Massachusetts Attorney General Bans Sales of Assault Weapons Today

[UWone77]

Brought to you by the Boston Globe. https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/...pYM/story.html

This should be an interesting development for future legal action.

The Massachusetts assault weapons ban mirrors the federal ban Congress allowed to expire in 2004. It prohibits the sale of specific weapons like the Colt AR-15 and AK-47 and explicitly bans “copies or duplicates” of those weapons. But gun manufacturers have taken it upon themselves to define what a “copy” or “duplicate” weapon is. They market “state compliant” copycat versions of their assault weapons to Massachusetts buyers. They sell guns without a flash suppressor or folding or telescoping stock, for example, small tweaks that do nothing to limit the lethalness of the weapon.

That will end now. On Wednesday, we are sending a directive to all gun manufacturers and dealers that makes clear that the sale of these copycat assault weapons is illegal in Massachusetts. With this directive, we will ensure we get the full protection intended when lawmakers enacted our assault weapons ban, not the watered-down version of those protections offered by gun manufacturers.

The directive specifically outlines two tests to determine what constitutes a “copy” or “duplicate” of a prohibited weapon. If a gun’s operating system is essentially the same as that of a banned weapon, or if the gun has components that are interchangeable with those of a banned weapon, it’s a “copy” or “duplicate,” and it is illegal. Assault weapons prohibited under our laws cannot be altered in any way to make their sale or possession legal in Massachusetts.

We recognize that most residents who purchased these guns in the past believed they were doing so legally, so this directive will not apply to possession of guns purchased before Wednesday. In the dozen years since the federal assault weapons ban lapsed, only seven states have instituted their own assault weapons ban. Many of those bans have been challenged (unsuccessfully) by the gun industry, and we anticipate our directive may be too. But our job is to enforce state laws and to keep people safe. This directive does both.

In the face of utter inaction by Congress, states have a duty to enact and enforce laws that protect people from gun violence. If Washington won’t use its power to get these guns off our streets, we will. Not only do we have the legal authority to do so, we have a moral obligation to do so.

[alamo5000]

I thought Mass. was also trying to do some mandatory registry which failed miserably if I am not mistaken. No? Oh wait that was in Connecticut.

You know, sometimes I wish we could just peel off a few million Texans and send them up to take over a small state like that.

[alamo5000]

California recently did some stupid crap too I think.

[DeviantLogic]

If a gun’s operating system is essentially the same as that of a banned weapon, or if the gun has components that are interchangeable with those of a banned weapon, it’s a “copy” or “duplicate,” and it is illegal.

That's about every firearm in my safe. ​I can't imagine the kind of backlash this is going to get.

[alamo5000]

That's about every firearm in my safe. ​I can't imagine the kind of backlash this is going to get.

I have never been to that part of the US. I don't know how big the gun community is either. But what if they give the big giant bird to them? What are they going to do? Charge 300,000 people?

[UWone77]

MA will have issues like NY and CT did with non-compliance.

[alamo5000]

MA will have issues like NY and CT did with non-compliance.

http://www.heraldnews.com/article/20...NEWS/160316519

"As the gun control debate heats up across the nation, and within communities including Lexington and Lowell, where new local regulations have been proposed, Massachusetts residents may never know how many residents would be affected by any proposal on gun ownership. That's because Massachusetts does not keep a database of guns registered in the state.
In Massachusetts, a state known for its gun control policies, state officials have stayed away from tracking gun ownership and instead have focused on sales."

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Also one might be interested to know that Smith & Wesson is headquartered in Massachusetts.

As is Savage.

And 30 minutes away is Colt's manufacturing facilities (in CT)

An hour away (by car) you have Mossberg (also in CT)

Also an hour north of Boston is Sig Sauer's Headquarters in NH.

Check out the map on the link below. It's about NH.... but still relevant I think.

http://nhpr.org/post/map-where-nhs-g...-are-and-arent

[alamo5000]

MA will have issues like NY and CT did with non-compliance.

At best what will happen is an occasional token charge for a random person that they might as well draw out of a hat. But it won't stop people from owning what they want. Never has, Never will.

They also have to realize that not all cops are going to be on board. The old "If I didn't see it it didn't happen" kind of a thing.

In California where I was at for a while the local sheriff just told everyone "I don't care what you have just keep it on the down low.... if we get calls we have to come look. We have no choice...but if we don't know it won't matter"...

[Joelski]

Too bad we can't revoke MA's statehood...

[Tyrannosaur]

Here in NY 90%of the counties said we should repeal the UNSAFE act.. (guess where they didnt) doesn't matter. We still have no clear definition of what is compliant, can't buy anything that isn't goofy as f*** and ammo online still can't ship despite nothing was ever made to register the ammo. Massive non compliance but this state is so corrupt it doesn't matter. The top architects are now in holding for multiple counts of corruption but will receive their full pensions... no justice when criminals are in charge

[UWone77]

Here in NY 90%of the counties said we should repeal the UNSAFE act.. (guess where they didnt) doesn't matter. We still have no clear definition of what is compliant, can't buy anything that isn't goofy as f*** and ammo online still can't ship despite nothing was ever made to register the ammo. Massive non compliance but this state is so corrupt it doesn't matter. The top architects are now in holding for multiple counts of corruption but will receive their full pensions... no justice when criminals are in charge

Typical example of how a large Metropolitan area controlled by Liberals basically rules the entire State simply due to the number game.

[Sak007]

I'm sure this will cease all violence in the lovely neighborhood of Mattapan fondly referred to by the local persecuted street gangs as "Murderpan"
A colorful documentary of some of the more upstanding citizens of Boston

[DeviantLogic]

Letter to AG Healey from Mass. State Legislators: http://d279m997dpfwgl.cloudfront.net...tterHealey.pdf

[Aragorn]

It's encouraging to see that many pages of signatures, especially given where they came from.

[alamo5000]

Letter to AG Healey from Mass. State Legislators: http://d279m997dpfwgl.cloudfront.net...tterHealey.pdf

BITCH SLAP!

Wow.

That's awesome.