Yes, I think that's fair to claim you are a gun collector.
You live in RI now, right (your post above was a little confusing to me)?
You are not 'transferring' your permit, but you are applying for a permit in RI.
Would you like to get a MA permit (assuming you are a RI resident)? If so, you can say you would like a RI permit so you can apply for a MA permit since MA requires that you have a resident permit from your home state.
I tried to private message you but it said your inbox was full, if you could inbox me I would appreciate it....just have a quick question to ask you.