Registered guns, but not to Homeowner

[Dziner]

I was recently asked a question by a friends mother about FID cards.

Backstory: My friends mother is dating a guy from out of state. He moved back to MA and brought all of his goodies with him. He is licensed in both states so he is not the problem. He cannot store his guns at his new rental so he is storing them at his girlfriends house. She does not have any license or FID and is concerned about the ramifications.

THe boyfriend told her FID are non existent. Well, I am pretty sure that is a false statement and I explain that to her. I also explain that in my opinion if you are going to pay for a license go for the LTC-A ALP. But of course that then include the NRA course etc.

Anyway, because I own guns and am licensed in MA apparently she thinks I have all the answers.

What advice should I give her? She is storing firearms that are not registered to her, but rather someone that is not living at that address and she does not maintain any form of firearms license. For all intents and purposes they are all long arms.

 

[drgrant]

Guns can be stored anywhere... however, if she does not have a license they need to be secured in such a manner that she will not have ANY access to them- (eg, locked in a safe without her having a key or combo to it) and I almost doubt this is really the case here.

She should really get licensed if she wants to have guns in her home. I'd also recommend an LTC-A, to cover whatever is kept on the premises.

She also should be apprised of MA safe storage regs. Unsecured guns can be a serious legal problem in this state. If her boyfriend doesn't know that FIDs exist, who knows what
else he doesn't know. He could be placing her at considerable legal peril with his bad advice.

The "registration" non issue is really a non event... (MA really just registers transfers more than anything else) it's nothing compared to things like "illegal possession" or "safe
storage" violations which might be happening here.


-Mike

 

[Len-2A Training]

What advice should I give her? She is storing firearms that are not registered to her, but rather someone that is not living at that address and she does not maintain any form of firearms license. For all intents and purposes they are all long arms.

She should NOT be storing them UNLESS:

- She is licensed, OR
- She can PROVE that she has no access to them (very difficult to do and discussed as recently as the past 2 days here).

I don't like that "for all intents and purposes" phrase at all!

They are either ALL low-cap (by MGLs definition) long guns or not. If not, a LTC is REQUIRED!

To get an FID or LTC requires training before the person applies. No big difference in cost of training and process so going for LTC makes the most sense.

Also the "he can't store them where he lives" part sounds awfully fishy to me as well.

Right now she is at "high risk" and if she were my friend, I'd tell her NOT to allow this!

 

[drgrant]

They are either ALL low-cap (by MGLs definition) long guns or not. If not, a LTC is REQUIRED!

This point bears repeating- the OP should bear in mind it doesn't take very much for a gun to require an LTC to own. Say for example, if this guy has a Ruger 10/22 with a preban 25 round mag with it, that gun and magazine combo require an LTC-B or better to possess.

It also bears mentioning that if the guns in question have any preban large cap feeding devices with them, those two should be secured from unlicensed access, because possession of one of those is also a felony without a license. Not to mention, that this is a slam-dunk prosecution compared to an AWB charge, because there are literally two sets of laws in MA which discuss these devices... and the standard of prosecution for the large cap stuff is a lot simpler than it is for the AWB....

-Mike

 

[Dziner]

To clarify a little bit here, the "for all intents and purposes they are all long arms" line was just from a quick convo. I believe the guy is a decent guy and is somewhat familiar with guns and gun laws, just not so familiar with MA at the moment.

THe reason he "cant store them where he lives" is because it is temporary housing in an apartment complex and he really does not feel as though the guns are safe there.

Thanks for the heads on the clarification about the guns being stored "anywhere" with the provision that where ever they are stored they must not be accessible to any one but the lawful owner. if this means a triple locked case then it means a triple locked case, but under no circumstance can these firearms be unsecured in anyway shape or form...

I think I am on board with all of that and can convey it to her.

The are all stored in a locked gun case. I Have only seen pictures, but it is a glass front locking display case.

I have no clue what the capacity is, but obviously without even knowing that I still recommended that if a firearms license is what she is seeking then to aim high and go for LTC-A ALP.

 

[vellnueve]

How temporary is temporary?

 

[Dziner]

It's a whole complicated divorce/kids/new girlfriend issue. Could be weeks, could be months. From what I understand he just wants to get the kids used to the idea then he will move into my friends mothers house and they will all be under one roof, with the guns.

 

[buketduder]

Store them out of state if possible..CT/NH/VT have no license/permit requirements for long guns/handguns stored in a home....

 

[drgrant]

Store them out of state if possible..CT/NH/VT have no license/permit requirements for long guns/handguns stored in a home....

CT has serious issues with some rifles. Various kinds of ARs and AKs are not legal there. I have two guns in my safe right now which are legal in MA, but would get me thrown in jail in CT. CT also requires handgun licensing outside of specific circumstances, IIRC. ME/NH/VT, though, are all basically free by default WRT possession.

-Mike

 

[buketduder]

Some might fall under our "assault weapons ban"...CT requires a license to buy a handgun and bring one outside of your home/buisness...you may have them in your home without any permit..

example-- I know a family who moved from out west...they have no CT permits and have guns in the home..

I know a girl who moved down from NH..her dad gave her a handgun..she has it in her home..

 

[drgrant]

Some might fall under our "assault weapons ban"...CT requires a license to buy a handgun and bring one outside of your home/buisness...you may have them in your home without any permit..

Yes, that's true, but the way I read the law you can't just throw it in the trunk of your car and transport it somewhere for whatever reason. The "default" handgun possession laws in CT are very restrictive. You're only "safe" in your house without a permit, anything beyond that is subject to a lot of interpretation.

My point is is that I would not define CT as a state that's gun-friendly by definition. It might not be as bad as MA, but it's only
slightly less hostile, and in some cases, it's worse.

-Mike

 

[buketduder]

I don't disagree at all..CT is not gun friendly...but i see no legal issue with storing guns at your home for someone...Not like anyone is coming in my home anyways but....handguns might fall under more scrutinty then long guns...as there is no permit requirement for buying a long gun..as long as it does not violate the AWB...which is confusing as hell...I cannot have a AK-47 but i can have a AK-74...also to the fact any long gun can be sold in state with no record keeping/background check (shhhh.haha) that you could simply say you bought it from someone