online open carry petition

[thedub88]

I found this petition on open carry here in the Bay State


Open Carry in Massachusetts Petition

[mrjim]

The problem I have with this petition is that Open Carry is not illegal in Massachusttes.

However, the "bedwetters" (I've heard that term recently here on the forums) will call the police if they spot a person with a gun. Recently there have been a couple of false positives that made into the news.

[Phillip Gain]

Mr. Jim,

You are correct. Open carry IS NOT ILLEGAL in Massachusetts. However - because the criteria for having and keeping your FID are so subjective...it is possible that your FID can be revoked should you decide to openly carry a firearm and frighten the "bedwetters" into calling the police.

And once that FID is revoked...there goes your firearms collection. All of it.

Therefore, we either need to revoke the "may issue" provisions of the FID card. Or we need to get legislation that AFFIRMS our right to openly bear arms, and RESTRICTS the ability of authorities to pull permits for the simple act of carrying openly.

So yes. I signed.

[Rich_S]

Mr. Jim,

You are correct. Open carry IS NOT ILLEGAL in Massachusetts. However - because the criteria for having and keeping your FID are so subjective...it is possible that your FID can be revoked should you decide to openly carry a firearm and frighten the "bedwetters" into calling the police.

And once that FID is revoked...there goes your firearms collection. All of it.

Therefore, we either need to revoke the "may issue" provisions of the FID card. Or we need to get legislation that AFFIRMS our right to openly bear arms, and RESTRICTS the ability of authorities to pull permits for the simple act of carrying openly.

So yes. I signed.

FID cards are shall issue. You can sign all the petitions you want and you'll never stop people in Mass from calling the police when they see someone open carrying. Let's say OC would not be an issue for putting your LTC in jeapordy. Even still.....Why would you want the hassle of being stopped by the police because you have a gun? Carry concealed and go about your business.

[jmorse]

I'll sign and do support open carry. I would still only carry concealed though. Really don't need the extra attention and knee jerk reactions.

[ARV]

* Massachusetts is not a traditional open carry state, but it is not a crime for Class A License Holders to open carry. However, it is reported that some jurisdictions will use this as an excuse to revoke permits.

I dont like this part. If you read the part of MGL that deals with licenses, a LTC (License to Carry) A allows you to carry concealed, and makes no mention of open carry. Thus open carry is allowed. LTC B Prohibits carrying concealed. Yet it is a license to CARRY. Thus open carry is the only option that is allowed under that license.

[Rich_S]

I dont like this part. If you read the part of MGL that deals with licenses, a LTC (License to Carry) A allows you to carry concealed, and makes no mention of open carry. Thus open carry is allowed. LTC B Prohibits carrying concealed. Yet it is a license to CARRY. Thus open carry is the only option that is allowed under that license.

Remember the whole may issue and suitability issues. If you open carry and cause a scene your chief will probably decide that you're no longer suitable and revoke your LTC. Also, the Mass chiefs of police association has instructed the chiefs not to issue the LTC B since it's too confusing. Only two towns (Canton and Rowley) are known to issue the LTC B right now.

[Providence Ranch]

Can someone add MGL, FID and LTC to that recent thread on abbreviations?

[Rich_S]

Can someone add MGL, FID and LTC to that recent thread on abbreviations?

Don't forget CMR then.......

[ARV]

Remember the whole may issue and suitability issues. If you open carry and cause a scene your chief will probably decide that you're no longer suitable and revoke your LTC. Also, the Mass chiefs of police association has instructed the chiefs not to issue the LTC B since it's too confusing. Only two towns (Canton and Rowley) are known to issue the LTC B right now.

Yes, but in the end it is up to each individual chief. In essence, there are over 300 different possible outcomes.The Mass Chief's Assn is a guideline, and also says:

Additional conditions which should NOT be imposed by a licensing authority include but are not
limited to requirements to:
• obtain notarized reference letters;
• obtain a letter from a doctor;
• list the firearms owned or that the applicant intends to own;
• complete a special firearms training course (separate from state requirement);
• complete a state required Basic Firearms Safety (BFS) course only a particular PD;
• complete a state required BFS course only from a particular instructor;
• complete a qualification course that is not part of a state approved BFS course;
• join a sportsman’s or gun club.

There are still many towns that require doctors notes, membership in a club etc. Some refuse to issue to people under 25. Comm2A goes after some with lawsuits, but its a long slow process to drag them in line.

http://www.masschiefs.org/documents/...em%20Areas.pdf

Also bear in mind that Chief in town A might think "Target and hunting" means one thing, and Chief in town B that your in might think it means another. There are no set guidelines or definitions as to what restrictions mean. I have even heard of one Chief issuing a LTC A with an "Open Carry" restriction. Go Figure.

Can someone add MGL, FID and LTC to that recent thread on abbreviations?

MGL: Mass General Law, FID: Firearms IDentification [Card], LTC: License To Carry

Don't forget CMR then.......

CMR: Code of Mass Regulations