I thought this was an interesting brain-teaser with our screwed up MA laws. It's a replica of a 14th century German handgun. It's a .50 cal smoothbore muzzleloader with a 8.75" barrel and a touch hole ignition.
http://www.handgonne.com/loki.html
I'd suggest the relevant statutes are C 140 § 121 (for definition of firearm, and which statutes are not applicable to 'antique weapons' ) and C 140 § 131N.
My take on it is that while they probably did not intend to make such guns illegal, in the spirit of the way the law was written, it is, in fact, illegal. However, if you actually read the law literally, the wording is broken, and so it is not illegal.
http://www.handgonne.com/loki.html
I'd suggest the relevant statutes are C 140 § 121 (for definition of firearm, and which statutes are not applicable to 'antique weapons' ) and C 140 § 131N.
My take on it is that while they probably did not intend to make such guns illegal, in the spirit of the way the law was written, it is, in fact, illegal. However, if you actually read the law literally, the wording is broken, and so it is not illegal.