MICHAEL GILLETTE
NES Member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2019
- Messages
- 422
- Likes
- 519
Can NH residents travel to/from and participate in event without running afoul of MA gun laws?
GOAL - Travel Info
www.goal.org
If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership The benefits pay for the membership many times over.
Can NH residents travel to/from and participate in event without running afoul of MA gun laws?
Can NH residents travel to/from and participate in event without running afoul of MA gun laws?
GOAL - Travel Info
www.goal.org
There is an interesting edge case. The exemption requires that the person have a permit from a "state, district or territory" that does not issue permits to felons or drug users. As written, it excludes permits for persons with minor MJ convictions who can get an LTC in the DPRM.
How this would be enforced in practice is anyone's guess, since visitors to MA for matches tend to be gray men/women when it comes to guns. But, consider that the MA SJC took a hard line on the "60 day exemption for new arrivals" (new arrivals can possess guns for 60 days after moving in, but must have them teleported to their new residence since the law as written does not appear to cover transport. A new arrival tried to use this exemption, but the marsupials ruled that "high capacity firearm" was a different definition than "firearm" (I think it covered rifles at shotguns in addition to firearms) and the legislature "could have, but did not, expand the new arrival exemption to include this new item". Despite the apparently clear wording of the 60 day exemption, the courts have taken a more restrictive view (See Commonwealth v. Cornelius).
Now, to make it more interesting the law requires the permit be from a state that does not issue permits to people who have been convicted of the use or sale of "narcotic or harmful drugs". MJ is not a narcotic and, since legal, can be argued is not "harmful". Is there one or more state where any other drug crime makes on eligible for a license? Does MA law define MJ as a "Narcotic" even though is medically is not one.
And then there are people using *really* bogus logic like "I an from VT; VT does not require a permit; therefore I have the same status in regard to this law as someone who has a permit since I can legally possess handguns in my home state". Nope.
On a semi-related matter I am aware of an individual who was arrested with a handgun in NY and attempted to apply the 265.20-13(b) exemption for matches in NY law. His problem was the match he claimed to be attending (and likely was) was not "advance registration" so there was no paper trail. I know the DA's office contacted the HQ of the org sanctioning the match with all sorts of questions trying to find out if his claim was legit.
Pro tip if you do get pulled over....
This has been debated a lot on NES. Many people think there is a competition exemption but resident legal experts like @Rob Boudrie and @Len-2A Training have made it clear that the competition exemption doesn't exist:
People do it all the time but realize if cops are searching your car and see you have guns and you don't have a MA LTC or non-resident LTC, I just can't see how they would be okay with that and send you on your way.
Lock up your stuff in the trunk and keep any gun related stuff out of sight. Certainly helps to not have gun related stickers all over your rear windshield.
Way behind - Thanks Ramon The Outlaw Match was great fun - chilly - but fun. Thanks to You, Mike, Dave, et al for a great year! Looking forward to 2022 with Squad #1.Our last match of the season is now open on practiscore it’s an outlaw steel match 5-7 targets per stage lots of fun
Home | PractiScore
www.practiscore.com
Thanks BobWay behind - Thanks Ramon The Outlaw Match was great fun - chilly - but fun. Thanks to You, Mike, Dave, et al for a great year! Looking forward to 2022 with Squad #1.
Cheers
Bob