Firearms transfer from Mass to Maine

[Him]

I have a Walther P22 that I want to give to my uncle who lives in Maine. He has his license, I have mine. I know to transfer firearms into Mass from another state you have to do it through an FFL and pay the heightened transfer fee. How does it work going from Mass to Maine? Do I have to tell Mass that it is leaving, do I have to get an FFL to ship it to an FFL in Maine?

 

[Kevlar]

How does it work going from Mass to Maine?

The same way. Interstate transfers of handguns must be effected by a FFL in the recipients state.

Do I have to tell Mass that it is leaving...

No notification is required.

...do I have to get an FFL to ship it to an FFL in Maine?

It is legal for you to ship it directly to the Maine FFL, but check with them first, as some FFLs won't accept shipments from non-FFLs.

 

[Him]

Excellent stuff, thanks.

Off the top of your head, do you know how Kittery will handle it? Meaning, how much they charge and if they'll accept a shipment from a non-ffl?

 

[appraiser]

OK you have to get it to a willing FFL in Maine.

Uncle is licensed in Maine, and since I know nothing about the law, the cheapest way out is for you to meet him in NH, say Portsmouth, give him the gun ( with the caveat that it is unloaded and the magazines are empty while it is in NH while in a vehicle, and while in his possession it is for "sporting purposes", not for protection or CCW either in NH or Maine.)

Now you follow him and the gun into Maine where you meet at a FFL to transfer it.

Does that work?

The cost and hassle of a non FFL shipping a hand gun "common carrier" is a royal PITA, and only FFL's can ship handguns via the US Mail IIRC

 

[drgrant]

It's easy. Just drive it up there to any ME FFL and then have your Uncle come in and pick it up from the dealer.

There's no notification on the MA side... once a gun goes in the CHSB database, it never comes out, so there's nothing you can do there anyways. There is no requirement (or even ability, for that matter) in MGL for an individual or a gun shop, to "unregister" a handgun. All you should do is get a reciept from the ME FFL for your records, and that's all you need. (Transfer on date XYZ from so and so for gun SN blah blah etc. ) This isn't even a legal requirement just a personal accounting thing for your own records.

-Mike

 

[drgrant]

OK you have to get it to a willing FFL in Maine.

Uncle is licensed in Maine, and since I know nothing about the law, the cheapest way out is for you to meet him in NH, say Portsmouth, give him the gun ( with the caveat that it is unloaded and the magazines are empty while it is in NH while in a vehicle, and while in his possession it is for "sporting purposes", not for protection or CCW either in NH or Maine.)

You don't even need to do that. . Maine is free by default. The OP can bring it there unloaded in his vehicle to whatever ME FFL to do the transfer. (BTW, this very same concept would work most states except the half dozen or so commie ones- Most states don't require any kind of licensing for unloaded possession of a handgun. )

ETA: It's also worth noting that "gun licenses" in ME and NH are only used for concealed carry of handguns NOT ownership. Being "there" is all that's required for lawful possession or ownership. All the licenses do is lift/waive the concealed/vehicle carry prohibitions in the laws in the states in question. They don't convey ownership privileges or anything like what MA does.

-Mike

 

[appraiser]

OK that sounds even better, hope that helps the OP save some coin.