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Mass Legal Combat Shotguns

hatrick

hatrick

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I’m looking to pick up a nice combat shotgun but Mass laws are making this much tougher than I thought. I was hoping to get a Beretta 1301 Tactical Mod. 2 or Benelli M4 Tactical LE but the pistol grip and 7-8 round capacities look to disqualify them both (if I’m understanding the laws correctly). Even though it is total overkill, I was thinking of a Spas-12 since it’s pre-ban (1982). Do pre-ban rules apply to shotguns in Mass?

Thanks
 
IANAL but the only thing I concerned myself with shotguns is if they are pump vs. magazine fed in regards to number of rounds.
For home defense I went with the Magpul LE version of the 870 (around $575 or so if I remember right).
 
hatrick said:
I’m looking to pick up a nice combat shotgun but Mass laws are making this much tougher than I thought. I was hoping to get a Beretta 1301 Tactical Mod. 2 or Benelli M4 Tactical LE but the pistol grip and 7-8 round capacities look to disqualify them both (if I’m understanding the laws correctly). Even though it is total overkill, I was thinking of a Spas-12 since it’s pre-ban (1982). Do pre-ban rules apply to shotguns in Mass?

Thanks
Click to expand...

The way I understand things, the pistol grip doesn't matter unless it has one other evil feature such as a detachable magazine. So while the Benelli M4 Tactical LE is not legal in MA due to the 7+1 capacity, the Benelli M4 Pistol Grip with it's 5+1 capacity is legal.

 
hatrick said:
I wonder if the Benelli LE M4 Entry 11726 is Mass legal. I would be good with that.

www.omahaoutdoors.com

Benelli LE M4 Entry 5 RD 12 Gauge 17

Benelli LE M4 Entry 5 RD 12 Gauge 17
www.omahaoutdoors.com www.omahaoutdoors.com
Click to expand...
1) if that stock is collapsible or folding then it would have to be pinned if you also have the pistol grip.
2) collapsible stocks like that on shotguns for home defense are stupid. Collapsible stocks are good if you are using the gun with or without body armor, or you have to go prone and need to quickly adjust the stock length, but neither applies to a home defense shotgun.
3) pistol grip stocks on shotguns have never worked for me. A fixed stock like the Magpul works far better for me.

Just get a 1301 with the straight stock. Done.
 
Is the 1301 ok with the 7 round mag? I thought 5 was the limit. The 1301 with straight stock would be good if the 7 round capacity is ok.
 
hatrick said:
Is the 1301 ok with the 7 round mag? I thought 5 was the limit. The 1301 with straight stock would be good if the 7 round capacity is ok.
Click to expand...
There is debate around that.

Personally, I don’t see 7 round as a must. It’s only 2 more than 5 and this is a shotgun we are talking about.
 
Only semi have magazine restrictions.
Pump, have at it with detachable mags and pistol grips.

Semi and:
Regular stock and 5+ tube good to go
Regular stock and 5 round detachable good to go
Pistol grip and detachable, no go
Pistol grip and tube greater than 5, no go.
 
not new guy said:
They really are handy shotguns. They’re so much smaller and lighter than an M4. Pump vs semi of course, and the 87 is way less robust, I assume, but they’re ~100 years old.
Click to expand...

Not if you find a Norinco... :p

Besides, if they're like most military-type guns, they got carried more than they ever got fired. And a shotgun probably got carried less than most. I bet most are still sound as a pound.
 
Picton said:
Not if you find a Norinco... :p

Besides, if they're like most military-type guns, they got carried more than they ever got fired. And a shotgun probably got carried less than most. I bet most are still sound as a pound.
Click to expand...

My only experiences with them have been well-used civilian versions that were cut down. On the other hand, a true mil gun is probably too valuable to shoot much anyway.

Are the norincos decent quality?
 
not new guy said:
My only experiences with them have been well-used civilian versions that were cut down. On the other hand, a true mil gun is probably too valuable to shoot much anyway.
Click to expand...

Agreed. That's why the Norincos are useful. Great design, great configuration, reliable function. I feel lucky I found mine. They're very faithful repros.

My only other shotty is a real-deal Winchester model 1897 made about eighty years ago. That thing's still rock-solid, but it's the full-length barrel. The "feel" of the Norinco is just as slick as the feel of the Winchester. Quality is great; everyone shits on Chinese manufacture, but nobody shits on Chinese AKs. They know how to make good guns, and their 1897 clones are first-rate.

And? They slam-fire, like they're supposed to.
 
Something about a traditional wood stock on a shotgun that feels right
I m gripping grain baby
Remington 1100
I had one of my barrels cut to 18.5 and threaded for chokes, and added the mesa tactical carrier and Wilson combat mag extension

It’s my turkey gun during the season and till I got the CZ was my HD gun in the off season


4F6BC395-616D-4DEF-BB0D-554448F71F08.jpeg
 
Picton said:
Agreed. That's why the Norincos are useful. Great design, great configuration, reliable function. I feel lucky I found mine. They're very faithful repros.

My only other shotty is a real-deal Winchester model 1897 made about eighty years ago. That thing's still rock-solid, but it's the full-length barrel. The "feel" of the Norinco is just as slick as the feel of the Winchester. Quality is great; everyone shits on Chinese manufacture, but nobody shits on Chinese AKs. They know how to make good guns, and their 1897 clones are first-rate.

And? They slam-fire, like they're supposed to.
Click to expand...
Stumbled upon these guys a few weeks ago
It piqued my interest.
They make reproductions from civilian model 1897s
 
CMEBoston said:
Stumbled upon these guys a few weeks ago
It piqued my interest.
They make reproductions from civilian model 1897s
Click to expand...

Ughh. That pricing!

A Norinco is a thousand or more less, and doesn't use old receivers. As for those, you can get a genuine old Winchester for $3-400 and have a military clone made for well under a thousand all-in.
 
Last edited:
Based on the random PMs I got from around the country last time I had one listed the heat shields are hard to find these days.
 
Picton said:
Ughh. That pricing!

A Norinco is a thousand or more less, and doesn't use old receivers. As for those, you can get a genuine old Winchester for $3-400 and have a military clone made for well under a thousand all-in.
Click to expand...
Admittedly I know nothing about the value of these guns but I do want one at some point
 
Picton said:
Agreed. That's why the Norincos are useful. Great design, great configuration, reliable function. I feel lucky I found mine. They're very faithful repros.

My only other shotty is a real-deal Winchester model 1897 made about eighty years ago. That thing's still rock-solid, but it's the full-length barrel. The "feel" of the Norinco is just as slick as the feel of the Winchester. Quality is great; everyone shits on Chinese manufacture, but nobody shits on Chinese AKs. They know how to make good guns, and their 1897 clones are first-rate.

And? They slam-fire, like they're supposed to.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, Norinco's were banned by name in the 1994 AWB law, so if I'm reading the Mass. Law correctly they remain banned here.
 
Picton said:
They're pump action. A clone of the Win model 1897.
Click to expand...
I know that and you know that, but the statute reads:
"The term 'semiautomatic assault weapon' means—"(A) any of the firearms, or copies or duplicates of the firearms in any caliber, known as—"(i) Norinco, Mitchell, and Poly Technologies Avtomat Kalashnikovs (all models);"

'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean–neither more nor less.'
 
Parker Schreiber said:
I know that and you know that, but the statute reads:
"The term 'semiautomatic assault weapon' means—"(A) any of the firearms, or copies or duplicates of the firearms in any caliber, known as—"(i) Norinco, Mitchell, and Poly Technologies Avtomat Kalashnikovs (all models);"

'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean–neither more nor less.'
Click to expand...

"Norinco" is a gun conglomerate that makes dozens of different firearms. The Norincos that statute refers to are their AK models, which is why I bolded that.

Most firearms manufactured by Norinco, whether pistols, rifles, or shotties, don't come close to being covered by the AWB. Their M1897 clone is certainly one of those.
 
Parker Schreiber said:
I know that and you know that, but the statute reads:
"The term 'semiautomatic assault weapon' means—"(A) any of the firearms, or copies or duplicates of the firearms in any caliber, known as—"(i) Norinco, Mitchell, and Poly Technologies Avtomat Kalashnikovs (all models);"

'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean–neither more nor less.'
Click to expand...
I believe the intent of that law was to ban Norinco AK47s, not to ban Norinco shotguns. I don’t know how a court would interpret it.
 

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