Ok, after a couple of hours reading through MA gun laws both on the MA govt site and elsewhere, i can't find a single law barring my ability to purchase and own new high capacity magazines, as long as they were not purchased in the commonwealth. (i'm referring to handguns only, not assault rifles). does this mean i can possess and carry new high capacity magazines? i've heard the ban was pretty general, but now all i see is specific to assault rifles and the sale of pistol mags. my legalese is "pretty" good but i'm pretty careful when it comes to my class A LTC no restrictions. here's the pertinent chapter taken straight from mass.gov:
Massachusetts Large Capacity Feeding Devices
The sale, offering for sale, transfer or possession of large capacity feeding devices for assault
weapons (as defined under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 121), is prohibited unless such device was
lawfully possessed on September 13, 1994. Ch. 140, § 131M.
Under Massachusetts law, a “large capacity feeding device” is defined as: “(i) a fixed or detachable
magazine, box, drum, feed strip or similar device capable of accepting, or that can be readily
converted to accept, more than ten rounds of ammunition or more than five shotgun shells; or (ii) a
large capacity ammunition feeding device as defined in the federal Public Safety and Recreational
Firearms Use Protection Act, 18 U.S.C. section 921(a)(31) as appearing in such sect ion on
September 13, 1994.” Ch. 140, § 121. This does not include “an attached tubular device designed to
accept, and capable of operating only wit h, .22 caliber ammunition.” Id.
Large capacity feeding devices designed for large capacity rifles and shotguns may be lawfully
possessed by a holder of a Class A or B license to carry. Ch. 140, § 131(a), (b)(ii). Large capacity
feeding devices designed for handguns may be possessed only by persons holding a Class A license
to carry. Ch. 140, § 131(a).
The Massachusetts Secretary of Public Safety (“Secretary”) is required to compile and publish a
roster of large capacity handguns, rifles, shotguns and feeding devices for those firearms, as those
weapons and devices are defined in Ch. 140, § 121. Ch. 140, § 131 3/4. The Secretary may amend
the roster upon his or her own initiative, upon the initiative of the Gun Control Advisory Board
under Ch. 140, § 131 1/2, or upon the petition of any person seeking to place a weapon on or
remove a weapon from the roster. Ch. 140, § 131 3/4.
so, going by this, i can buy a large capacity magazine for my .40 caliber smith and wesson in CT (if THEY even still have them for civilians) and legally possess and carry on my person. anybody's legalese better than mine? i'll be applying for an armed position soon and i'd really like to be able to carry 15+1 rather than 10+1 (and it's pretty impossible to find preban magazines for a gun not made pre 1994). i really hope i've just been misinformed about the law and how it pertains to sales but not ownership.
leasantry:
