Transporting guns in a vehicle without a trunk

I toss my unloaded handguns into a range bag and go. It’s in my truck and the truck is under my control.
Shotgun unloaded it its soft case and go.
ARs in cases and locked.
 
A firearm must be semi-auto to be considered large capacity. A Ruger 10/22 is not considered a large capacity since it is manufactured as a 10 round firearm, however if you put in a magazine of more then ten rounds then it automatically becomes large capacity. It can be confusing, but that is the way Mass law is written. Large capacity is considered more then ten rounds in the magazine/feeding device, does not include the one in the chamber. If the firearm is designed for less then 10 rounds, i.e. 1911 45 acp then it is not considered a large capacity unless again you put in a larger magazine.

I wouldn’t count on that. MA considers a gun to be a large capacity weapon if it is semi-automatic and is capable of accepting or readily modifiable to accept a “large capacity feeding device.”
 
find me a modern production vehicle where the trunk is physically separated from the rest of vehicle. all of them are accessible. laws are intentionally ambiguous, designed so we are guilty no matter what. we all have our practices that we deem appropriate but they're all opinion.

Honda Ridgeline -- has a trunk in the truck bed
 
A firearm must be semi-auto to be considered large capacity. A Ruger 10/22 is not considered a large capacity since it is manufactured as a 10 round firearm, however if you put in a magazine of more then ten rounds then it automatically becomes large capacity. It can be confusing, but that is the way Mass law is written. Large capacity is considered more then ten rounds in the magazine/feeding device, does not include the one in the chamber. If the firearm is designed for less then 10 rounds, i.e. 1911 45 acp then it is not considered a large capacity unless again you put in a larger magazine.
Not quite correct. It is considered large capacity if you POSSESS both the large capacity mag and the gun, even if the mag is not inserted into the gun.

Be careful with transporting and then stopping for lunch with the guys after the range. 'Storage' could very quickly become a concern.

Matt
Correct. Requirements are different but a locked trunk/case solves this for any gun and either storage or transportation.

In the Civic I just traded in, while the rear seats did fold down allowing access to the trunk, it could only be done from within the trunk. There wasn't any way to do it from the passenger compartment without tools or breaking something. I'd imagine a lot of sedans are like this, otherwise the valet locks that many cars have to secure the trunk are worthless.
My Civics used the ignition key over the rear deck to access the trunk from within the car. This made it a legal "locked trunk".

Truer words have rarely been spoken.
Don't try to outwit some police officer with an anti-gun agenda. Lock everything up and if you have anything that looks like a gun case visible from the outside throw an old blanket over it.
Extremely important! Or it could be an officer who knows nothing about guns and the differences in the law.

Had this conversation once. Cop who was picking up an AR for his wife. (I didn't comment about straw... ) When I bought my 870 and a group buy lower made a funny comment.

"I'd count a taped up box as an other secure container since most people don't have knives anymore. "
Well if you are headed to UPS or FedEx to ship a gun you need to have it boxed up and sealed, so his response sounds sensible.

A bit of a segway, but are there restrictions on what guests can shoot. Assume no one is a PP. And I don't own any full auto.

Can guests of any reasonable age shoot guns I own at the range in MA?
Under direct supervision of a LTC holder, they can shoot any handgun/rifle/shotgun (not machine guns) as long as they are not a PP.

I have a newer jeep 2 door. Has a little storage area near the tail gate just a flap to "hidden" storage. I keep a pistol lock box on a cable. Not sure if I'm right or wrong but I drop the mag, the round from the chamber and lock the whole mess in the box. I've only had to do it a few times and it sucks to do it

This is for times I need to go into a place I can't bring it with .e
Legal.

I toss my unloaded handguns into a range bag and go. It’s in my truck and the truck is under my control.
Shotgun unloaded it its soft case and go.
ARs in cases and locked.
Unless the range bag is locked, I can't see any judge/officer in MA saying you are GTG in this case.
 
Here's a question which I haven't seen asked before. Occasionally while I'm carrying I have to go somewhere it's not legal to carry (sometimes it involves metal detectors or places just not worth taking a chance so "concealed means concealed" isn't a good option for me). I have a locking metal gun safe I keep in my glove box. Is it ok to store the unloaded gun and loaded mags together in the car safe? Thanks.
 
Here's a question which I haven't seen asked before. Occasionally while I'm carrying I have to go somewhere it's not legal to carry (sometimes it involves metal detectors or places just not worth taking a chance so "concealed means concealed" isn't a good option for me). I have a locking metal gun safe I keep in my glove box. Is it ok to store the unloaded gun and loaded mags together in the car safe? Thanks.

Yes.
 
A few posts mentioned locked case does not constitute storage. IF you might find yourself in a situation when the firearm must be 'stored' in the vehicle while you do something else, use a trigger lock plus the locked case. Mass lunacy, but foolish to tempt fate in such a state.
 
A few posts mentioned locked case does not constitute storage. IF you might find yourself in a situation when the firearm must be 'stored' in the vehicle while you do something else, use a trigger lock plus the locked case. Mass lunacy, but foolish to tempt fate in such a state.

That’s not correct.

A locked case is suitable for storage per MGL chapter 140 section 131L

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.

In contrast, while a trigger lock is suitable for storage, it isn’t suitable for transport per MGL chapter 140 section 131c

b) No person carrying a firearm under a Class B license issued under section 131 or 131F shall possess the same in a vehicle unless such weapon is unloaded and contained within the locked trunk of such vehicle or in a locked case or other secure container. Whoever violates the provisions of this subsection shall be punished by a fine of $500.
 
That’s not correct.

A locked case is suitable for storage per MGL chapter 140 section 131L



In contrast, while a trigger lock is suitable for storage, it isn’t suitable for transport per MGL chapter 140 section 131c

A locked case is not a locked container. Lock the zippers of a soft case and you are good to go for transport. However, you can't store your firearms in the home like that. Feel lucky enough to argue that point in a court of law someday? I sure has hell don't.

No, at that point the vehicle itself becomes the locked storage.

Not so sure about that. Upon moving to the PRM I had assumed the vehicle became the locked storage but had seen enough information contradicting that, so better safe than sorry.
 
A locked case is not a locked container. Lock the zippers of a soft case and you are good to go for transport. However, you can't store your firearms in the home like that. Feel lucky enough to argue that point in a court of law someday? I sure has hell don't.
You are wrong. ANY locked case is adequate for both storage and transportation, soft-case or hard-case matters not. I suggest reading the words in both the storage and transportation laws.
 
If it's parked and locked, unloaded, it is.

REYES, COMMONWEALTH vs., 464 Mass. 245

"A contextual reading of these statutory provisions, focused particularly on firearms in motor vehicles, leads us to conclude that the Legislature did not consider a locked motor vehicle itself to be a secure container for the storage of firearms."
 
Here's a question which I haven't seen asked before. Occasionally while I'm carrying I have to go somewhere it's not legal to carry (sometimes it involves metal detectors or places just not worth taking a chance so "concealed means concealed" isn't a good option for me). I have a locking metal gun safe I keep in my glove box. Is it ok to store the unloaded gun and loaded mags together in the car safe? Thanks.
I have one of those flat black metal combo safes under the seat of every vehicle my family owns. It came with a cable that I wrap around the seat anchors and padlock. They cost about $20.
 
REYES, COMMONWEALTH vs., 464 Mass. 245

"A contextual reading of these statutory provisions, focused particularly on firearms in motor vehicles, leads us to conclude that the Legislature did not consider a locked motor vehicle itself to be a secure container for the storage of firearms."

Ok, figures. I see this is 2013, so I was not up to date. Typical judge making up their own interpretation.

The lesson here is never allow a search voluntarily. That's what led to this case.

This decision essentially states that transportation laws apply, not storage. A shotgun need not be locked when transported, so this decision actually supports that it can be left in a vehicle, just no high capacity guns, which need another locked case.
 
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I guess we are going to jail. How do you intend on taking me out of my truck thus not having my guns under my direct control?

I suppose I could zip tie the zippers.

There’ve been a million threads here about what “direct control” might mean. If you want to be the test case, that’s your business, but I think you can count on a MA court to take the most limited definition possible.
 
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You are wrong. ANY locked case is adequate for both storage and transportation, soft-case or hard-case matters not. I suggest reading the words in both the storage and transportation laws.

Yeah, it is.

Storage --> Locked container or equipped with tamper resistant mechanical lock.
Transport --> Locked container or case.

Respectfully, please re-read the MGL's you cite. What you cite for storage does not mention a 'case', only a 'container'. Perhaps I am wrong, but I'm erring on the side of caution for storage because 'case' is not mentioned, thus a trigger lock erases any doubt cast by the wording of the MGL.
 
We should probably ask one of our fine solons or dimples for the de facto answer since they are the ones writing these f***ed up laws. Anyway, guess I’ve been doing it wrong all these years and have been lucky. Going to range I cc one loaded firearm and the others are unloaded with trigger cable locks in the range bag in my SUV that has no trunk. If I’m not mistaken, I’m interpreting this to be wrong. So, I’ll need to buy a locking container and chain lock it to the vehicle somehow for when I’m going to the range with my mobile arsenal.
 
Hey, I have an idea!

Don't drive like a freaking maniac and get yourself pulled over in the first place!

Don't draw unwanted attention to yourself!

While that is good advice, there are times that I've been pulled over even though I did nothing wrong. Once in NY state a NY State Trooper pulled me over because he thought my inspection sticker was expired (actually, I'd just gotten my car inspected). Last summer, I got pulled over on a pretext in Kansas and the Kansas State Trooper claimed that my license plate surround obscured the license plate (it doesn't).

In MA, it is best to transport guns in accordance with the law and to keep guns out of sight if possible.
 
For those who are looking for a cheap fix to the unloaded handguns to/from the range question. Get a handful of these and leave them hanging on anything with a zipper (soft pistol cases, rifle bags, etc.) to lock up for basic compliance.

Wideskall 3 Digit Password Travel Suitcase Luggage Security Mini Combination Padlock (Pack of 10) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077ZQTZ2J/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cI2wDbSV9FM6Z
 
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While that is good advice, there are times that I've been pulled over even though I did nothing wrong. Once in NY state a NY State Trooper pulled me over because he thought my inspection sticker was expired (actually, I'd just gotten my car inspected). Last summer, I got pulled over on a pretext in Kansas and the Kansas State Trooper claimed that my license plate surround obscured the license plate (it doesn't).

In MA, it is best to transport guns in accordance with the law and to keep guns out of sight if possible.


I wasn't advocating anyone just ignore the transport laws. But everyone is so wrapped up in trying to interpret poorly written law that maybe a good starting point is to look at one's own driving habits. Then make the necessary changes when operating a motor vehicle with guns inside.

Do everything possible to make your life easier.


Also, M1911, you used examples of traveling out of state. In those situations, the out-of-state tag is enough to attract attention.
You're on your own then.
 
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