transporting to mass.

[CTtitanon22s]

hello all my name is rob
i live in CT have a cc permit in the state and just purchased my first handgun(s&w m&p .40)
my question is i live very close to the mass. border and would like to go to smith and wesson to shoot what are the laws and what permits do i need to do so...thank you for your time

 

[GSG]

Check out the Non-resident Mass. gun laws thread in my sigline.

 

[Cabinetman]

Most of the fellas her in Northern CT shoot regularly at S&W's center, especially in the Fall/Winter. I even learned to shoot my Garand there competitively. The trainer was a retired SWAT instructor. I don't believe they still offer that class, however. We shot in a 100 yard basement range that's not open to the general public.

What I would do is call the center and speak to one of the Range officers there. They will tell you precisely what to do. We've been going there for over 15 years without a hitch. If you were ever stopped and your locked, unloaded pistols discovered for some reason, S&W fellas told us to always tell the officer where you're going and to call S&W for clarification if necessary. You can also buy memberships there and that would go a long way to smoothing things out. S&W fellas will set you straight on all of this.

Rome

 

[GSG]

Most of the fellas her in Northern CT shoot regularly at S&W's center, especially in the Fall/Winter. I even learned to shoot my Garand there competitively. The trainer was a retired SWAT instructor. I don't believe they still offer that class, however. We shot in a 100 yard basement range that's not open to the general public.

What I would do is call the center and speak to one of the Range officers there. They will tell you precisely what to do. We've been going there for over 15 years without a hitch. If you were ever stopped and your locked, unloaded pistols discovered for some reason, S&W fellas told us to always tell the officer where you're going and to call S&W for clarification if necessary. You can also buy memberships there and that would go a long way to smoothing things out. S&W fellas will set you straight on all of this.

Rome

FYI, unless you have a Mass. non-res. LTC or are entering the state to attend a pistol competition/organized collector's exhibition or hunt, you cannot legally bring a handgun into Mass. as a non-resident. There's no exemption for attending training or for bringing handguns to a range in Mass. law.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

FYI, unless you have a Mass. non-res. LTC or are entering the state to attend a pistol competition/organized collector's exhibition or hunt, you cannot legally bring a handgun into Mass. as a non-resident. There's no exemption for attending training or for bringing handguns to a range in Mass. law

Absolutely accurate. Furthermore, you need a permit issued by a state, district or territory that does not issue permits to drug users or felons, or be a LEO with carry authority in another state.

Asking the "professionals" at ANY commercial range for info about this sort of thing is risky. Although you will sometimes get accurate information, you will frequently get some individual's personal mis interpretation of the law. Ditto for asking the police about a subtle, seldom encountered, aspect of gun law (most officers have probably never even encountered someone in possession of a handgun who relied on the competition or gun exhibition exemption).

The best procedure is to hire a licensed attorney specializing in gun law, but that's really not practical to do every time you need to find something out. Another reasonable approach is to ask the hive on NES, and wait after a response is posted - as bad information is generally quickly challenged.

 

[SClaflin]

Still further, even with a non-resident LTC or exemption status under 140 M.G.L. 131G, one must comply with MA's AWB (meaning no 15 round M&P mags). Welcome to the Commonwealth.

 

[Cabinetman]

Well, that's really news to me. As I said, I've been shooting there for years. This specific subject has been discussed numerous times there and they've always said that if we were ever stopped for some reason, we would just tell the officer that we were going to the shooting center and the officer could call to verify we were members. Upon reflection of your replies, however, it would seem that things have gotten stricter. I'm going to ask them about this and see what they say about this situation now. It would be a sad day that we can no longer shoot there over the winter. I don't care to use their hardware, either, and prefer my own.

Thanks for the replies.

Rome

 

[Len-2A Training]

Rome,

Read the law carefully.

It's illegal, BUT under "officer's discretion" an officer may indeed make a decision not to prosecute someone in those circumstances. That said, betting your house, retirement and future on that may not be a wise thing to do. [Just look at what happened with that dumb kid from CT who got stopped in W. MA on his way to NH, in non-FOPA compliance. That should be a warning to all, that not all State Troopers are "officer friendly"!]

 

[Cabinetman]

Back when we first started there, S&W used to issue laminated membership cards. According to them, showing the card to an officer would eliminate issues. They don't issue membership cards anymore so now it's just on computer. I, sadly, will now avoid going there unless someone there can 'officially' tell me differently. That's really a shame because the facilities there are just excellent. Oh well.

Thanks for all your concern and correction here. Better to be informed than ignorant of the issues.

Rome

 

[Len-2A Training]

MGL Ch. 140 S. 129C
http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/140-129c.htm

Chapter 140: Section 129C. Application of Sec. 129B; ownership or possession of firearms or ammunition; transfers; report to executive director; exemptions; exhibiting license to carry, etc. on demand


Section 129C. No person, other than a licensed dealer or one who has been issued a license to carry a pistol or revolver or an exempt person as hereinafter described, shall own or possess any firearm, rifle, shotgun or ammunition unless he has been issued a firearm identification card by the licensing authority pursuant to the provisions of section one hundred and twenty-nine B.

No person shall sell, give away, loan or otherwise transfer a rifle or shotgun or ammunition other than (a) by operation of law, or (b) to an exempt person as hereinafter described, or (c) to a licensed dealer, or (d) to a person who displays his firearm identification card, or license to carry a pistol or revolver.

A seller shall, within seven days, report all such transfers to the executive director of the criminal history systems board according to the provisions set forth in section one hundred and twenty-eight A, and in the case of loss, theft or recovery of any firearm, rifle, shotgun or machine gun, a similar report shall be made forthwith to both the executive director of the criminal history systems board and the licensing authority in the city or town where the owner resides. Failure to so report shall be cause for suspension or permanent revocation of such person’s firearm identification card or license to carry firearms, or both, and shall be punished by a fine of not less than $200 nor more than $1,000 for a first offense and by a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000 for a second offense.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to the following exempted persons and uses:

. . .

(g) Possession of rifles and shotguns and ammunition therefor by nonresidents while on a firing or shooting range;

(h) Possession of rifles and shotguns and ammunition therefor by nonresidents traveling in or through the commonwealth, providing that any rifles or shotguns are unloaded and enclosed in a case;

(i) Possession of rifles and shotguns by nonresidents while at a firearm showing or display organized by a regularly existing gun collectors’ club or association;

. . .

(p) Carrying or possession by residents or nonresidents of so-called black powder rifles, shotguns, and ammunition therefor as described in such paragraphs (A) and (B) of the third paragraph of section 121, and the carrying or possession of conventional rifles, shotguns, and ammunition therefor by nonresidents who meet the requirements for such carrying or possession in the state in which they reside.

. . .

(u) Any nonresident who is eighteen years of age or older at the time of acquiring a rifle or shotgun from a licensed firearms dealer; provided, however, that such nonresident must hold a valid firearms license from his state of residence; provided, further, that the licensing requirements of such nonresident’s state of residence are as stringent as the requirements of the commonwealth for a firearm identification card, as determined by the colonel of the state police who shall, annually, publish a list of those states whose requirements comply with the provisions of this clause.

Any person, exempted by clauses (o), (p) and (q), purchasing a rifle or shotgun or ammunition therefor shall submit to the seller such full and clear proof of identification, including shield number, serial number, military or governmental order or authorization, military or other official identification, other state firearms license, or proof of nonresidence, as may be applicable.

Nothing in this section shall permit the sale of rifles or shotguns or ammunition therefor to a minor under the age of eighteen in violation of section one hundred and thirty nor may any firearm be sold to a person under the age of 21 nor to any person who is not licensed to carry firearms under section one hundred and thirty-one unless he presents a valid firearm identification card and a permit to purchase issued under section one hundred and thirty-one A, or presents such permit to purchase and is a properly documented exempt person as hereinbefore described.

Nothing in this section shall permit the sale or transfer of any large capacity rifle or shotgun or large capacity feeding device therefor to any person not in possession of a Class A or Class B license to carry firearms issued under section 131, or of any large capacity firearm or large capacity feeding device therefor to any person not in possession of a Class A license to carry firearms issued under section 131.

The possession of a firearm identification card issued under section one hundred and twenty-nine B shall not entitle any person to carry a firearm in violation of section ten of chapter two hundred and sixty-nine and, the possession of a firearm identification card issued under section 129B shall not entitle any person to possess any large capacity rifle or shotgun or large capacity feeding device therefor in violation of subsection (m) of said section 10 of said chapter 269.

Any person who, while not being within the limits of his own property or residence, or such person whose property or residence is under lawful search, and who is not exempt under this section, shall on demand of a police officer or other law enforcement officer, exhibit his license to carry firearms, or his firearm identification card or receipt for fee paid for such card, or, after January first, nineteen hundred and seventy, exhibit a valid hunting license issued to him which shall bear the number officially inscribed of such license to carry or card if any. Upon failure to do so such person may be required to surrender to such officer said firearm, rifle or shotgun which shall be taken into custody as under the provisions of section one hundred and twenty-nine D, except that such firearm, rifle or shotgun shall be returned forthwith upon presentation within thirty days of said license to carry firearms, firearm identification card or receipt for fee paid for such card or hunting license as hereinbefore described. Any person subject to the conditions of this paragraph may, even though no firearm, rifle or shotgun was surrendered, be required to produce within thirty days said license to carry firearms, firearm identification card or receipt for fee paid for such card, or said hunting license, failing which the conditions of section one hundred and twenty-nine D will apply. Nothing in this section shall prevent any person from being prosecuted for any violation of this chapter.

NOTE ABOVE: These exemptions are ONLY for long guns, NOT for handguns.

MGL Ch. 140 S. 131G

http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/140-131g.htm

Chapter 140: Section 131G. Carrying of firearms by non-residents; conditions
Section 131G. Any person who is not a resident of the commonwealth may carry a pistol or revolver in or through the commonwealth for the purpose of taking part in a pistol or revolver competition or attending any meeting or exhibition of any organized group of firearm collectors or for the purpose of hunting; provided, that such person is a resident of the United States and has a permit or license to carry firearms issued under the laws of any state, district or territory thereof which has licensing requirements which prohibit the issuance of permits or licenses to persons who have been convicted of a felony or who have been convicted of the unlawful use, possession or sale of narcotic or harmful drugs; provided, further, that in the case of a person traveling in or through the commonwealth for the purpose of hunting, he has on his person a hunting or sporting license issued by the commonwealth or by the state of his destination. Police officers and other peace officers of any state, territory or jurisdiction within the United States duly authorized to possess firearms by the laws thereof shall, for the purposes of this section, be deemed to have a permit or license to carry firearms as described in this section.

NOTE ABOVE: GSG has pointed out that ONLY a handful of states issue permits that meet the requirement laid out above in Red. This section of law applies to handguns. (under Ch. 140, "firearms" are defined as ONLY HANDGUNS . . . see S. 121 for MA daffynitions of terminology applicable ONLY to Ch. 140). This section does NOT allow handguns for the purposes of "going shooting", only if said shooting is some sort of "MATCH"!

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Upon reflection of your replies, however, it would seem that things have gotten stricter.

Um, no. The information you were previously given was, even at the time, inaccurate.

 

[GSG]

It's illegal, BUT under "officer's discretion" an officer may indeed make a decision not to prosecute someone in those circumstances. That said, betting your house, retirement and future on that may not be a wise thing to do. [Just look at what happened with that dumb kid from CT who got stopped in W. MA on his way to NH, in non-FOPA compliance. That should be a warning to all, that not all State Troopers are "officer friendly"!]

Agreed. Below is the link to what happened with that kid, he didn't even have handguns.

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/58357-Think-this-guy-is-screwed

see S. 121 for MA daffynitions of terminology applicable ONLY to Ch. 140).

so true.

This section does NOT allow handguns for the purposes of "going shooting", only if said shooting is some sort of "MATCH"!

Which is why NE Shooters holds competitions at the end of their training classes, IIRC.

 

[robmcd]

FYI. Out-of-state cars turning into the S&W Shooting Sports Center have been randomly stopped over the last few months. Occupants were been asked whether they had handguns, and if they were licensed in MA. Warnings have been issued, but I have not heard of any arrests.

 

[Cabinetman]

That's disturbing.

Rome