foxwoods321
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Can anyone tell me if Massachusetts has any gun control laws or regulations that are different than Texas, do I need to register or anything? I only have a few shotguns and a rifle.
Looks like I'll be selling my guns, or I'll give them to my parents. Thanks Justin.
Sorry for the long post but below should give you all the basic information you will need to know when moving the the The People's Communist Republic of Massachusetts
I am from MA and it is a pain and we will have some restrictions based on what firearms you do have and you are possibly neuter your riffles based on what you have.
Moving With Firearms
In MA, there is the FID, which is shall-issue but only allows you to own low-capacity rifles and shotguns, and the LTC-B and A. Forget the B, it's useless. Go for the A, as it costs the same as the two other licenses and lets you own everything MA legal (the others don't) except machine guns, plus allows concealed carry if unrestricted.. So, getting one is your first priority on moving.
You can bring your firearms with you when you move, and this may be desirable as this is the only way you can get your firearms into the state without having to file registration forms on them once they're here. Bring them with you, immediately lock them up on arriving, and then start the LTC process. You have 60 days to apply for your license from the time you move in with firearms, but you want to do it as fast as possible so you can receive it within that 60 days.
As soon as you arrive, go to the RMV, get your car registration and license switched, and send in a voter registration, set up utilities and update your bank statements to your MA address. This should be enough to prove residency so you can start the application process with your town's PD.
If you choose to leave your firearms and bring them later, you will need to file an FA-10 form with the Criminal History Systems Board for each firearm brought in later (plus any firearms you buy in MA). These forms can be obtained from your local PD.
What Can I Bring?
There are a few classes of firearms that are not allowed in Massachuetts. So called "assault weapons," which have the same definition as under the old, expired Federal Assault Weapons Ban, cannot be brought in unless they were in AW configuration before 9/13/1994.
Thus, using an AR-15 as an example, your rifle has to have been a preban receiver with bayonet lug, flash hider, folding/collapsible stock, grenade launcher, or a threaded muzzle, etc made before that date to be legal in MA. If it was manufactured after that date, you'll have to cut off the bayonet lug, permanently pin any collapsible stock, and remove the flash hider and threads or permanently cover the threads with a muzzle brake. This also goes for any other rifles, such as post-ban AKs, which may have these features.
Basically, for a rifle with a detachable magazine or fixed magazine holding over ten rounds, (other than a fixed, tubular magazine .22 rifle), you can have one of the following: Pistol grip, flash suppressor, threaded muzzle or flash suppressor, collapsible/folding stock, bayonet lug, grenade launcher.
Also, you can't bring post-ban "assault pistols" that weigh over 50 ounces. Thus, without massive surgery, AR pistols and the like are out.
Certain classes of semiautomatic shotguns are also covered.
Violation of the above is a felony.
Other than that: Boston has a ban on the FN 5.7 pistol, SW500 revolver, Barrett .50BMG, and its own assault weapons ban that is more restrictive in certain ways (NO AR-15s, FALs, AKs, SKSs, period), as well as a ban on possessing any long gun magazines holding over ten rounds or shotgun mags holding more than 6 shells. This is a "home rule" regulation that only applies to residents of Boston, according to a vacationing attorney.
That's pretty easy to comply with. However, possession of large capacity magazines made after 9/13/1994 is a straight felony. There are ways to tell with some mags, others may be more difficult to tell. If you have any newer mags, you'll have to sell them before you come, or leave them with someone, and buy ten rounders.
In MA we have a MA compliance list which only applies to handguns sold to you by a MA FFL dealer, but you can buy guns that are not on a MA compliance list thru private sales.
If I were you I would get all the Handguns that are not on a the list (Glock, XD's, etc.) and then move to MA.