Guide to gun rights in your Massachusetts town

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Knuckle Dragger said:
Comm2A received something about Amesbury. Apparently the LTC application packet now contains this:

This apparently new since last summer.
Click to expand...

We had a change in police chiefs several years ago. My wife and I are both up for renewal however I still have a few months. The new requirements for unrestricted LTC-A in Amesbury read as this.

"All applicants, including renewals, seeking an "unrestricted" license to carry firearms shall provide in writing (brief letter form is preferred) a detailed explanation of why they require such license and why they fear for their personal safety or their property, per M.G.L c140-s131 (d). Simply putting "all lawful purposes" on your application does not meet the State Standard. Otherwise, it will be a restricted license (see page 3.)

Page 3: To help applicants better understand what is meant by the "State standard", which must be met in order to obtain an "unrestricted" license to carry firearms the following information was taken from a form being used by the MA firearms Record Bureau in Chelsea, for non-residents.
This standard is and should be uniformly applicable to MA residents and non-resident owners of a business in Massachusetts. This is in accordance with M.G.L c140, s131 (d)

In order to obtain a license to carry firearms without any restriction, all such applicants will need to provide information in writing showing a "good reason to fear injury to person or property". The determination of whether the applicant has "good reason to fear injury to person or property" is based on specific detailed information regarding where and why the applicant intends to possess or use the firearm within the Commonwealth .This Basically pertains to when you are away from your residence or place of business.

Also, applicants should not rely on general crime statistics, information about the particular weapon they intend to carry, previous issued licenses issued elsewhere or any "boiler plate" reason provided by a third party (usually by a safety course instructor". Vague information regarding carrying of cash or valuables, a reluctance to rely on police protection or a non-descript fear of harm will not meet the "good reason to fear injury to person or property" standard.
 
Subsailor said:
"All applicants, including renewals, seeking an "unrestricted" license to carry firearms shall provide in writing (brief letter form is preferred) a detailed explanation of why they require such license and why they fear for their personal safety or their property, per M.G.L c140-s131 (d). Simply putting "all lawful purposes" on your application does not meet the State Standard. Otherwise, it will be a restricted license (see page 3.)
Click to expand...

WTF.

Wasn't this covered by Heller? And another US Supreme Court case, as I recall.
 
Subsailor said:
We had a change in police chiefs several years ago. My wife and I are both up for renewal however I still have a few months. The new requirements for unrestricted LTC-A in Amesbury read as this.

"All applicants, including renewals, seeking an "unrestricted" license to carry firearms shall provide in writing (brief letter form is preferred) a detailed explanation of why they require such license and why they fear for their personal safety or their property, per M.G.L c140-s131 (d). Simply putting "all lawful purposes" on your application does not meet the State Standard. Otherwise, it will be a restricted license (see page 3.)

Page 3: To help applicants better understand what is meant by the "State standard", which must be met in order to obtain an "unrestricted" license to carry firearms the following information was taken from a form being used by the MA firearms Record Bureau in Chelsea, for non-residents.
This standard is and should be uniformly applicable to MA residents and non-resident owners of a business in Massachusetts. This is in accordance with M.G.L c140, s131 (d)

In order to obtain a license to carry firearms without any restriction, all such applicants will need to provide information in writing showing a "good reason to fear injury to person or property". The determination of whether the applicant has "good reason to fear injury to person or property" is based on specific detailed information regarding where and why the applicant intends to possess or use the firearm within the Commonwealth .This Basically pertains to when you are away from your residence or place of business.

Also, applicants should not rely on general crime statistics, information about the particular weapon they intend to carry, previous issued licenses issued elsewhere or any "boiler plate" reason provided by a third party (usually by a safety course instructor". Vague information regarding carrying of cash or valuables, a reluctance to rely on police protection or a non-descript fear of harm will not meet the "good reason to fear injury to person or property" standard.
Click to expand...

This issue of having to demonstrate some sort of 'need' vs. qualification is at the heart of Comm2A's cases against Winchester, Brookline, and Boston and is also the central issue in Peruta v. San Diego which filed their cert petition with SCOTUS yesterday.
 
Seeking opinions-
My sister is thinking of applying for LTC.
She lives in Andover (for 20 years), and she is a doctor who owns a business in Peabody.
Would she better off applying in Andover or Peabody?
 
Peabody got their pea-pea slapped by Comm2A a while back, so I think they've changed their ways to green. Andover is green, according to the latest map.
 
Check the stats on Comm2A's website for # restricted vs. unrestricted given by the two towns. If hometown is green, have her go there. I'd trust those annual stats over the map here on NES.
 
Whiskeyjim said:
Seeking opinions-
My sister is thinking of applying for LTC.
She lives in Andover (for 20 years), and she is a doctor who owns a business in Peabody.
Would she better off applying in Andover or Peabody?
Click to expand...

Andover did not issue ANY restricted LTCs through mid-November 2016
 
I got my unrestricted LTC a few years ago, out of Reading. I was 21 at the time. It took nearly a year (granted I was at college during that time). I still felt they were giving me the run around, as it took many emails and calls.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Got my renewal in the mail yesterday (1/21/17) in Franklin, still no restrictions. Submitted application on 10/9/16; Had interview on 11/15/16. Called FRB on 1/5/17 and told my license was approved and printed on 12/29. All told, from sending in of application to receipt of renewed license - just under 11 weeks.
 
North Reading - When I originally applied for a renewal after moving into town in just before 9/11 I had filled in for 'target and hunting'. The licensing office overwrote 'for all legal purposes'. He said 'you never know'. After that my renewals have always been unrestricted. From the other post, that it seems that is not what they do for new applications.

jake852 said:
Hello All,

I wanted to give an update for the town of North Reading.

My brother applied for his class A. It took him almost two months to meet with the licencing officer. Once he got his appointment the officer informed him that the new chief (as of two years ago I believe) does not issue any unrestricted class A's. He can get a class A for target and hunting only. The licencing officer did not necessarily agree with the chief on this matter but hes rejecting every unrestricted.

Thanks
Click to expand...
 
You could say that about a number of police chiefs. What they are doing is all too common. I have no complaint because I have not had issues after having my LTC for over 25 years.. But that does not mean others are not having issues.

ProGun said:
Sounds like the North Reading chief needs to be sued.
Click to expand...
 
I'm hearing anecdotally that Lexington is not giving unrestricted LTC's to new (i.e., not a renewal) applicants. Any new applicants from Lexington here who can share their experience with me? Last couple I've heard from were given the Sporting restriction even though they explicitly asked for unrestricted.
 
I got my LTC-A (no restrictions) in Salem, MA in 4 weeks after waiting 3 weeks for an interview. The LO told me she has only put restrictions on <5 applications in the past two years. Maybe Salem is no longer red?
 
My Girlfriend got her unrestricted LTC-A in Billerica in 29 days from her interview, which was 43 days from submitting paperwork, paying and getting a receipt. 72 days overall.
 
Whutmeworry said:
Got my renewal in the mail yesterday (1/21/17) in Franklin, still no restrictions. Submitted application on 10/9/16; Had interview on 11/15/16. Called FRB on 1/5/17 and told my license was approved and printed on 12/29. All told, from sending in of application to receipt of renewed license - just under 11 weeks.
Click to expand...
sorry but not good enough
 
jake852 said:
Hello All,

I wanted to give an update for the town of North Reading.

My brother applied for his class A. It took him almost two months to meet with the licencing officer. Once he got his appointment the officer informed him that the new chief (as of two years ago I believe) does not issue any unrestricted class A's. He can get a class A for target and hunting only. The licencing officer did not necessarily agree with the chief on this matter but hes rejecting every unrestricted.

Thanks
Click to expand...
[puke] ****ing *******
 
Bellingham, interviewed at the end of Oct. ready for pickup at the end of Dec. Just over 8 weeks.

Called PD, interviewed same day. Overall it went very well. No restrictions for my wife and I.
 
Issued mine Friday in Springfield coming from NY not anywhere near as difficult but the did place a restriction for target and hunting. I'm definitely going to try to appeal to get the restriction removed. Took 5 weeks btw.
 
Josue.P said:
Issued mine Friday in Springfield coming from NY not anywhere near as difficult but the did place a restriction for target and hunting. I'm definitely going to try to appeal to get the restriction removed. Took 5 weeks btw.
Click to expand...

If you're talking about Springfield, MA, it was explained to me that it's pretty much impossible to get no restrictions. Kind of odd, seeing as though that place is a war zone.
 
Cjbmustang said:
If you're talking about Springfield, MA, it was explained to me that it's pretty much impossible to get no restrictions. Kind of odd, seeing as though that place is a war zone.
Click to expand...

According to Comm2A, Springfield restricted 67% of LTCs issued in 2015. So, not impossible, but not easy, either.

Id be curious to see what the 2016 numbers look like.
 
bostonasphalt2 said:
According to Comm2A, Springfield restricted 67% of LTCs issued in 2015. So, not impossible, but not easy, either.

Id be curious to see what the 2016 numbers look like.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure we have a clear picture on Springfield. Most of the restrictions are "Other" which means that they're one-off restrictions provided by the PD. They're not part of the dataset. What people have been telling me is that their restriction is something like "Personal Project" or similar. That's effectively unrestricted I think. Springfield may be better than we think it is.
 
Since I am relatively new to MA hopefully somebody here can help me understand this a bit... What is the process that the state uses to determine what color it is? Before moving out to MA to accept a job in Holyoke, I did some initial research and the consensus I gleaned was that Holyoke was not the safest city around. In light of that, I would think the city would be red like Springfield, but it's not... Any insight would be greatly appreciated so thank you in advance!
 
TheBeardedEnthusiast said:
Since I am relatively new to MA hopefully somebody here can help me understand this a bit... What is the process that the state uses to determine what color it is? Before moving out to MA to accept a job in Holyoke, I did some initial research and the consensus I gleaned was that Holyoke was not the safest city around. In light of that, I would think the city would be red like Springfield, but it's not... Any insight would be greatly appreciated so thank you in advance!
Click to expand...

Im not sure I follow. Are you asking about the color of the towns in the list in the OP? If so, those are compiled here through anecdotes and experiences with licensing. Doesn't have anything to do with violence. It has t do with whether you will get your LTC with "restrictions:none" or not.
 
Anybody have any recent experience renewing an LTC in Framingham? I noticed now its listed as "Orange". It was Green when I got mine the first time. I'm 6 month out from expiration and was planning on going down to grab a renewal form next week.

This is my first renewal and I don't know why I'm filled with anxiety about it, but i am.

Thanks!
 
ateegee said:
Anybody have any recent experience renewing an LTC in Framingham? I noticed now its listed as "Orange". It was Green when I got mine the first time. I'm 6 month out from expiration and was planning on going down to grab a renewal form next week.

This is my first renewal and I don't know why I'm filled with anxiety about it, but i am.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

What is a "renewal form"?

Just go to FRB website and DL the state form, fill it out and bring it to the PD.
 
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