Storage laws/displaying antique firearm

Obie1

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My wife has given her blessing to hanging a 200 year old musket over the mantle. It's a Springfield 1816 converted to percussion and is in pretty rough shape. I suppose it is theoretically possible to be fired if someone had a .69 caliber ball and powder and cap, but it would more likely than not blow up. My question is do I have to put a trigger lock on it to meet storage laws? If so, what is the least noticeable option?
 
I'm not sure but as your in MA, as I, could you make it inoperable by removing a small unnoticeable part say the percussion nipple. Maybe replace it with something that looks the same?
 
1816? It is not a firearm. IANAL but no MA firearm laws apply. Be careful about ammunition components but other than that, I can't see an issue with placing it above your mantle for all to see.
 
Section 131L. (a) It shall be unlawful to store or keep any firearm, rifle or shotgun including, but not limited to, large capacity weapons, or machine gun in any place unless such weapon is secured in a locked container or equipped with a tamper-resistant mechanical lock or other safety device, properly engaged so as to render such weapon inoperable by any person other than the owner or other lawfully authorized user. For purposes of this section, such weapon shall not be deemed stored or kept if carried by or under the control of the owner or other lawfully authorized user.

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(f) This section shall not apply to the storage or keeping of any firearm, rifle or shotgun with matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap or similar type of ignition system manufactured in or prior to the year 1899, or to any replica of any such firearm, rifle or shotgun if such replica is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition.

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter140/Section131L
 
pre something like 1899 or so it is not a firearm, like they said.
and even for a modern black powder rifle or handgun, those are not firearms either. can just leave them lying around. (the caps and gunpowder are components, and are a very different story, though)
 
Thanks guys. Yeah, I'm apparently too lazy to do even a modicum of research.
 
pre something like 1899 or so it is not a firearm, like they said.
and even for a modern black powder rifle or handgun, those are not firearms either. can just leave them lying around. (the caps and gunpowder are components, and are a very different story, though)


Not the same as modern ammo - no LTC/FID needed to possess (See clause (p) in the link), though there are CMRs relating to the quantity of black powder allowed. AFAIK, since it's not "real" ammo, the storage laws do not apply. Though common sense and Massprudence might indicate that leaving them on the dining room table is not the best course of action.
 
Actually, the law was changed when GOAL pointed out that per the then-current MGLs, the Revolutionary War muskets in the Mass State House needed trigger locks. [rolleyes]

R U SURE???? I thought they started with trigger locks 10 or so years ago and then took them OFF. gawd these convoluted MA laws suck!
 
"However, a person may still be convicted of the unlawful possession of ammunition loaded in a firearm manufactured before 1900 if the defendant does not have an FID card and the ammunition does not fall under some exemption."

http://goal.org/masslawpages/primitivefirearms.html

as always, good poop provided by GOAL.

and apparently no storage requirements:
"All guns, when not in use, with the exception of primitive firearms, must be stored or kept “secured in a locked container or equipped with a tamper-resistant mechanical lock or other safety device,” to prevent unauthorized use"

http://www.goal.org/masslawpages/storageinfo.html
 
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So which antique should I hang?

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