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Options for selling AR15 in MA

NixieTube

NixieTube

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Jul 5, 2010
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Central MA
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I'm a little late to the party asking this question and I'm sorry if it's been asked before, please point me in the right direction if it has been. I have owned an AR-15 (Stag) which I bought back in 2015 and would like to sell it. What are my options for doing that in MA, if any?
 
There's either something you're not disclosing that poisons this rifle or the FFL you went to is an eejit.

Regardless, is there some reason you can't sell it privately?

Did they actually give a reason?
 
namedpipes said:
There's either something you're not disclosing that poisons this rifle or the FFL you went to is an eejit.

Regardless, is there some reason you can't sell it privately?

Did they actually give a reason?
Click to expand...

I'm not concealing anything, but I'd be happy to elaborate. The rifle is a Stag Model 4, completely stock except for a Magpul grip, just as I purchased it, totally unmodified and barely fired, in great condition. I haven't done a thing to do it except keep it in a safe and fire it very infrequently. The dealer I spoke with in Central MA (their initials as TTC) told me on the phone 20 minutes ago:

"You definitely cannot sell it to a dealer unless it is a pre-94 rifle and Stag didn't make them back then. If you want to sell it yourself you should contact the Attorney General's office for guidance."

At that point I decided to ask the question here rather than call the Attorney General.

And no, I don't have any problem with listing it and selling it myself, I just wanted to know if that's still legal for me to do? Otherwise do I have to sell it to someone in a free state? That's why I'm asking.
 
NixieTube said:
And no, I don't have any problem with listing it and selling it myself, I just wanted to know if that's still legal for me to do? Otherwise do I have to sell it to someone in a free state? That's why I'm asking.
Click to expand...

Yep, you can sell it privately to someone in MA as long as the buyer has a valid LTC. I bought mine and we met at a public library to do the transfer since the library has a printer, you can do the transfer via the MA portal and easily print a copy of the FA-10 for your records. It is prudent for both the buyer and seller to maintain a hard copy of the FA-10.

In my case, the guy I bought it from also had the FA-10 and receipt from where he bought it (in 2015 from Four Seasons) and he made me hard copies of both of those too.
 
ADC said:
How much?
Really, ... How much?

Private transfer through the portal ...
Click to expand...
I haven't decided on the price yet. I paid a little over $1,000 for it new, I bought it here in MA from a different dealer, but they didn't answer their phone when I called today. It's still basically "as-new." Does "Going GREEN" mean that I need to be a member to post in the classifieds?

I'm sorry if all my questions are dumb, but I really don't know how to go about this, I've never done it before. All my purchases have been through dealers, I've never sold a firearm myself.
 
BTSDOG said:
Where did you buy it ?? Was it a private sale, FTF FA10 ? Then just do it the same way.....
Click to expand...
I bought it from dealer in Worcester County, Stoney Acres. Previously I had won a raffle for a different gun and decided to buy the Stag from Stoney Acres about a month later.
 
Last edited:
namedpipes said:
There's either something you're not disclosing that poisons this rifle or the FFL you went to is an eejit.
Click to expand...

There are a metric shit ton of FFLs that won't touch any AR or AK that isn't pre 94 at this point because of healeys bullshit edict.

-Mike
 
NixieTube said:
I'm a little late to the party asking this question and I'm sorry if it's been asked before, please point me in the right direction if it has been. I have owned an AR-15 (Stag) which I bought back in 2015 and would like to sell it. What are my options for doing that in MA, if any?
Click to expand...

Unless someone (or a pet) is going to die because you didn't sell it, I would just hang onto it.

-Mike
 
drgrant said:
There are a metric shit ton of FFLs that won't touch any AR or AK that isn't pre 94 at this point because of healeys bullshit edict.

-Mike
Click to expand...
That does indeed seem to be the case. I've talked with a couple of other dealers recently and even on some of the simple questions (which I thought this one was) I get referred to the Atty. General's office. I understand it from their perspective, and I certainly don't blame them for protecting themselves, but I find it revolting and deeply troubling in a philosophical sense.

I hadn't thought about selling this gun until recently, and it dawned on me: hey, Nimrod, you might not be able to sell it back to a dealer (or anyone else) making the value effectively $0 as a piece of property, or a lot closer to it.

Thank you to everyone who replied. I asked the question and now I know.
 
NixieTube said:
That does indeed seem to be the case. I've talked with a couple of other dealers recently and even on some of the simple questions (which I thought this one was) I get referred to the Atty. General's office. I understand it from their perspective, and I certainly don't blame them for protecting themselves, but I find it revolting and deeply troubling in a philosophical sense.

I hadn't thought about selling this gun until recently, and it dawned on me: hey, Nimrod, you might not be able to sell it back to a dealer (or anyone else) making the value effectively $0, or a lot closer to it.
Click to expand...

It's nowhere near that it's still worth like 600-800 in a free state (a foreign dealer will touch it easily) or same here on an FA-10 or more if you want to go full rape, an idiot would gladly drop like 1200-1500 for it. As a gun owner in MA though selling an AR or an AK unless its broken or something like that is pretty stupid, unless you have like a ton of them and this is your 30th backup gun. [laugh] Or you're in really dire straits (even then, id sell something else first).

-Mike
 
drgrant said:
It's nowhere near that it's still worth like 600-800 in a free state (a foreign dealer will touch it easily) or same here on an FA-10 or more if you want to go full rape, an idiot would gladly drop like 1200-1500 for it. As a gun owner in MA though selling an AR or an AK unless its broken or something like that is pretty stupid, unless you have like a ton of them and this is your 30th backup gun. [laugh] Or you're in really dire straits (even then, id sell something else first).

-Mike
Click to expand...
Well that makes me feel, uh, better. [laugh]:(. And actually I was wrong a minute ago, it was a little under $1k when I bought it, not a little over. It's not a super-whamma-jamma AR but it's a nice rifle, I bought it because of the heavy barrel - on purpose! [rofl]
 
NixieTube said:
I bought it from dealer in Worcester County, Stoney Acres. Previously I had won a raffle for a different gun and decided to buy the Stag from Stoney Acres about a month later.
Click to expand...

If you bought it in MA from a dealer there is no question on it's heritage. Any dealer should be happy to handle it or you can sell it F2F. They gave you the brush off for some reason.
 
drgrant said:
There are a metric shit ton of FFLs that won't touch any AR or AK that isn't pre 94 at this point because of healeys bullshit edict.

-Mike
Click to expand...

Ok, fair enough, but telling the poor guy to go ask the AG for guidance is a little like telling the lamb to ask the wolf what path to take home after dark, tonight. (not you, the FFL)

The rifle is obviously perfectly legal for him to own or to sell.
 
namedpipes said:
If you bought it in MA from a dealer there is no question on it's heritage. Any dealer should be happy to handle it or you can sell it F2F. They gave you the brush off for some reason.
Click to expand...
Hell, FFLs ought to be able to buy them, right?
They just have to sell them to a party in a less unfree state.
 
AHM said:
Hell, FFLs ought to be able to buy them, right?
They just have to sell them to a party in a less unfree state.
Click to expand...
(Just like Cabela's Berlin/Hudson will buy used handguns,
but only sells used longarms in their Gun Library.
Corporate decided that the liability is just too great to resell in-Mass).

Of course you can't blame a small-time FFL from being disinterested
in transshipping used AR's out of state, onesey-twosey.
Especially if the free state destination FFL will only pay
"used wholesale" price - then the Mass. FFL gets all the hassle,
and can only offer used-below-wholesale price to the private seller.

It would be unfortunate if a Mass. FFL blew off sellers with
"it's illegal for me to buy this" when the real situation was
"it's not worth the hassle for me to buy this".


I wonder if Cabela's will buy used AR's at "below used wholesale"
and just ship them to a store in a free state?

They have a risk averse corporate department.

But they've also been known to make
illegal transactions out of total ignorance.
 
AHM said:
Hell, FFLs ought to be able to buy them, right?
They just have to sell them to a party in a less unfree state.
Click to expand...

They should be able to, it's just not worth the hassle. Try selling a MA-compliant (neutered) AR out of state after paying a MA premium. It's just easier to say "We can't buy it."
 
Just sell the gun yourself. The written law says you can. The written law says your rifle is not an assault weapon. Now I might be wrong but I dont recall seeing anything in MA general law that has the "copy and duplicate" test ?
I might be missing this ?
Any how you paid about $1000 new , its now used sell it to someone you know who wants a AR for a good price.
 

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