Is a BB gun considered a firearm in MA?

[Rob Boudrie]

The 269-10(j) definition:

(j) For the purposes of this paragraph, ''firearm'' shall mean any pistol, revolver, rifle or smoothbore arm from which a shot, bullet or pellet can be discharged.​

 

[eboos]

There is one context I am aware of where the answer is "yes". On school property. I don't think the answer is yes in other contexts.

The 269-10(j) definition:​

​

(j) For the purposes of this paragraph, ''firearm'' shall mean any pistol, revolver, rifle or smoothbore arm from which a shot, bullet or pellet can be discharged.​

(j) For the purposes of this paragraph, ''firearm'' shall mean any pistol, revolver, rifle or smoothbore arm from which a shot, bullet or pellet can be discharged.

Whoever, not being a law enforcement officer and notwithstanding any license obtained by the person pursuant to chapter 140, carries on the person a firearm, loaded or unloaded, or other dangerous weapon in any building or on the grounds of any elementary or secondary school, college or university without the written authorization of the board or officer in charge of the elementary or secondary school, college or university shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 2 years or both. A law enforcement officer may arrest without a warrant and detain a person found carrying a firearm in violation of this paragraph.

Any officer in charge of an elementary or secondary school, college or university or any faculty member or administrative officer of an elementary or secondary school, college or university that fails to report a violation of this paragraph shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished by a fine of not more than $500.

 

[eboos]

The only specific mention of air rifles or bb guns is M.G.L. ch. 269 s 12B.

No minor under the age of eighteen shall have an air rifle or so-called BB gun in his possession while in any place to which the public has a right of access unless he is accompanied by an adult or unless he is the holder of a sporting or hunting license and has on his person a permit from the chief of police of the town in which he resides granting him the right of such possession. No person shall discharge a BB shot, pellet or other object from an air rifle or so-called BB gun into, from or across any street, alley, public way or railroad or railway right of way, and no minor under the age of eighteen shall discharge a BB shot, pellet or other object from an air rifle or BB gun unless he is accompanied by an adult or is the holder of a sporting or hunting license. Whoever violates this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars, and the air rifle or BB gun or other weapon shall be confiscated. Upon a conviction of a violation of this section the air rifle or BB gun or other weapon shall, by the written authority of the court, be forwarded to the colonel of the state police, who may dispose of said article in the same manner as prescribed in section ten.

 

[Inside Out]

As others have said, check your local ordinances for "no discharge" prohibitions. They can be quite broad and cover "discharges" from many more things than just "firearms."

 

[chuckules]

You also need to check individual town ordinances, many have limits about discharging projectiles within X amount of feet from a dwelling.
The general MA law is as long as your own a property with permission and don't shoot in or across a public way your fine. There are no distance requirements.

Don't think for a second the sheep won't call you in and possible try to get you killed. I have been greeted by a tactical unit in Braintree for a damn Daisy gun.
The Karen called it in as an active shooter type incident saying I was shooting up the area. I was greeted by an armored policeman with an MP5, with a marksman backing him
behind the car.

The second time I went to do some pest control on the property I called ahead and gave the poice a heads up so I wouldn't get lit up if they got a call. They still showed up after a call and tried the usual bullying BS...blah blah....disturbing the peace...blah blah endanger the welfare of children...we will arrest you. They left barking random orders saying after a warning I could now be charged with criminal harassment for scaring the poor local peasants.

Braintree sucks

 

[LuvDog]

No.
Except on school grounds, “firearm” means a gunpowder powered gun that is not a rifle or a shotgun.

That's not how I read this which specifically calls out air rifles / BB guns if the kid is shooting without an adult present.


No minor under the age of eighteen shall have an air rifle or so-called BB gun in his possession while in any place to which the public has a right of access unless he is accompanied by an adult or unless he is the holder of a sporting or hunting license and has on his person a permit from the chief of police of the town in which he resides granting him the right of such possession. No person shall discharge a BB shot, pellet or other object from an air rifle or so-called BB gun into, from or across any street, alley, public way or railroad or railway right of way, and no minor under the age of eighteen shall discharge a BB shot, pellet or other object from an air rifle or BB gun unless he is accompanied by an adult or is the holder of a sporting or hunting license. Whoever violates this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars, and the air rifle or BB gun or other weapon shall be confiscated. Upon a conviction of a violation of this section the air rifle or BB gun or other weapon shall, by the written authority of the court, be forwarded to the colonel of the state police, who may dispose of said article in the same manner as prescribed in section ten.

 

[pinefd]

and pick them up seven days later...

...unless you have a LTC, in which case, you can take it home immediately. Blue cards require a seven day wait.


Frank

 

[Rob Boudrie]

...unless you have a LTC, in which case, you can take it home immediately. Blue cards require a seven day wait.


Frank

(reminder - this is about RI law)

RI does have the "blue card" system (quickie safety test at a gun shop) and exempts "Carry Permit" (not LTC, that is a MA term) holsters (Town issued only, AG issued does not bypass the wait but includes open carry that the town permit does not). There is no such thing as a 7 day wait or blue card in MA (except for the obsolete blue cards for reporting firearms transfers)

 

[TOM1960]

Yup, I used to buy bb's, pellets and supplies for the summer camp and couldn't believe the hassle MA made out of such a sale. This was at the old MVP Sports in Danvers.

The old Colemans on High Street? Bought some .22 LR standard velocity target ammo there back in the late 1970s. Had to show my FID and the purchase was logged in a record book under my name, address and FID number. Yes, those were the (not so good!) days!

 

[chris_1001]

Geeze. I got asked for my FID card ar service merchandise in Natick for bb’s back in the day and I’m sure I have an air rifle on my FA-10 list from the 90’s.

 

[MisterHappy]

FYI, there was a change regarding hunting, and air guns in the 2022 Abstracts.

I did NOT see this in a search of the abstracts online, and did a copy/paste from the PDF

NEW – The use of air/pellet guns are prohibited for the purposes of taking/ harvesting deer, bear, turkey, crow, and migratory game birds. Air/pellet guns are also prohibited for the purposes of taking/harvesting ANY species on WMAs stocked with pheasant or quail DURING the pheasant/quail season. (For a list of pheasant and quail stocked WMAs, please see 321 CMR 3.01(1)(n)). Air/pellet guns may be used for all other species during their respective legal open seasons

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I remember seeing the "FID or Powder Actuated Tool" permit required (or something similar to that) on a sign by the Ramset loads in a hardware store in the mid to late 80s.

 

[Matt_SERE]

The old Colemans on High Street? Bought some .22 LR standard velocity target ammo there back in the late 1970s. Had to show my FID and the purchase was logged in a record book under my name, address and FID number. Yes, those were the (not so good!) days!

That's the one. It was for a day camp in Wenham that actually had minibikes, pond swimming, archery and bb/pellet guns. It wasn't quite Meatballs.

 

[Reptile]

The good thing about BB guns is that you can travel with them as firearms by air travel.

If you declare your BB gun at an airline check-in, you can keep in a suitcase with real locks (non TSA) and ensure that nobody can open your luggage. Just get a big hard side case with real locks and keep the BB gun in there.

Some people actually do with when checking expensive things like cameras in their luggage. I suppose knife makers who travel with $100,000 in custom knives can keep their stuff in locked suitcases by traveling and declaring BB guns. You can't carry knives in you carry on.

 

[mac1911]

Definition of firearm
“Firearm”, a stun gun or a pistol, revolver or other weapon of any description, loaded or unloaded, from which a shot or bullet can be discharged and of which the length of the barrel or barrels is less than 16 inches or 18 inches in the case of a shotgun as originally manufactured; provided, however, that the term firearm shall not include any weapon that is: (i) constructed in a shape that does not resemble a handgun, short-barreled rifle or short-barreled shotgun including, but not limited to, covert weapons that resemble key-chains, pens, cigarette-lighters or cigarette-packages; or (ii) not detectable as a weapon or potential weapon by x-ray machines commonly used at airports or walk- through metal detectors

 

[AHM]

Except on school grounds, “firearm” means a gunpowder powered gun that is not a rifle or a shotgun.

Yeah, no.

Still can't buy a truly dangerous weapon here, though, like a slingshot.

Buy 'em in NH,
screw Mass out of the sales tax.

Win/win.

 

[Rat187]

and pick them up seven days later...

IN NJ 30 days