People are getting too wrapped around the axle about buying handguns here in PRM!!
- Unlike other states where a purchase/sale is made with a handshake, green cash and a wave goodbye . . . we have REGISTRATION of all transactions in MA!!
- In "free states" someone may be able to "fake it" that they actually live in the same state as the buyer/seller. In PRM, we have a LTC that is MANDATORY to buy/sell a handgun! BOTH buyer and seller SHOULD look at the other party's LTC, read it carefully, verify that it is a RESIDENT LTC (as a holder of a NR LTC can neither buy or sell anything to a non-FFL in MA), that it is still valid, proper class for gun in question, etc.
- BOTH parties MUST have their LTC info on the FA-10.
- BOTH parties SHOULD review the info and compare it to the actual LTCs to ensure that no errors were made BEFORE SIGNING the form.
- THIS IS THE ONLY PROOF THAT YOU NEED THAT THE SALE/PURCHASE WAS LEGAL IN MA!
I kept it simple above in the vain hope that everyone will "get it" and not keep beating this dead horse, over and over again!
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Some additional info that hopefully won't confuse the issue.
- If you get the heeby-jeebies when you meet the buyer/seller, it is in your best interest to call the deal off and "walk", no matter if you are the buyer or seller! If someone makes a comment that "good, now I'll be able to get even with that SOB", etc. I recommend "walking away" and notifying the local PD! USE COMMON SENSE!!!
- If the gun had previously been used in a double murder, you'd have no way to know at a purchase until someone "comes knocking". They'll take the gun but if you show them your FA-10 form (DON'T give away the original, give them a copy if at all possible), they will want to question you about the seller but you won't be in hot water. Same thing could happen with a dealer sale to any one of us!
- I don't think the CHSB database is so swift that they will readily ID a crime gun from the FA-10s unless the gun was left at the scene or found on a perp committing a crime! MA and CHSB is NOT CSI and real life is NOT A TV SHOW!
- If anyone were to ever actually read the Instructions attached to an FA-10 (and I am partially guilty too, see below), you will see the answers to almost all your questions that keep getting asked here over and over again! It lists SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS for the following:
* Person to Person Transfer
* Registration (e.g. you get CMP M1, use your C&R FFL to obtain a gun, bring a gun into MA from your Summer/Winter residence in NH/FL, inherit a gun, etc.)
* REPORTING LOSS/THEFT - very interesting . . . I never read this one, but we MUST FILE AN FA-10 ON EVERY GUN LOST OR STOLEN FROM US!
Each of the above tells you which SECTIONS of the form to fill out and which ones to IGNORE for the particular transaction!
