Underage children in a gun shop?

je25ff

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I googled and didn't find anything. Is there anything in the MGL that prohibit an underage person or child (whatever age) from being in a firearm store? Do firearm stores have a general consensus that it's not allowed?
 
There was a thread on here a while ago about a shop that doesn't allow kids.

Basically, their shop, their rules. On the flip side, if I can't bring my well-behaved duaghters into a shop, myself, my daughters and my wallet, just go elsewhere.
 
Common Sense Gun Laws require children to be armed.... wait, nope....

No law, just stupid ass policies in effect.

Unsupervised children will assume to be on fire and doused by a fire extinguisher.
 
Minors routinely shoot at ranges so anything blocking them from shops is a policy- not a law.
 
Bass Pro and Dicks are technically gun stores, plenty of kids in there.



Just to be safe, you may want to leash and muzzle them in the store if they're biters.
 
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Hey if a gun store does not want your kid in there.Then they don't want you.I remember many,many years ago when my kids were well just kids.I went to FS,and Karl took the time to talk to my Son while I was shopping.Then he gave him a free T shirt when we were done.
 
If either of my boys act up in the shop they get a "Vulcan neck pinch". Works every time.

My 7 year old likes to play trivia with all the toy's on the wall. Next we need to start working on the cased guns.
 
I make my minor child secure his firearm in a locked container before we go inside our local gun store.
 
My younger was winning Trap events at 9 years old. At 13, he was an Instructor.

A local (now closed) gun shop told him that he could not look at a trap shotgun, as it would be an illegal transfer. We left.

Moral of the story? Gun shop is free to set whatever policies they like. P!ssing off the next generation of shooters (and their parents, who for now, at least, have the $) is not a policy that ensures success. [laugh]
 
Guys at Old Glory are more then welcoming to my kids every time I'm in there and tend to talk to them more then me which is cool. Gave my youngest a ruger hat on his birthday after talking to him and finding out he had a 10/22 he loved to shoot. Plus he encouraged them to look around and even handle the guns we could never own in MA. Cool in my book and helps me keep the next generation of shooters interested. But my kids know how to behave in store.....
 
I really think that this is one of those "only in Massachusetts" type questions and is indicative of just how far we have slid down the slippery slope.

It's been answered. /thread
 
Just remember if they misbehave, they will be given espresso and a puppy.

Beat me to it... though I sometimes think my 1 yo has an espresso machine hidden someplace. ..

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You both beat me to it!

To make up for my largess, here's the sign:

photo_4.preview.jpg
 
Beat me to it... though I sometimes think my 1 yo has an espresso machine hidden someplace. ..

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You may remember my boy as the kid that CHASED the half track (on foot) at the first flame thrower shoot.

We used to pay his older sister to keep him from falling asleep in the car because holy HELL if he recharged before we got home he'd never go to sleep.
 
Theres no MA Law preventing children being in shops. Just like any other controlled item (liquor, tobacco products) they aren't allowed to handle the controlled merchandise. Now if you are talking public hot tubs there is MGL regarding children being in them but parents routinely ignore that one to their own kids detriment.

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Theres no MA Law preventing children being in shops. Just like any other controlled item (liquor, tobacco products) they aren't allowed to handle the controlled merchandise. Now if you are talking public hot tubs there is MGL regarding children being in them but parents routinely ignore that one to their own kids detriment.

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Would you please cite the specific law that prohibits children from handling "controlled merchandise" (guns, ammo, mags) in a gun shop? I'm all ears and love to learn about new things.
 
Seeing as many of the guns I have purchased have been acquired with the intent of shooting them with my son, I would have a serious problem with a shop that would not let him in.

Carl at Four Seasons helped us one Saturday when we made the trek up with the intention of buying a 10-22 or similar. My son, who was 10 or 11 at the time, petitioned for a 15-22 and a red dot. Carl looked at me and said " I like this kid "
 
it's good to see everyone here on nes has the most well behaved children on the planet. my hat is off to all of you for your exemplary parenting skills. [pot]
 
So there's 2 replies that refer to the law specifically, the rest are basically saying, 'OP asked a stupid question, of course kids are allowed in gun shops legally' Do I have that straight?

You see, a certain someone has an ex wife that would figuratively rape this certain someone with the knowledge of a hint of stepping out of line.
 
I have taken my daughter with me to several shops. One in particular multiple times. I have never been given grief. In one store they have some of her artwork on the back wall behind register. Been up a couple years now.
 
it's good to see everyone here on nes has the most well behaved children on the planet. my hat is off to all of you for your exemplary parenting skills. [pot]

No, the discussion is about what is lawful. Animals belong in a cage and if someone's kids can't behave ANYWHERE outside their home, then those children don't belong in a restaurant, gun shop, supermarket, etc.

My Parents would not tolerate my acting up in public and it is apparent that many members are similar in having trained their children to behave in public. In such case they should not be threatened by some clerk or shop owner for going into the shop with their parents. Especially these days where leaving your children in a car without an adult present is treated by police and DYS almost like a capital crime.


So there's 2 replies that refer to the law specifically, the rest are basically saying, 'OP asked a stupid question, of course kids are allowed in gun shops legally' Do I have that straight?

You see, a certain someone has an ex wife that would figuratively rape this certain someone with the knowledge of a hint of stepping out of line.

OP did not ask a stupid question, however when someone tells a person something stupid (e.g. "it's against the law for children to be in a store or to touch a gun/ammo/magazine") the smart response is to politely ask for a law citation. It's a dumb thing for a clerk or shop owner to do when they make up laws that don't exist. To this day, more than 50 years later, I will not stop into one particular package store due to being threatened that I was breaking the law when I did so at ~18 yo merely to ask to buy a cold soda on a hot day . . . this is the kind of response you are seeing above. And yes, it was reported in an early thread that one gun shop in Norwood ordered him to leave when an NES'r stopped in with his child.
 
My 9 y.o. has been in a number of small shops with me now and in Bass Pro and has handled rifles in both. Never had an issue. If someone pulled the no kids rule on me I'd never go back.
 
The reference to the youth handgun safety act was one I hadn't see before. Anyone under 18 cannot possess a handgun without prior written consent of a parent/guardian unless one of the exempted activities. Testing/shopping isn't in the list.

Seems asinine that a parent standing next to a kid isn't authorization on its own.
 
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The reference to the youth handgun safety act was one night hadn't see before. Anyone under 18 cannot possess a handgun without prior written consent of a parent guardian unless one of the exempted activities. Testing/shopping isn't in the list.

Seems asinine that a parent standing next to a kid isn't authorization on its own.

Little pamphlets put out by anti-gun gov't orgs usually will do a very good job of MIS-representing the actual law.

Here's the law and as far as I know has not been superseded by any other law or juniors/Boy Scout shooting programs wouldn't be able to exist.

MGL C. 140 S. 129C(m):
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter140/Section129C

(m) The temporary holding, handling or firing of a firearm for examination, trial or instruction in the presence of a holder of a license to carry firearms, or the temporary holding, handling or firing of a rifle or shotgun for examination, trial or instruction in the presence of a holder of a firearm identification card, or where such holding, handling or firing is for a lawful purpose;

To me (IANAL) "examination" when a parent with LTC is present seems to NOT exclude "in a gun shop".
 
Would you please cite the specific law that prohibits children from handling "controlled merchandise" (guns, ammo, mags) in a gun shop? I'm all ears and love to learn about new things.
I apologize for not responding sooner Len or being more clear in what I meant. If you read my earlier post in the beginning I said it wasn't illegal for kids to be in shops. That being said there are plenty of shops out there with racks of firearms on the floor all over the store and hanging which are within the reach of kids. I agree totally that if your kids cant behave they shouldn't be in shops. But kids are kids just like accidents happen and even the best behaved children can pick up handle firearms unattended. Especially when they are given the freedom to poke around the shop. If dad is looking elsewhere/ handling firearms in the case he cant be "supervising/overseeing" the unlicensed person/child. Which was the point. When I referenced liquor/tobacco (never said ammunition or magazines) the laws are clear and written in a way that avoids any misinterpretation. The intention is clear so no one can say "oh I was just doing this". If what I am getting from you is correct (if I am wrong please correct me) The supervision by the license holder is where the child derives the ability to handle firearms. No supervising parent no handling, correct?

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