out of state firearm registration

[skol]

My parents who live out of state are coming up for the holidays, as such my father is holding a large collection of long guns only (various 22's, shotguns, bolt action rifles, etc) which I did not take with me when I moved here.

If they were to drive said firearms up, I have to fill out a FA10 for each, correct?

Thanks.

 

[Baldkat82]

They would have to be transferred to you by an FFL. You can only buy guns from another mass resident face-to-face. Also, your parents can't posses the firearms in this state without an LTC. The second your parents cross the state line, (assuming they dont have a non-res LTC) they are felons. You'd be better of having them shipped to an FFL nearby and doign the transfer there.

 

[drgrant]

They would have to be transferred to you by an FFL. You can only buy guns from another mass resident face-to-face. Also, your parents can't posses the firearms in this state without an LTC. The second your parents cross the state line, (assuming they dont have a non-res LTC) they are felons.

It depends on whether or not he owned the guns before moving here. It is not clear to me from his post whether that is the case or not. I know lots of people who moved to MA but left their guns behind with parents or whoever because of the shitty laws here.

If he was always the legal owner of those firearms, then no "transfer" is necessary. You can't transfer yourself something you already own, generally speaking.

All he has to do is escort his guns over the line (to avoid making his parents felons) and register them on FA-10s.

Now, if these were not his guns (say his dad owned a shotgun that he wanted to give him ) they'd have to do transfers via an FFL for the guns he does not already own.

-Mike

 

[Baldkat82]

It depends on whether or not he owned the guns before moving here. It is not clear to me from his post whether that is the case or not. I know lots of people who moved to MA but left their guns behind with parents or whoever because of the shitty laws here.

If he was always the legal owner of those firearms, then no "transfer" is necessary. You can't transfer yourself something you already own, generally speaking.

All he has to do is escort his guns over the line (to avoid making his parents felons) and register them on FA-10s.

-Mike

Ok, lets say that there's no proof of ownership of these firearms. No registration, store recipts in someone's name, etc... How can it be proven that he owned them in the first place? What would stop somebody, who moved into mass, from having a friend or family member buy a gun out of state and just bring it up and register it via an FA-10?

 

[drgrant]

Ok, lets say that there's no proof of ownership of these firearms. No registration, store recipts in someone's name, etc... How can it be proven that he owned them in the first place?

Is there any law that forces people to prove this? Nope, not even in MA.

Go up to a guy that has some old family heirloom gun and ask him to prove that he owns it. He probably can't. He might be able to show an FA-10 or 4473 if a dealer transferred it to him. Maybe.

Having paperwork for your guns is "a good thing" but there is no requirement in law to maintain said paperwork. Absent evidence to the contrary, the possessor's claim to
ownership will probably be taken at face value.

Bear in mind that in most parts of the country guns are not regulated in the same absurd manner that they are in MA. A gun in a lot of places isn't much different than any other
durable good/tool. "Maintaining paperwork on a gun because someone might want to look at it" is probably not even a consideration in most of the US.

What would stop somebody, who moved into mass, from having a friend or family member buy a gun out of state and just bring it up and register it via an FA-10?

Uhh, not wanting to become federal felon(s) maybe?

-Mike

 

[skol]

Thanks for the responses. These are firearms located in NC. Some are "mine" and some are my fathers, but in NC there is no registration for long guns.

Normally he'll ship stuff to my FFL, but in this case it could save us some hassle if he just drives the rest up - but I want to make sure this is legal, obviously

 

[drgrant]

Thanks for the responses. These are firearms located in NC. Some are "mine" and some are my fathers, but in NC there is no registration for long guns.

Normally he'll ship stuff to my FFL, but in this case it could save us some hassle if he just drives the rest up - but I want to make sure this is legal, obviously

He can drive them all up, even if you both have to go to an MA dealer to transfer some of them to you. (basically, whichever guns you did not own when you lived there. ) Just make sure you accompany him before he crosses the border so you will be "possession legal". (I'm assuming you have the appropriate MA permit) If he comes into the state with the guns without a permit, he is breaking the law here.

Also be aware that MA has an assault weapons ban. So you might want to look at anything "fun" (AKs or ARs, etc) to make sure you're not violating any laws in that regard- for example, most new ARs sold in free states are not legal in MA because of some of the features that are on them, etc. Post 9/13/94 manufactured magazines are also an issue in MA... if they're
large capacity. (hold over 10 rounds...)

-Mike

 

[Len-2A Training]

Worth noting . . .

FOPA will NOT cover the Father driving from NC thru places like NY and NJ in particular! Since he doesn't have a MA LTC, he won't be legal in his destination (MA) to qualify under FOPA!

Also, ONLY the owner can ship guns to himself across state lines (Fed Law), so the Father can't ship the Son's guns to the Son!

It's a mess!

 

[drgrant]

Worth noting . . .

FOPA will NOT cover the Father driving from NC thru places like NY and NJ in particular! Since he doesn't have a MA LTC, he won't be legal in his destination (MA) to qualify under FOPA!

Len- You can wallhack/work around this problem by using a "legal by default" state as the destination, like NH, VT, ME....

Ironically enough the dad could drive up to NH, meet the son there, and then they could both drive back into MA, and FOPA would still have covered his trip up here because NH was his primary "destination".

-Mike

 

[jdubois]

As long as they're all long guns (as mentioned in the OP), and none of them are large capacity, the father can actually possess them here in MA without a non-res LTC, under C 140 § 129C(h) (keep them unloaded and enclosed in a case). So § 926A (aka FOPA) would indeed apply while transporting them between NC and here, as long as the storage conditions are met.

 

[drgrant]

As long as they're all long guns (as mentioned in the OP), and none of them are large capacity, the father can actually possess them here in MA without a non-res LTC, under C 140 § 129C(h) (keep them unloaded and enclosed in a case). So § 926A (aka FOPA) would indeed apply while transporting them between NC and here, as long as the storage conditions are met.

This is a good point... I had forgotten all about that exception.

-Mike

 

[ASHDUMP]

Damn guys! Good to know some are up to date on their MA laws. I frequent this section a lot to keep learning but I might have to start taking notes because this is getting CRAZY!

Thanks!

 

[skol]

As long as they're all long guns (as mentioned in the OP), and none of them are large capacity, the father can actually possess them here in MA without a non-res LTC, under C 140 § 129C(h) (keep them unloaded and enclosed in a case). So § 926A (aka FOPA) would indeed apply while transporting them between NC and here, as long as the storage conditions are met.

Thank you. Once they are here, I have to fill out a FA10 form to register them, and that's it. Correct?

 

[Kevlar]

As long as they're all long guns (as mentioned in the OP), and none of them are large capacity, the father can actually possess them here in MA without a non-res LTC, under C 140 § 129C(h) (keep them unloaded and enclosed in a case). So § 926A (aka FOPA) would indeed apply while transporting them between NC and here, as long as the storage conditions are met.

Thank you. Once they are here, I have to fill out a FA10 form to register them, and that's it. Correct?

Yes. The FA-10 must be filed within 7 days.