New Hampshire rifle laws (non resident)

[hockeypuck]

Good Morning.

I am a Mass Resident who has a vacation home in Tamworth. If my brother (Fully licensed in Mass) brings a .22 rifle up to the house and leaves it there, do I need any type of permit to go shoot at a range with my son. I want to join the little range over in Tamworth (Bearcamp Valley Sportsman's Club). I see permits for handguns on the website but nothing for rifles.

I dont have any type of license in Mass yet but starting to work on it. Getting my license in Mass is going to take a while so I would love to be able to shoot on vacation this summer.

Thanks for any information.

 

[Kevin_NH]

Short answer: No laws apply, be safe, have fun!

No permit needed (issued) to possess anything in NH. Can't have any loaded long gun in/on any motor vehicle, can't have a loaded handgun in a vehicle or concealed on your person without the "Pistol and Revolver license"; that's the only time you need that license.

Whether you have a MA license is meaningless in regards to New Hampshire laws.

 

[Boghog1]

NH does not require a permit to own firearms, the pistol/revolver permit is only so you can carry concealed. The permit also allows you to carry a loaded pistol or revolver in/on a motor vehicle but you cannot have a loaded long arm in/on a vehicle.

 

[Kevin_NH]

Beat you by 2 minutes

For more NH law info, see the PGNH FAQ. Also see the thread about Bearcamp valley.

 

[drgrant]

What rifle laws? Long as you don't leave it loaded in a motor vehicle you're more or less good to go. Also watch out for offset/setback distance (eg, for discharge etc with back yard shooting ranges) and hunting regs. Done. Possession is free by default for non felons in NH.

-Mike

 

[SalemCat]

The bad news is if a NH Resident wants a License to CC, the entire process can take up to a WEEK !!

And costs upwards of what, like $10 ?

(as a Massole I'm so freakin' jealous)

 

[hockeypuck]

Thanks for the quick replies. I guess living in Mass my whole life, the idea of just having a gun without permits sounds weird to me.
This is great news. Ill be shooting at a local range in Tamworth. $70 for the year to have me and a guest. Cant wait. Obviously then buying ammo is the same just as long as it stay sin NH. Thanks.

Started shooting in the sand pits with my dad about 30 years ago in NH. Really want to get back into shooting and finally have the time and money to do so.

Thanks again.

 

[Nicole]

Thanks for the quick replies. I guess living in Mass my whole life, the idea of just having a gun without permits sounds weird to me.
This is great news. Ill be shooting at a local range in Tamworth. $70 for the year to have me and a guest. Cant wait. Obviously then buying ammo is the same just as long as it stay sin NH. Thanks.

Started shooting in the sand pits with my dad about 30 years ago in NH. Really want to get back into shooting and finally have the time and money to do so.

Thanks again.

Enjoy it. And good luck de-Massifying your brain..it is a bit of a shock at first.

 

[soloman02]

Also, make sure you don't shoot across a road (common sense) and are at least 15 feet from any road when you do shoot.

 

[hockeypuck]

Also, make sure you don't shoot across a road (common sense) and are at least 15 feet from any road when you do shoot.

No open shooting, just at the range. Need to dismantle rifle first and clean/lubricate. Hasnt been fired since we were kids so about 20 years ago.

 

[SalemCat]

Thanks for the quick replies. I guess living in Mass my whole life, the idea of just having a gun without permits sounds weird to me.
This is great news. Ill be shooting at a local range in Tamworth. $70 for the year to have me and a guest. Cant wait. Obviously then buying ammo is the same just as long as it stay sin NH. Thanks.

Started shooting in the sand pits with my dad about 30 years ago in NH. Really want to get back into shooting and finally have the time and money to do so.

Thanks again.

Make sure you either have a MA LTC buy the Ammo in MA, or a New Hampshire Resident buy the Ammo in NH well in advance.

These days don't assume you can just drop into a store and they'll have what you need, or will sell it to you.

 

[hockeypuck]

Make sure you either have a MA LTC buy the Ammo in MA, or a New Hampshire Resident buy the Ammo in NH well in advance.

These days don't assume you can just drop into a store and they'll have what you need, or will sell it to you.

My brother who is fully licensed in Mass is stocking up on .22 when he finds them which he is going to leave at the house. Probably not the best time to be starting this hobby. Hopefully by the time I get all my license stuff completed, prices will have come down and ammo a bit more available.

 

[mikem317]

No permit needed (issued) to possess anything in NH. Can't have any loaded long gun in/on any motor vehicle, can't have a loaded handgun in a vehicle or concealed on your person without the "Pistol and Revolver license"; that's the only time you need that license.

Whether you have a MA license is meaningless in regards to New Hampshire laws.

Kevin, I remember there was much talk about the "loaded" definition a year or so back in NH. Is a "loaded" rifle include a rifle with a detachable magazine with ammunition? Or does a round actually have to be chambered to be considered loaded?

 

[Kevin_NH]

I think you're referring to this thread?

No person shall have or carry, in or on a motor vehicle ... a loaded rifle or loaded shotgun, or a rifle or shotgun with a cartridge in a magazine or clip attached to the gun.

When I took the hunter ed course, the F&G officer said there was no problem with possession of a loaded magazine in a car, as long as the magazine was not "attached" to the long gun.

 

[soloman02]

I think you're referring to this thread?

When I took the hunter ed course, the F&G officer said there was no problem with possession of a loaded magazine in a car, as long as the magazine was not "attached" to the long gun.

Interesting that the F&G officer said that. Is there case law to back up his statement? That has been the problem IIRC that there is no case law to it therefore what he says has teeth and at the same time does not have teeth until a court rules on it.

 

[Kevin_NH]

Interesting that the F&G officer said that. Is there case law to back up his statement? That has been the problem IIRC that there is no case law to it therefore what he says has teeth and at the same time does not have teeth until a court rules on it.

True. However, the phrasing of "a loaded rifle or loaded shotgun, or a rifle or shotgun with a cartridge in a magazine or clip attached to the gun" specifically excludes a loaded magazine NOT attached to the gun.

The whole of 207:7 is under "General Provisions as to fish and game/Definitions, Inclusions, Methods of Taking, etc/Hunting From Motor Vehicle..." and the penalty is defined as "Any person who violates a provision of RSA 207:7 shall be guilty of a violation and shall be guilty of an additional violation for each wild bird or animal taken or possessed contrary to said provision."

Nappen and PGNH came up with a proposal to clarify the intent of this law. In opposing the bill, F&G talked about the risks of having a long arm in a vehicle with a round chambered, suggesting that is how they interpret the law.

 

[drgrant]

Interesting that the F&G officer said that. Is there case law to back up his statement? That has been the problem IIRC that there is no case law to it therefore what he says has teeth and at the same time does not have teeth until a court rules on it.

There isn't case law but it's commonly accepted that that's the way it is.

There was a few bills floated to try to un**** the law up there slightly, so you could have a rifle stored/transported in an MV with a magazine inserted into it but not a round chambered, but none of them went anywhere because F&G threw a hissy fit about it.

-Mike

 

[soloman02]

Anyone know the actual penalty for violating said reg? The law says "Violation" but WTF does that actually translate into? $50 fine? Jail? Probation? Anyone know?