Psychedelic Bang
New member
I'm just curious, as to what the laws in these states are, and why so many handguns don't seem to fit their bill. What are the rules here?
Thanks...
Thanks...
What makes a gun CA or MA compliant?
- Thread starter Psychedelic Bang
- Start date
For MA, no hicap mags made after the 1994 ban, 10 pound trigger pull, loaded chamber indicator, various restrictions on "assault weapons". I don't think an external safety is required, if there are other safety mechanisms . Firearms must safety tested (includes drop and "Frisbee" test) and approved by the state. For this reason, old Glocks are legal but new ones are not. Even items on the MA "approved" list might not be legal for sale because the AG has various undocumented rules.
I live in mass. We can have firerams with no external safety. If there is no external safety the trigger pull needs to be sold with a weight of at least 10 pounds. After you buy the gun the trigger can be legally lightened to what ever you want. It also needs to pass a drop test, and have a loaded chamber indacator. Companies have to submit a sample of each model they want to sell to the state for testing. They are very specific. For example, we can buy a stainless sig p232 but not the blued version. When sig sent a sample in it was stainless, since the state did not test the blued version we cannot buy it new in the state. Tell me that makes any sense. I hope this info helps.
Bill
Bill
armsmaster270
New member
Ca No Hi cap mags all have to pass DOJ testing standards Drop test etc
For info go to http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/
For info go to http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/
therealtwitch
New member
i believe california model guns have to have a magazine disconnect
deadcoyote
New member
CA models
Ca models do not have to have a magazine disconnect. However, they have to pass a series of tests to insure they're "safe". Gun co's wishing to sell handguns in CA must pay DOJ to conduct these certification tests, and its a pretty good chunk of change. So basically if you wont pay DOJ's fee you cant do business. I dont have a dictionary on hand but the word extortion comes to mind.
Ca models do not have to have a magazine disconnect. However, they have to pass a series of tests to insure they're "safe". Gun co's wishing to sell handguns in CA must pay DOJ to conduct these certification tests, and its a pretty good chunk of change. So basically if you wont pay DOJ's fee you cant do business. I dont have a dictionary on hand but the word extortion comes to mind.
CUBAN REDNECK
New member
Mass Rules
I used to live in MA, and compliant was basically making sure that you didn't have one. That being said, you can go to the MA State Police website, they have more details. These somewhat onerous rules were the brainchild of then MA AG (now congressman) Delahunt and John Rosenthal, the millionaire anti-gun organizer. These laws were signed by Mitt Romney, in case anyone cares.
I used to live in MA, and compliant was basically making sure that you didn't have one. That being said, you can go to the MA State Police website, they have more details. These somewhat onerous rules were the brainchild of then MA AG (now congressman) Delahunt and John Rosenthal, the millionaire anti-gun organizer. These laws were signed by Mitt Romney, in case anyone cares.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
$200, mostly.
MA compliance involves date of manufacture, at least for some weapons. Some third gen Glocks qualify, but not all and only a small number of the compacts. At least that's what I understood when I asked a vendor (www.summitgunbroker.com).
MA gun lawsoes anyone have the foggiest idea what's going on?
Firstly, I'm very new to the world of gun ownership. A few years back I picked up a copy of "The Universe in a Nutshell" by the physicist Stephen Hawking. Let me tell you that this Einstein-like book about theoretical physics was a PIECE OF CAKE to understand compared to the MA gun laws. Honestly, what the hell is going on? More to the point WHO the hell knows what is going on and could I speak with him/her?
Here's a brief summary of what I've experienced as a new LTC holder trying to figure out what's up.
-Took the required firearms safety course: was told to check out the MA approved roster of firearms (most recent online copy seemed to be from April 09)
-Got my LTC and looked around online for the gun(s) I wanted
-Found some Glocks and HKs that caught my eye BUT no online dealers would transfer any handgun I wanted to a MA dealer (even if it was listed on the approved roster)
-Okay, fine, I find a local dealer stocking the firearms I was interested in. I bought an HK P2000sk
-Visited another local gun dealer - was told by the 2nd dealer that the first dealer had sold me an illegal gun and, further, that I couldn't follow the MA approved roster because NOT ALL GUNS APPROVED ARE ACTUALLY APPROVED??!!!
-Visited a 3rd dealer who contradicted most of what the 1st and 2nd dealer said and when discussing Glocks stated "You can't buy a Glock in MA unless you're a cop" Then went on to say "BUT JUST BECAUSE ANOTHER GUN ISN'T ON THE MA APPROVED ROSTER DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T OWN IT"
-Looked into a bit further and found that I COULD own the HK but not in my .40, only with the .357 barrel. Looked into it and couldn't find a .357 barrel for sale anywhere.
-Researched MA law a bit more and read some fine print which stated that "there are no specific restrictions on what a MA resident can OWN but only on what can be SOLD/PURCHASED in MA (what?)
- Finally, when my irritation had reached an all time high, I simply visited the chief of police in my town, who is a family friend. I brought my HK with me and had him look at it. He told me "It's fine. It's really the high cap mags that you have to worry about"
Now, I don't care if he's right or not. All I care about is that he gave me a thumbs up. but, in summary...
I CAN'T BUY MY HK BUT I CAN OWN IT. I CAN BUY A GLOCK BUT ONLY IF I'M A COP, NO WAIT, I CAN BUY IT BUT NOT IF IT'S ON THE APPROVED ROSTER, ER, WAIT, I CAN'T BUY A GLOCK EVEN IF IT'S ON THE APPROVED ROSTER BUT I CAN OWN IT IF I ALREADY BOUGHT IT. I CAN OWN WHATEVER I WANT IF I GO BACK IN TIME BEFORE 1998 AND HAVE IT MADE UP TO THE CURRENT SPECS AND THEN TRANSPORT BACK TO 2009. I CAN'T HAVE HIGH CAP MAGAZINES ALTHOUGH I CAN IF I, OR ANYONE ELSE, ALREADY HAD THEM.
AM I CLEAR?
oes anyone have the foggiest idea what's going on?Firstly, I'm very new to the world of gun ownership. A few years back I picked up a copy of "The Universe in a Nutshell" by the physicist Stephen Hawking. Let me tell you that this Einstein-like book about theoretical physics was a PIECE OF CAKE to understand compared to the MA gun laws. Honestly, what the hell is going on? More to the point WHO the hell knows what is going on and could I speak with him/her?
Here's a brief summary of what I've experienced as a new LTC holder trying to figure out what's up.
-Took the required firearms safety course: was told to check out the MA approved roster of firearms (most recent online copy seemed to be from April 09)
-Got my LTC and looked around online for the gun(s) I wanted
-Found some Glocks and HKs that caught my eye BUT no online dealers would transfer any handgun I wanted to a MA dealer (even if it was listed on the approved roster)
-Okay, fine, I find a local dealer stocking the firearms I was interested in. I bought an HK P2000sk
-Visited another local gun dealer - was told by the 2nd dealer that the first dealer had sold me an illegal gun and, further, that I couldn't follow the MA approved roster because NOT ALL GUNS APPROVED ARE ACTUALLY APPROVED??!!!
-Visited a 3rd dealer who contradicted most of what the 1st and 2nd dealer said and when discussing Glocks stated "You can't buy a Glock in MA unless you're a cop" Then went on to say "BUT JUST BECAUSE ANOTHER GUN ISN'T ON THE MA APPROVED ROSTER DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T OWN IT"
-Looked into a bit further and found that I COULD own the HK but not in my .40, only with the .357 barrel. Looked into it and couldn't find a .357 barrel for sale anywhere.
-Researched MA law a bit more and read some fine print which stated that "there are no specific restrictions on what a MA resident can OWN but only on what can be SOLD/PURCHASED in MA (what?)
- Finally, when my irritation had reached an all time high, I simply visited the chief of police in my town, who is a family friend. I brought my HK with me and had him look at it. He told me "It's fine. It's really the high cap mags that you have to worry about"
Now, I don't care if he's right or not. All I care about is that he gave me a thumbs up. but, in summary...
I CAN'T BUY MY HK BUT I CAN OWN IT. I CAN BUY A GLOCK BUT ONLY IF I'M A COP, NO WAIT, I CAN BUY IT BUT NOT IF IT'S ON THE APPROVED ROSTER, ER, WAIT, I CAN'T BUY A GLOCK EVEN IF IT'S ON THE APPROVED ROSTER BUT I CAN OWN IT IF I ALREADY BOUGHT IT. I CAN OWN WHATEVER I WANT IF I GO BACK IN TIME BEFORE 1998 AND HAVE IT MADE UP TO THE CURRENT SPECS AND THEN TRANSPORT BACK TO 2009. I CAN'T HAVE HIGH CAP MAGAZINES ALTHOUGH I CAN IF I, OR ANYONE ELSE, ALREADY HAD THEM.
AM I CLEAR?
MAss confusion
I'll pile on here. JSB, BillyM, and DKnine have the finer points, and a few others, covered well. The bottom line is MA wrote the federal AWB into law after the federal "sunset"- Thanks Mitt. So at the end of the day, MA has its own firearms manufacturing and safety standards. But on top of that, even after safety and drop tests are passed, the AG has to deem any particular weapon as compliant to the ban laws based on the AG's staff's interpretation of the laws. So there is a SUBJECTIVE aspect to the rules governing which weapons can be bought and sold new in MA, Hi capp not included in this rationale because issue and definition of high capacity is covered in the plain language of the ban, pre 94 high capp feeding devices only. IMHO there should be no SUBJECTIVITY in the application of law, too much speculation abounds about why one weapon is MA compliant and one isn't when they both have been certified as safe by the office of public safety. Then of course these rules only apply to civilians, not saying I want our LEO's or Military personel using anything but the best and most effective implements known to man, but I feel that if there were any real concerns over safety the ban(s) would be universal. Infer ulterier motives for yourselves.
I'll pile on here. JSB, BillyM, and DKnine have the finer points, and a few others, covered well. The bottom line is MA wrote the federal AWB into law after the federal "sunset"- Thanks Mitt. So at the end of the day, MA has its own firearms manufacturing and safety standards. But on top of that, even after safety and drop tests are passed, the AG has to deem any particular weapon as compliant to the ban laws based on the AG's staff's interpretation of the laws. So there is a SUBJECTIVE aspect to the rules governing which weapons can be bought and sold new in MA, Hi capp not included in this rationale because issue and definition of high capacity is covered in the plain language of the ban, pre 94 high capp feeding devices only. IMHO there should be no SUBJECTIVITY in the application of law, too much speculation abounds about why one weapon is MA compliant and one isn't when they both have been certified as safe by the office of public safety. Then of course these rules only apply to civilians, not saying I want our LEO's or Military personel using anything but the best and most effective implements known to man, but I feel that if there were any real concerns over safety the ban(s) would be universal. Infer ulterier motives for yourselves.