Guide to gun rights in your Massachusetts town

[matt9112]

The licensing authority is not required to provide a reason for restricting a license. That's a common misconception seems to be repeated over and over again.

thanks for the clarity than what did we gain in 2014? i mean refusing to hand out licences was not an issue was it? its the fact that towns have blanket restrictions?

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

thanks for the clarity than what did we gain in 2014? i mean refusing to hand out licences was not an issue was it? its the fact that towns have blanket restrictions?

One of the biggest thing you picked up was this:

A determination of unsuitability shall be based on:
(i) reliable and credible information that the applicant or licensee has exhibited or engaged in behavior that suggests that, if issued a license, the applicant or licensee may create a risk to public safety; or
(ii) existing factors that suggest that, if issued a license, the applicant or licensee may create a risk to public safety.

That and the statutory right to appeal a restriction which a court can order removed if it finds that there was no "reasonable ground" for restricting the license. Don't ask me what constitutes reasonable vs. unreasonable grounds for restricting an LTC, no one has put that in writing.

 

[yogipooh]

Me and wife, 7 weeks for renewal in New Bedford. Restrictions: NONE

 

[jtorres617]

After about 6 weeks from the date of applying, Chelsea seems to be good as GREEN. Received the call and the LTC yesterday evening from the Chelsea PD. First time application with no issue, and NO RESTRICTIONS. Did include in the reasons that Chelsea has a high crime rate, to defend my self, and reasons other then just all lawful purposes.

The detective gave me absolutely no grief and upon going in for finger printing, paying for application, and having my photo taken he stated "if you have absolutely no blemishes in your record, you should consider yourself unrestricted."

 

[NickyB]

I would consider Peabody now a green status. I know multiple people that have gotten unrestricted since the new year, including myself.
Took a full two months.

 

[Tex8322]

Waltham, MA - Hunting and Target Restriction

Dropped off Application - April 27th
Called back - April 29th
Interviewed - May 1st
Received License - June 10th

Waltham is still RED. Officer Richard Modica the licensing officer said he's working on getting the Chief of Police to remove restrictions after 2 years.

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

After about 6 weeks from the date of applying, Chelsea seems to be good as GREEN. Received the call and the LTC yesterday evening from the Chelsea PD. First time application with no issue, and NO RESTRICTIONS. Did include in the reasons that Chelsea has a high crime rate, to defend my self, and reasons other then just all lawful purposes.

You've got to be careful with the 'high crime rate' reason. You don't want to be suggesting to the police that they're not doing their job.

I would consider Peabody now a green status. I know multiple people that have gotten unrestricted since the new year, including myself.
Took a full two months.

Wow! I wonder what happened to make them change their tune????

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

Waltham, MA - Hunting and Target Restriction

Dropped off Application - April 27th
Called back - April 29th
Interviewed - May 1st
Received License - June 10th

Waltham is still RED. Officer Richard Modica the licensing officer said he's working on getting the Chief of Police to remove restrictions after 2 years.

PM Sent!

 

[Chevy 2 65]

Waltham, MA - Hunting and Target Restriction

Dropped off Application - April 27th
Called back - April 29th
Interviewed - May 1st
Received License - June 10th

Waltham is still RED. Officer Richard Modica the licensing officer said he's working on getting the Chief of Police to remove restrictions after 2 years.

How nice of them.. After 2 years. Thats amazing

 

[sweendog64]

I am making the move from Ohio next week to Randolph MA, i have already taken my basic fire arms class to apply for my ltc at MFS and just wondering if anyone from NES had applied this year with the new laws in place, in Randolph. just trying to get an idea of what to expect. I've posted here in the past about moving but now i know for sure Randolph is where i will be starting out.

Thanks

- - -

 

[browncoat]

I am making the move from Ohio next week to Randolph MA, i have already taken my basic fire arms class to apply for my ltc at MFS and just wondering if anyone from NES had applied this year with the new laws in place, in Randolph. just trying to get an idea of what to expect. I've posted here in the past about moving but now i know for sure Randolph is where i will be starting out.

Thanks

- - -

I don't know about Randolph in particular, but I do know that towns with similar issuance policies are still issuing restricted licenses. If you can move to a different nearby town (Avon, Holbrook, Abington) before you apply you will be in a better position to get an unrestricted license.

 

[gaslogs5]

Hi,
I'm thinking about moving to North Andover (from Haverhill). I've had my LTC-A unrestricted now for about 18 years. North Andover shows as a RED town. Does anyone have any recent feedback on the LTC process and why/if the town is RED. I'm not interested in moving to North Andover if I am going to have any issues with the unrestricted LTC.
Thanks

 

[Mike02346]

Hi,
I'm thinking about moving to North Andover (from Haverhill). I've had my LTC-A unrestricted now for about 18 years. North Andover shows as a RED town. Does anyone have any recent feedback on the LTC process and why/if the town is RED. I'm not interested in moving to North Andover if I am going to have any issues with the unrestricted LTC.
Thanks

http://www.comm2a.org/index.php/resources/licensing-town-by-town-2015

In 2014 North Andover issued 130 Unrestricted LTC-A and 58 with restrictions. Seems kind of hit or miss to me

 

[BigAl23]

West Brookfield, First time ever applicant. I filed in April and got it first week of June. About 6 weeks. LTC Class A unrestricted

 

[souper]

As for carry, Davis v. Grimes is limping along. It appears that Peabody has changed their policy and is now a 'green' town.

Nice. I actually emailed Detective Crane 2 weeks ago asking about possibly removing the restrictions from my LTC-A (granted in June of 2012). I just left him a voicemail.. hopefully he comes through.

 

[bandaid bandit]

Nice. I actually emailed Detective Crane 2 weeks ago asking about possibly removing the restrictions from my LTC-A (granted in June of 2012). I just left him a voicemail.. hopefully he comes through.

I know from a few friends that have seen him he does it, but rather reluctantly. And is apparently totally pro 2a, but is uneasy about having to give out LTCs like candy to people who haven't been "trained"


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[DecOFlaherty]

Everything is still green here in Saugus.

 

[matt9112]

I know from a few friends that have seen him he does it, but rather reluctantly. And is apparently totally pro 2a, but is uneasy about having to give out LTCs like candy to people who haven't been "trained"


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(face palm) should people go to Harvard before they can excersize free speech? you cant be ProA and be like...well with lots of special roll around on the ground training. look at Watertown bomber incident...what training is this? because from what i see it sucks bullocks.

 

[mark056]

(face palm) should people go to Harvard before they can excersize free speech? you cant be ProA and be like...well with lots of special roll around on the ground training. look at Watertown bomber incident...what training is this? because from what i see it sucks bullocks.

shall not be infringed BUT in 2015 Amerika not 1815 America people don't grow up around guns, don't understand gun culture and based on some of the questions asked on this forum are basically clueless.

I wish that people would get training. It's the moral and ethical thing to do. Oh that makes me a statist, nope...I support Constitutional Carry 1000 percent, but there are a lot of half cocked clueless yayhoos running around exercising their constitutional rights, and a few in prison because they didn't understand, know or care about the dynamics of lethal force in employing a firearm. You don't need to go to Harvard to exercise your constitutional 1A right but you don't yell "Fire" in a crowded theater either. There are people stupid enough to do that. Your analogy is a tad extreme.

I'm not advocating licensure or mandatory training but I sure wish everyone would get good training taught by competent instructors.

 

[bostonasphalt2]

shall not be infringed BUT in 2015 Amerika not 1815 America people don't grow up around guns, don't understand gun culture and based on some of the questions asked on this forum are basically clueless.

I wish that people would get training. It's the moral and ethical thing to do. Oh that makes me a statist, nope...I support Constitutional Carry 1000 percent, but there are a lot of half cocked clueless yayhoos running around exercising their constitutional rights, and a few in prison because they didn't understand, know or care about the dynamics of lethal force in employing a firearm. You don't need to go to Harvard to exercise your constitutional 1A right but you don't yell "Fire" in a crowded theater either. There are people stupid enough to do that. Your analogy is a tad extreme.

I'm not advocating licensure or mandatory training but I sure wish everyone would get good training taught by competent instructors.

Amen to that!

 

[matt9112]

shall not be infringed BUT in 2015 Amerika not 1815 America people don't grow up around guns, don't understand gun culture and based on some of the questions asked on this forum are basically clueless.

I wish that people would get training. It's the moral and ethical thing to do. Oh that makes me a statist, nope...I support Constitutional Carry 1000 percent, but there are a lot of half cocked clueless yayhoos running around exercising their constitutional rights, and a few in prison because they didn't understand, know or care about the dynamics of lethal force in employing a firearm. You don't need to go to Harvard to exercise your constitutional 1A right but you don't yell "Fire" in a crowded theater either. There are people stupid enough to do that. Your analogy is a tad extreme.

I'm not advocating licensure or mandatory training but I sure wish everyone would get good training taught by competent instructors.

One thing that makes America great is that it is ok to be stupid. Sure I think training is ethical but the cost of said training is a bit of a barrier of entry. Hence I have no formal training but that's what's great about this country. Common sence alone will carry you far....

 

[Garys]

I find this interesting since most police agencies in MA require qualification once a year. I'd bet that most people on NES shoot more often than that. They also pay for their own training, so they have a vested interest in paying attention. They aren't "required" to go to training as a condition of employment.

I know from a few friends that have seen him he does it, but rather reluctantly. And is apparently totally pro 2a, but is uneasy about having to give out LTCs like candy to people who haven't been "trained"


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[Len-2A Training]

I find this interesting since most police agencies in MA require qualification once a year. I'd bet that most people on NES shoot more often than that. They also pay for their own training, so they have a vested interest in paying attention. They aren't "required" to go to training as a condition of employment.

Gary, they do NOT do "training" once a year . . . LE merely gets to fire their guns at stationary targets once a year. From what I was recently told, what firearms training they get in their initial academy doesn't amount to much of the important stuff (like the cardinal rules of gun safety) either.

 

[mark056]

Gary, they do NOT do "training" once a year . . . LE merely gets to fire their guns at stationary targets once a year. From what I was recently told, what firearms training they get in their initial academy doesn't amount to much of the important stuff (like the cardinal rules of gun safety) either.

That's sad but true although some agencies are more comprehensive than others. MSP training at the Academy goes well beyond that during the initial training phase.

GaryS the only problem with your statement is that most gun owners are NOT members of NES and don't confuse going to the square range and putting few down range at 7 to 25 yards at a stationary target in a casual environment with real training using today's most advanced techniques. I'd say many gun owners fall into the category of taking the basic safety course without range time, buying a gun, going to someplace like MFL or maybe their local Rod and Gun Club and then strapping on the gun and carrying it, or putting it in an easily accessible place in the home and not thinking too much more about it. That's a simple fact of life. Granted, there are people here who are 100 percent better qualified shooters than most of the police (there are always a few on every department who are into firearms) and most military, but a significant percentage of shooters simply aren't well trained or well qualified and if you are trying to imply in a thinly veiled way that they are, I don't think your argument would pass muster. Maybe a hundred years ago, but not today.

 

[Garys]

I didn't say training Len, I said qualification. I don't know what they get at the academy, but I'd guess it varies a lot by which academy they go to.

Gary, they do NOT do "training" once a year . . . LE merely gets to fire their guns at stationary targets once a year. From what I was recently told, what firearms training they get in their initial academy doesn't amount to much of the important stuff (like the cardinal rules of gun safety) either.

 

[Garys]

I was pretty specific when I said NES members. Maybe my keyboard is screwed up because people seem to be reading stuff in my post that I'm not actually typing in. First Len, then you.

It's a new keyboard too, so all the letters are marked and the keycaps are all where they belong.

Most gun owners don't train enough, but I'd rather risk that than have the government set the standards and administer the tests. To me, it's like the old literacy tests used in some places to keep people from voting.

That's sad but true although some agencies are more comprehensive than others. MSP training at the Academy goes well beyond that during the initial training phase.

GaryS the only problem with your statement is that most gun owners are NOT members of NES and don't confuse going to the square range and putting few down range at 7 to 25 yards at a stationary target in a casual environment with real training using today's most advanced techniques. I'd say many gun owners fall into the category of taking the basic safety course without range time, buying a gun, going to someplace like MFL or maybe their local Rod and Gun Club and then strapping on the gun and carrying it, or putting it in an easily accessible place in the home and not thinking too much more about it. That's a simple fact of life. Granted, there are people here who are 100 percent better qualified shooters than most of the police (there are always a few on every department who are into firearms) and most military, but a significant percentage of shooters simply aren't well trained or well qualified and if you are trying to imply in a thinly veiled way that they are, I don't think your argument would pass muster. Maybe a hundred years ago, but not today.

 

[mark056]

I was pretty specific when I said NES members. Maybe my keyboard is screwed up because people seem to be reading stuff in my post that I'm not actually typing in. First Len, then you. It's a new keyboard too, so all the letters are marked and the keycaps are all where they belong. Most gun owners don't train enough, but I'd rather risk that than have the government set the standards and administer the tests. To me, it's like the old literacy tests used in some places to keep people from voting.

Congrats on the new keyboard BTW despite intent, truth becomes perception and perception, alas, becomes truth. People will read what they will read and draw their own conclusions, yeah? So your last post raises an interesting point, granted life itself is risk, crossing a street is risk, getting out of bed in the morning without breaking your neck is risk. You would rather risk having gun owners (and that would presumably include the police too, as gun possessors or in the case of some depts like NYPD where they are indeed gun owners because they have to buy their duty weapons from an approved list) to have no training or familiarization with firearms which can be and are generally contrived to be lethal weapons than have some kind of mandated training or famiarizaltiion. I agree that a .gov mandate for gun ownership could become ridiculous. One could have to be an Olympic level shooter to pass a shooting test, for example. I totally, totally get that. So you seem to be saying IMO that you are happy with the status quo: an essentially untrained populace, and an under qualified police, no?

 

[Jttgspring]

Hello. John here. Heard about NES from, well everybody. Stalked about for a few months, and just went green! I live in Auburn, it's also green, as far as rights are concerned! Permitting was fast! Happy to be a full part of the community!

 

[souper]

I know from a few friends that have seen him he does it, but rather reluctantly. And is apparently totally pro 2a, but is uneasy about having to give out LTCs like candy to people who haven't been "trained"


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He is requesting they be removed. Yay.

 

[RandomBS]

For anyone in Chicopee, I was issued a sporting LTC-A in 2013, since then they have gone green. However I called in today and I was told they would not remove my restriction until my current license expires (2019). The lady on the phone explained that the new chief isn't allowed to change licenses that were issued by the old chief, not sure how valid it is but it's the explanation I got.