Places to carry concealed in Mass

Yes. Theoretically the most they can do is charge you with trespassing if you refuse to leave.

The key (in MA) is bolded above!

They have to ASK/TELL you to leave FIRST before anyone can be charged (in MA). You can be told to leave any public place for any reason and if you refuse you can be arrested and charged with criminal trespass . . . it has nothing to do with guns.

So if you conceal properly, nobody knows and nobody is going to ask you to leave, ergo no problem.
 
The key (in MA) is bolded above!

They have to ASK/TELL you to leave FIRST before anyone can be charged (in MA). You can be told to leave any public place for any reason and if you refuse you can be arrested and charged with criminal trespass . . . it has nothing to do with guns.

So if you conceal properly, nobody knows and nobody is going to ask you to leave, ergo no problem.

Do you know if there is any precedent or law or rule about who can tell someone to leave?
 
Do you know if there is any precedent or law or rule about who can tell someone to leave?

Anyone with any authority . . . e.g. manager/asst mgr/loss prevention/etc. Can a random clerk do it (with authority)? Maybe, I wouldn't want to test that.

Bottom line . . . to avoid an arrest/charge, if asked to leave, beat feet out the door.
 
Anyone with any authority . . . e.g. manager/asst mgr/loss prevention/etc. Can a random clerk do it (with authority)? Maybe, I wouldn't want to test that.

Bottom line . . . to avoid an arrest/charge, if asked to leave, beat feet out the door.

Good rule of thumb.

If you're asked to leave, even by a "lowly clerk" that may not have authority, why would you want to stick around anyway? If you've been made and asked to leave by anyone, GTFO
 
If you're asked to leave, even by a "lowly clerk" that may not have authority, why would you want to stick around anyway? If you've been made and asked to leave by anyone, GTFO
Yup. Remember the Erik Scott shooting in Las Vegas? If someone asks you to leave or says "you can't carry a gun here" or anything similar, don't argue, just GTFO before gendarmes arrive.
 
+1...

If you get made and are told to leave, it's basically "pork chop sandwiches!!!!!" time.

-Mike
 
ok, thanks everyone for all the information. I think I will pretty much only carry where I am allowed to, and skip carrying at the places where you're not allowed to. That way there will never be a problem. The laws are strict enough in Mass, and I do not want to lose my license already, I just got it. [smile]

I am so far enjoying the sport, and don't want to lose it in this liberal state! [smile]
 
What was the charge, location of the incident, and disposition?

Can't really say I know exact charges but I can tell you what I was told,

a patron of said location noticed the outline of the gun on his hip, recognized it as such, and I'd assume called the police and had him arrested for feeling threatened(?).

sorry I don't really know the details, i wasn't with him, and I cant put a name to name locations...cuz I don't know the name lmao, it was a bar though. A GUN FRIENDLY BAR too, or at least thats what he lead me to think, he told me about it but not in enough detail to elaborate online

he ended up moving to NH and the charges became irrelevant so it had a happy ending! (no firearm licenses in NH)

If you don't believe me then thats fine, I just wanted to give a word of caution, I still carry everywhere too.
 
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ok, thanks everyone for all the information. I think I will pretty much only carry where I am allowed to, and skip carrying at the places where you're not allowed to. That way there will never be a problem. The laws are strict enough in Mass, and I do not want to lose my license already, I just got it. [smile]

I am so far enjoying the sport, and don't want to lose it in this liberal state! [smile]

Well, here is the problem... Do you ALWAYS plan out every stop you will make everyday? If not, then chances are really good that you will be in a situation eventually where you will need to stop someplace where guns are not permitted if you carry daily. I think it comes down to either your carry, or you don't. How do you decide what day you will need to use your gun? What if it happens to be the same day you go grocery shopping and it happens to be a store posting a "no firearms" sign? I am not at all advocating breaking the law, but concealed does mean concealed, so if you conceal it properly, you should have no issues whatsoever, unless doing it at a courthouse, airport, etc., where you are likely to get "made" by a metal detector! When mine is concealed, even my wife doesn't know whether I have it, or not because it doesn't show. You will always be aware it's there, but if you aren't obvious about it, by constantly adjusting the position, deliberately guarding your side, etc., NO ONE will notice, therefore it will never be an issue even in places where they would rather you not be armed.[wink]
 
Anyone with any authority . . . e.g. manager/asst mgr/loss prevention/etc. Can a random clerk do it (with authority)? Maybe, I wouldn't want to test that.

Bottom line . . . to avoid an arrest/charge, if asked to leave, beat feet out the door.

I totally agree with this. If you are stupid enough to get made in the first place, then it doesn't matter even if it's a cashier telling you to leave - GTFO! Consider it a courtesy that they are "asking" you to leave, and not just calling the gestapo without warning you. The answer is that ANYONE who is authorized to be in a private establishment by employment can request that you leave for ANY reason - they don't have to be management, although in most cases this task is usually deferred to a manager to do the actual "asking".
 
Well, here is the problem... Do you ALWAYS plan out every stop you will make everyday? If not, then chances are really good that you will be in a situation eventually where you will need to stop someplace where guns are not permitted if you carry daily.

I don't see it this way at all.

Under the laws of MA or Fed Gov't, there are very few restricted places in MA. Schools/colleges, Federal buildings/facilities & secure parts of airports are the only places specified by law.

I don't know about you, but I don't randomly run into Logan Airport, courthouses, schools/colleges (if you have kids in school this could legitimately be different for you) "unplanned"! Even the USPO is a planned trip . . . I buy my postage stamps at Costco's (and before someone pipes up . . . that doesn't make the cashier a Fed Employee or the store a Fed Building! [devil] ) and you can drop your Mail in a Mailbox w/o entering the USPO (they also have Mailboxes near stores and other places for those paranoid of walking on a sidewalk in front of the USPO).

Any other gov't building with metal detectors will be well posted, so just don't go there.

As for stores, malls, theaters, restaurants, etc. How many of you honestly go looking for every sign, visible or hidden and read all the fine print before you enter any such establishment? I certainly don't! And again, these signs are totally meaningless wrt MGLs . . . you can NOT be arrested or prosecuted for "violating the sign". Trespassing in MA is NOT enforceable UNLESS you give verbal/written notice to the person FIRST. If you are asked/told to leave ANYWHERE (armed or not) JUST LEAVE!! Avoid confrontation and potential legal hassles . . . this has nothing to do with guns and everything to do with common sense.
 
I have to agree with LenS. It is an unusual day that I would go to a court house, post office, Logan airport, or a school. And as for "no gun" signs, I can only recollect one -- it is a store in Burlington Mall that I have never had any desire to go into.
 
The one place I noticed a "no gun" sign that would have been enforceable was on a road that goes through the VA hospital in Bedford. To my understanding, that road is *federal* property when it's within the campus of the VA hospital. It used to be on my way home, so I would imagine that had I had my license then, I would have been wise to find an alternate route home, no?
 
When we do jobs at Federal courts the marshals ask if I have a weapon and to put it in the safe box. I dont wear a guard uniform just my company shirt and jeans/shorts. Maybe this is different since I dont go through the front door on these type of jobs. I still dont take them up on their offer and dont carry near federal buildings
 
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chuck e cheese has a no gun policy, but thats kinda understandable

Criminals don't obey signs or the law. They'll carry a gun in to Chuck E Cheese, a school, or anywhere else without regard for the law. Given that fact, for a licensed law abiding citizen to be restricted from going on the same premisis with a firearm is just asking for a one sided fight. If some nut job walks into Chuck E. Cheese and starts shooting up the place, are my kids (and every other kid) safer or less safe with a law abiding citizen also being armed?
 
The one place I noticed a "no gun" sign that would have been enforceable was on a road that goes through the VA hospital in Bedford. To my understanding, that road is *federal* property when it's within the campus of the VA hospital. It used to be on my way home, so I would imagine that had I had my license then, I would have been wise to find an alternate route home, no?

The statute applies to Federal "facilities" (18 USC 930), if appropriately posted.

I have heard that banks are off limits because they are fed. insured. True or B.S.?

False.
 
chuck e cheese has a no gun policy, but thats kinda understandable

serious.jpg


Hmm...

You're either an anti, or you're halfheartedly poking fun at the fact that lots of adults seem to get hammered at chuck e cheeses and get into fights... [rofl]





-Mike
 
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