be punished, in the case of a rifle or shotgun that is not a large capacity weapon and such weapon was stored or kept in a place where a person under the age of 18 who does not possess a valid firearm identification card issued under section 129B may have access without committing an unforeseeable trespass, by a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than ten years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(d) A violation of this section shall be punished, in the case of a rifle or shotgun that is a large capacity weapon, firearm or machine gun was stored or kept in a place where a person under the age of 18 may have access, without committing an unforeseeable trespass, by a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for not less than two and one-half years, nor more than ten years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(e) A violation of the provisions of this section shall be evidence of wanton or reckless conduct in any criminal or civil proceeding if a person under the age of 18 who was not a trespasser or was a foreseeable trespasser acquired access to a weapon, unless such person possessed a valid firearm identification card issued under section 129B and was permitted by law to possess such weapon, and such access results in the personal injury to or the death of any person.

(f) This section shall not apply to the storage or keeping of any firearm, rifle or shotgun with matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap or similar type of ignition system manufactured in or prior to the year 1899, or to any replica of any such firearm, rifle or shotgun if such replica is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition.

 

[eddieE76]

Not in MA, I'm in CT....hopefully that is not the case here. I know of at least one person who had his guns stolen (they were not locked up) and he still has his CC permit.

 

[PATRON]

Never mind.

 

[Hustler One]

it is absolutely if you are in MA

MGL c.140 s.131L Storage of Weapons

Section 131L. (a) It shall be unlawful to store or keep any firearm, rifle or shotgun including, but not limited to, large capacity weapons, or machine gun in any place unless such weapon is secured in a locked container or equipped with a tamper-resistant mechanical lock or other safety device, properly engaged so as to render such weapon inoperable by any person other than the owner or other lawfully authorized user. For purposes of this section, such weapon shall not be deemed stored or kept if carried by or under the control of the owner or other lawfully authorized user.

(b) A violation of this section shall be punished, in the case of a firearm, rifle or shotgun that is not a large capacity weapon, by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $5,000 or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment, and in the case of a large capacity weapon or machine gun, by a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than ten years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(c) A violation of this section shall be punished, in the case of a rifle or shotgun that is not a large capacity weapon and such weapon was stored or kept in a place where a person under the age of 18 who does not possess a valid firearm identification card issued under section 129B may have access without committing an unforeseeable trespass, by a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than ten years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(d) A violation of this section shall be punished, in the case of a rifle or shotgun that is a large capacity weapon, firearm or machine gun was stored or kept in a place where a person under the age of 18 may have access, without committing an unforeseeable trespass, by a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for not less than two and one-half years, nor more than ten years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(e) A violation of the provisions of this section shall be evidence of wanton or reckless conduct in any criminal or civil proceeding if a person under the age of 18 who was not a trespasser or was a foreseeable trespasser acquired access to a weapon, unless such person possessed a valid firearm identification card issued under section 129B and was permitted by law to possess such weapon, and such access results in the personal injury to or the death of any person.

(f) This section shall not apply to the storage or keeping of any firearm, rifle or shotgun with matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap or similar type of ignition system manufactured in or prior to the year 1899, or to any replica of any such firearm, rifle or shotgun if such replica is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition.

How many times do we have to tell people that the world does not revolve around freaking MassOfTwoShits. This is the CT section, spew that crap elsewhere.

Op, here is the answer to your question: http://www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/law/firearms.htm

CHILD PROTECTION

Safe Storage

The law imposes criminal penalties on people who store loaded firearms on their premises if they know or reasonably should know that a minor (person under age 16) is likely to gain access to them without the minor's parent's or guardian's permission (CGS § 29-37i). A person is not criminally liable if the firearm is locked up or in a location that a reasonable person considers to be secure, or carries it on his or her person or close enough so that he or she can readily retrieve it.

A person is criminally negligent if the violation of these provisions results in a minor using the firearm to injure or kill himself or someone else (CGS § 53a-217a). A violator is strictly liable for damages if a minor obtains the unlawfully stored firearm and causes the injury or death of anyone (CGS § 52-571g). The provisions do not apply if the minor obtains the firearm by unlawful entry.

Edit: So, in other words. Store your firearm in a frying pan on top of the stove if you feel like it as long as you don't have any fifteen year old or younger children in or around the house on a daily basis.

 

[eddieE76]

CTSupra, Thanks for the information. I will store mine in the oven....

 

[dcmdon]

CT LAW FORUM

Eddie,

This is what I tell my pistol permit class students.

1) If you don't have children, and you have only a few guns, you are better off coming up with or building a hiding place than you are with a cheap safe. A cheap safe has nothing to do with the actual cost. There are $3000 safes with fancy interiors and automotive quality paint that are less than 10 ga thick. The problem with safes is that they are easily found. And once found, become the focus of a burglar's activity. If your safe can't sustain 10 minutes of attack with sledge hammers and crow bars ( or any other tools that you keep in your basement next to your safe . . . . hmm, maybe you better lock up that Sawzall with the Lenox Rescue blade.

If your safe is not up to the task, then you are in worse shape than if you didn't have a safe in the first place because you've concentrated all your valuables in one nice little spot for the burglar.

2) If you have children, any gun that is not on you MUST be locked up.

Look at it this way, a burglar has 5 minutes to find your guns. A child has a lifetime.

I'm not talking about the law here, just giving some advice. Supra has the law covered perfectly.

Don

 

[TZCHRIS]

SORRY, must have crossed the boarder without permission! Wont happen again!

 

[Boris]

How many times do we have to tell people that the world does not revolve around freaking MassOfTwoShits. This is the CT section, spew that crap elsewhere.

you guys sure are angry, don't make us send Lizzie Warren to take over CT Indian lands.

 

[dcmdon]

Give it your best shot. We have full capacity Glocks and all the 30 round P-mags and 100 round Surefire mags we can afford. ; -)

We've also got more ammo since we can buy it nice and cheap mailorder. ha.

 

[Boris]

Give it your best shot. We have full capacity Glocks and all the 30 round P-mags and 100 round Surefire mags we can afford. ; -)

We've also got more ammo since we can buy it nice and cheap mailorder. ha.

oh yeah, well we got limited selection of handguns (approved by AG for our safety) with 50# pull triggers and loaded chamber indicators ... [sad2] ... please don't hurt us

 

[drgrant]

Lol I love all the people that read this that assume it is a MA question.

The OP has the decency to put his post in the right spot, and nobody can bother to read the section it's in? Then again, I have ****ed up like this before, too... but now I double check.

-Mike

 

[Jbarila]

you guys sure are angry, don't make us send Lizzie Warren to take over CT Indian lands.

NICE!

 

[dcmdon]

One other reason Lizzie and her minions don't stand a chance.

When the CT Indians got their casinos, they were smart about it. They hired the Jews and Italians from Jersey City and Vegas to run them.

Something tells me that Louie, Vinnie and Seth could handle it.

 

[devnull]

One other reason Lizzie and her minions don't stand a chance.

When the CT Indians got their casinos, they were smart about it. They hired the Jews and Italians from Jersey City and Vegas to run them.

Something tells me that Louie, Vinnie and Seth could handle it.

LMAO

 

[eddieE76]

dcmdon, I have a pretty decent safe (I paid big $$ for it so it better be decent) that I bought to keep the guns locked up from the idiot teenagers that might break in for a quick buck. Any safe can be broken into with the right tools and know-how. I just wanted to keep my guns safe with the cokehead that is too lazy to work out a way to get into my safe, and just wants some cheap jewelry and a few bucks that I leave around for him...someone that scores $100 is more likely to cut and run then to stick around and sort out how to break into my safe. I have no kids, so I don't worry about kids getting their hands on my guns. I just would like to keep a gun or two handy in case their needed. With all the home invasions and crap, you know what I mean? What if the good Dr. in Cheshire had a gun around, things might have turned out differently for his family.

Thanks for all your advice guys.

E

 

[dcmdon]

It sounds like you have your bases covered. Good luck.