Making an AR-15 in MA?

[Third_Rail]

I'd like to build an AR-15, but I live in MA and only have an FID.

Is there any way to get around the laws? I think that if I were to only have 10rd mags and not have any AWB features other than the grip, I'd be okay, but again I'm not sure and the police weren't too helpful at all.

 

[Bill St. Clair]

Check out GOAL's Massachusetts Gun Law Chart, especially the sections on Assault Weapon; definition and Assault Weapon; possession. It appears that the Massachusetts ban precisely mirrors the federal ban, except it doesn't sunset. That means that as long as your rifle doesn't have a flash hider or a collapsible stock or a bayonet mount, and you only use pre-ban or reduced-capacity magazines (ten rounds or less), you can go ahead and build your AR.

Note that the recent bill that Romney crowed would keep assault weapons out of the hands of criminals was actually an improvement from a gun owners' point of view. See http://www.goal.org/Alerts/reformbillsigned.html and http://www.goal.org/Alerts/reformlawpassed.html.

But I'm not a lawyer. If the police won't answer your questions, call the local district attorney's office. He's the guy who will prosecute you if you break the law. Or call or email GOAL.

 

[Third_Rail]

Thanks, I hadn't thought to check GOAL's site.

 

[Bill St. Clair]

I didn't think to check GOAL's site either, but Google took me right there.

 

[BDM]

You need a class A licensce for high capacity weapons and magazines.And FID is for low capacity rifles and class B for low capacity rifles,shot guns and handguns.If you already had a high cap rifle a class B lets you keep it but you need claass A to purchase any high cap rifle,shotgun and hand gun and of course prebans even ones out of state for long guns any way are still legal for sale and transfer its the AGs rules on handguns that certain models that are still transferable had to be in the state prior to 1998 like 1911s unless its a smith or para ordnance both now legal to buy here.Rifles on the other hand are long guns and not subject to anything except state law concerning the configuration.Like when the FED ban goes only post ban configurations made after 1998 are legal to sell and make after that date wich means if the fed ban goes post ban rifles in mass before the 1998 gunb laws went into effect will be able to be made preban because the 98 ban was recently extended another 6 years but at least now its up to a reveiew pannel and not a local police chief to decide wether you can get a license or not and now renewal is every 6 years so we made a little head way.

 

[Third_Rail]

Wait, I thought that a rifle only counts as high capacity IF YOU HAVE IN YOUR POSSESSION magazines over 10 rounds, not if the rifle can accept them.

By that logic, each and every rifle, even bolt-actions are high capacity. There are aftermarket mags for everything.

I'll have to look deeper, but I'm 99% sure it's legal for me to buy a PCR-15 or whatnot, as long as I don't have any mags over 10 rounds.