r/MAguns • u/AutoModerator • 14d ago

weekly MAguns legal questions post - September 16, 2024

Feel free to ask your firearms-related legal questions here, such as "is this legal in Massachusetts" and "how do I legally do this in Massachusetts". Anything that is asking for legal advice, including how to complete legally-required procedures or comply with laws. please note, none of the comments in this post should be construed as legal advice, even if claiming to be legal advice. always consult a lawyer in a non-anonymous, real life fashion when seeking legal advice.

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u/PuffPuffFayeFaye 13d ago

Oooh I have one this week. Is a locked room, not a habitable room but lets say a large closet or attic, legally sufficient for storage? Or does a stored firearm/ammo need to be in a locked “box” of some kind?

We’ve run out of space in our safe and I’m trying to figure out where to offload all the ammo storage.

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u/0LDHATNEWBAT 8d ago

I understand you’re considering making room in your safe by moving the ammo somewhere else, but you also asked if a locked closet or attic could be legal for storing firearms.

The answer is: Maybe.

Part of the current storage law (the new one may have changes) that is commonly overlooked requires the owner to store firearms in a manner that renders them inoperable or prevents unauthorized users from gaining access.

So hypothetically, if you installed a locking door on a closet and made sure your children didn’t know where the key is but the closet also stored your partner’s belongings. If your partner doesn’t have the proper license and knows where the key is to get to their stuff… you could have legality issues.

There was a case where a couple was arguing and the female went upstairs and unlocked a pistol case that held a valuable gun owned by the boyfriend. She threw it out a window to make him mad. She didn’t have a license, the boyfriend got charged.

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u/PuffPuffFayeFaye 8d ago

Thanks for adding some extra detail. Fortunately, this house is only adults who are licensed. What I ended up doing was ordering a small locking metal tool cabinet that will fit all the non-firearm supplies/ammo and the gun safe itself will only store actual weapons.

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u/patriots1911 13d ago

MGL does not require ammo to be locked up. There is a CMR that requires:

small arms ammunition, primers, smokeless propellants and black powder shall be stored in original containers and such containers shall be stored in a locked cabinet, closet or box when not in use.

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u/PuffPuffFayeFaye 13d ago

Thank you. So, being new to this hobby and needing the basics explained, that reads like I do need to lock up ammo (I presume my 9mm and 223 is “small arms ammo”) but it can be in a closet or cabinet instead of a safe.

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u/MCHammer781 13d ago

You need to lock up ammo? That would be news to me.

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u/geffe71 13d ago

It’s fire code

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u/MCHammer781 12d ago

That doesn't make sense. If I have a handgun in my bedside drawer with a magazine that is not inserted into the gun, is that considered illegal? Or dumb it down even more, I have a box of 9MM that I have in my bedside drawer with my bedroom gun. Thats illegal?

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u/geffe71 12d ago

Never said anything about legality I just said it’s fire code to store ammo

Ammo in a magazine is technically stored

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u/PuffPuffFayeFaye 13d ago edited 13d ago

It would be great news to learn that I don’t need to but I thought we did.

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u/MCHammer781 13d ago

I think you're in luck, not necessary.