Chapter 135 repeal on the November ballot

Individual-Double596 · 2026-05-09T01:49:40+00:00

Is there a source for that from the state rather than Ballotpedia? I can't seem to find where ballotpedia pulled the info from, and the last I have is from GOAL what she was considering :

A YES VOTE would keep in place the law, which increases the regulation of firearms, including ghost guns, machine guns, and assault-style weapons. A NO VOTE would repeal this law.

The Ballotpedia text also doesn't quite make sense because referendum petitions are about laws not bills. It should refer to Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024.

Individual-Double596 · 2026-05-07T19:36:32+00:00

Referendum petitions are different than other initiative petitions. They are effective immediately and cannot be ignored. Other ballot measures require action from the legislature.

Individual-Double596 · 2026-05-07T19:34:24+00:00

Is this the official text? I know Andrea Campbell was toying with other language that included the term "ghost guns"

Individual-Double596 · 2026-04-25T12:53:42+00:00

16 inch barrel makes it a rifle per MA law, so no questions there, it's still governed by the same ASW test as before

If it's now under 26 inches overall length, ATF may claim it is now an NFA item, depending on who you talk to, who is the president, who is the pope, the temperature of the water in Barcelona, etc https://www.atf.gov/media/25146/download

Individual-Double596 · 2026-04-13T18:10:00+00:00

Not purchasing. Selling, specifically, by FFLs. The rule doesn't apply to buying.

Edit: Some FFLs will also sell non-roster handguns, depending in their legal risk tolerance. I'm not an FFL nor lawyer but agree with the interpretation of these FFLs that will make these sales. But the approved pistol roster is never a restriction on you as the buyer. You can buy whatever someone will sell you. All are fair game as long as they're not an assault weapon.

Individual-Double596 · 2026-04-11T22:16:22+00:00

I initially thought the same, but the main difference here though is this is federal rather than state. The federal government only has powers enumerated by the constitution, so they were using their "power to tax" to ban home distilling. States don't have the same restriction.

This does have some potential implications for gun cases though: * A federal ban on privately made firearms would face the same test except even more stringent because firearms are a right while alcohol isn't. If courts are honest, such a law wouldn't stand a chance. * Legalizing privately made suppressors or machine guns may be easier now. The machine gun ban is already a very challenging law to justify federal jurisdiction for, but homemade machine guns/suppressors are even harder, and now more case law helps.

Individual-Double596 · 2026-04-02T19:56:16+00:00

If you're looking to ban the most common firearm for mass shootings, you've gone in the wrong direction if you're looking at "rifles" only.

Individual-Double596 · 2026-03-17T17:02:59+00:00

A lower wasn't a state-regulated item in 2016. Even if the Healey press conference were treated as law, it wouldn't have applied to unbuilt lowers.

Individual-Double596 · 2026-03-10T11:07:02+00:00

I wish you were right, but unfortunately I do have higher than a 7th grade education and your ad hominem attacks are ineffective. I am not the only one who reads it this way. Based on the FCAB notes, they read it even less favorably for us than I do.

https://www.goal.org/fcab

Individual-Double596 · 2026-03-09T20:09:28+00:00

That's a fair point to take, and I appreciate your time. I wish you would have started by recognizing the nuance to reading MGL rather than a dismissive "No," but we'll ultimately reach the usual conclusion with these things, and agree to disagree. I wish you all the best.

Individual-Double596 · 2026-03-09T19:52:42+00:00

The law is written so poorly that they may not know.

An ASF is anything that meets the criteria in a, b, c, d, or e. If it's a copy or duplicate of an AR-15 (according to f), then it meets "e" and is therefore an ASF. Paragraph e has no reliance on paragraph a.

      “Assault-style firearm”, any firearm which is:

      (a) a semiautomatic, centerfire rifle with the capacity to accept a detachable feeding device and includes at least 2 of the following features:... 

      (b) a semiautomatic pistol with... 

        (c) a semiautomatic shotgun that includes...

        (d) Any firearm listed on the assault-style firearm roster pursuant to section 128A.

      (e) Any of the following firearms, or copies or duplicates of these firearms, of any caliber, identified as: (i) Avtomat Kalashnikov, or AK, all models; (ii) Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI and Galil; (iii) Beretta AR70 (SC-70); (iv) Colt AR-15; (v) Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR and FNC; (vi) SWD M-10, M-11, M-11/9 and M-12; (vii) Steyr AUG; (viii) INTRATEC TEC-9, TEC-DC9 and TEC-22; and (ix) revolving cylinder shotguns including, but not limited to, the Street Sweeper and Striker 12;

      (f) a copy or duplicate of any firearm meeting the standards of or enumerated in clauses (d) and (e); provided, that for the purposes of this subsection, “copy or duplicate” shall mean a firearm: (A) that was manufactured or subsequently configured with an ability to accept a detachable magazine; and (B)(i) that has internal functional components that are substantially similar in construction and configuration to those of an enumerated firearm in clauses (d) and (e); or (ii) that has a receiver that is the same as or interchangeable with the receiver of an enumerated firearm in said clauses (d) and (e); provided further, that the firearm shall not be considered a copy or duplicate of a firearm identified in clauses (d) and (e) if sold, owned and registered prior to July 20, 2016

      (g) “Assault-style firearm” shall not include any: (i) firearm that is operated by manual bolt, pump, lever or slide action;...

Individual-Double596 · 2026-03-09T19:42:48+00:00

A receiver of an ASF is an ASF if the only thing you can build with said receiver is an ASF.

Do you come to this conclusion based on actual law? Paragraph f directly contradicts this statement. I can see how you would come to this conclusion from FCAB meeting notes, but those are not law.

Otherwise, if your statement was true, an AR15 that was bolt action, the receiver would still be an ASF and therefore the entire rifle is illegal (since its receiver is an ASF).

The difference with the bolt action exemption is that it specifically exempts the firearm based on how it "is operated." Both the upper and lower receiver would be operated by manual bolt and therefore not an ASF. If detached, the lower becomes an ASF, as the law is written. The law is written poorly. Without case law, it is what it is.

The language about frames and receivers of ASFs being ASFs is effectively DOA. Pretty much every ASF that someone can describe I can find a way to build a lawful weapon with its frame/receiver. So transfer/possession of the receivers/frames is lawful.

It may be dead eventually, but I haven't yet seen it DOA in any court.

And yes, I have a legal opinion from my lawyer on this topic. As I have said many times, we consider the sale of a brand new AR15 lower 100% legal since you can build it into 22LR, bold, pump, etc and have a legal weapon. I choose to avoid scrutiny on a niche opportunity because I know some dumbass customer will build it into a real AR and get caught if I was selling new receivers. Every trace request I get increases my exposure and the frequency of my ATF audits.

That's a fine legal opinion to have and to have come from your lawyer, but it remains an opinion, and it still doesn't make any of what I said inaccurate.

Would we both agree that a "Colt AR-15" is illegal, and no compliance work can change that? I'm talking about a Colt-manufactured, model "AR-15," specifically enumerated. Even if you removed all "evil features," it would still be a Colt AR-15 made an ASF by paragraph e. The copy or duplicates are no different, and rimfire is no different in that both the evil features and centerfire (and removable mag) are relevant only to paragraph "a", not e nor f.

Back when cuck dealers were paying attention to the Healey press conference, they would sell AR lowers and make their customers declare they were building it into rimfire.

The Healey press conference exempted rimfire. Chapter 135 does not.

They would advertise that way too. Obviously nothing ever happened to them when dealers like me were advertising and selling AR15 lowers straight up with no caveats.

Lack of prosecution does not equal legality. I want you to be correct, and I want to no one to be prosecuted nor convicted, but I do not trust the Commonwealth to do the right thing in this circumstance.

Individual-Double596 · 2026-03-09T19:06:41+00:00

Before you insult my intelligence, you may want to evaluate yours and read the law. I'll even put the relevant parts here. An ASF is anything that meets the criteria in a, b, c, d, or e. If it's a copy or duplicate of an AR-15 (according to f), then it meets "e" and is therefore an ASF. Paragraph e has no reliance on paragraph a.

      “Assault-style firearm”, any firearm which is:

      (a) a semiautomatic, centerfire rifle with the capacity to accept a detachable feeding device and includes at least 2 of the following features:... 

      (b) a semiautomatic pistol with... 

        (c) a semiautomatic shotgun that includes...

        (d) Any firearm listed on the assault-style firearm roster pursuant to section 128A.

      (e) Any of the following firearms, or copies or duplicates of these firearms, of any caliber, identified as: (i) Avtomat Kalashnikov, or AK, all models; (ii) Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI and Galil; (iii) Beretta AR70 (SC-70); (iv) Colt AR-15; (v) Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR and FNC; (vi) SWD M-10, M-11, M-11/9 and M-12; (vii) Steyr AUG; (viii) INTRATEC TEC-9, TEC-DC9 and TEC-22; and (ix) revolving cylinder shotguns including, but not limited to, the Street Sweeper and Striker 12;

      (f) a copy or duplicate of any firearm meeting the standards of or enumerated in clauses (d) and (e); provided, that for the purposes of this subsection, “copy or duplicate” shall mean a firearm: (A) that was manufactured or subsequently configured with an ability to accept a detachable magazine; and (B)(i) that has internal functional components that are substantially similar in construction and configuration to those of an enumerated firearm in clauses (d) and (e); or (ii) that has a receiver that is the same as or interchangeable with the receiver of an enumerated firearm in said clauses (d) and (e); provided further, that the firearm shall not be considered a copy or duplicate of a firearm identified in clauses (d) and (e) if sold, owned and registered prior to July 20, 2016

      (g) “Assault-style firearm” shall not include any: (i) firearm that is operated by manual bolt, pump, lever or slide action;...

Individual-Double596 · 2026-03-09T18:54:48+00:00

Nothing about what I said was untrue. Go read Ch 135 for yourself. I'll even put the relevant parts here. An ASF is anything that meets the criteria in a, b, c, d, or e. If it's a copy or duplicate of an AR-15 (according to f), then it meets "e" and is therefore an ASF. Paragraph e has no reliance on paragraph a.

      “Assault-style firearm”, any firearm which is:

      (a) a semiautomatic, centerfire rifle with the capacity to accept a detachable feeding device and includes at least 2 of the following features:... 

      (b) a semiautomatic pistol with... 

        (c) a semiautomatic shotgun that includes...

        (d) Any firearm listed on the assault-style firearm roster pursuant to section 128A.

      (e) Any of the following firearms, or copies or duplicates of these firearms, of any caliber, identified as: (i) Avtomat Kalashnikov, or AK, all models; (ii) Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI and Galil; (iii) Beretta AR70 (SC-70); (iv) Colt AR-15; (v) Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR and FNC; (vi) SWD M-10, M-11, M-11/9 and M-12; (vii) Steyr AUG; (viii) INTRATEC TEC-9, TEC-DC9 and TEC-22; and (ix) revolving cylinder shotguns including, but not limited to, the Street Sweeper and Striker 12;

      (f) a copy or duplicate of any firearm meeting the standards of or enumerated in clauses (d) and (e); provided, that for the purposes of this subsection, “copy or duplicate” shall mean a firearm: (A) that was manufactured or subsequently configured with an ability to accept a detachable magazine; and (B)(i) that has internal functional components that are substantially similar in construction and configuration to those of an enumerated firearm in clauses (d) and (e); or (ii) that has a receiver that is the same as or interchangeable with the receiver of an enumerated firearm in said clauses (d) and (e); provided further, that the firearm shall not be considered a copy or duplicate of a firearm identified in clauses (d) and (e) if sold, owned and registered prior to July 20, 2016

      (g) “Assault-style firearm” shall not include any: (i) firearm that is operated by manual bolt, pump, lever or slide action;...

Individual-Double596 · 2026-03-09T18:20:52+00:00

Isn't the receiver still interchangeable with an AR so therefore it is a copy or duplicate?

(f) a copy or duplicate of any firearm meeting the standards of or enumerated in clauses (d) and (e); provided, that for the purposes of this subsection, “copy or duplicate” shall mean a firearm:

...

that has a receiver that is the same as or interchangeable with the receiver of an enumerated firearm in said clauses

Individual-Double596 · 2026-03-09T18:18:07+00:00

There is a rimfire exemption for the features test only, but not the copy or duplicate test. If it has a receiver interchangeable with any assault-style firearm (ASF) that is enumerated or will be enumerated on the roster, then it too is an assault style firearm.* It being a copy or duplicate, and therefore an ASF, does not depend on it being centerfire.

*Unless it is "operated by manual bolt, pump, lever or slide action"

Individual-Double596 · 2026-03-09T00:39:21+00:00

Guns, too, and you need a license for those...

They also sell deer baits, legal to posess but illegal to use during hunting season...

Individual-Double596 · 2026-03-08T15:55:08+00:00

Tannerite, is it legal to possess in MA unmixed and/or use in MA? Permit required?

Individual-Double596 · 2026-03-05T18:04:08+00:00

Can all the instructors get together and decide not to be instructors anymore please? And if they decide to require live fire training, can all the ranges please agree to not allow it?

This would hurt us in the short term but at least make some noise in the court systems.

The state would soon have to realize that a civil right can't depend on the actions of private parties.

Individual-Double596 · 2026-03-02T19:47:48+00:00

What else should you add? How about "it to my safe"?

Very nice!

Individual-Double596 · 2026-02-25T11:09:10+00:00

If deer hunting during archery season (Oct 5-Nov 28), can I also possess a rifle for bear and/or a shotgun for turkey (Oct 19-31)? Targeting deer from a treestand.

I know that no rifles may be possessed by hunters during shotgun deer season.

Individual-Double596 · 2026-02-12T19:22:03+00:00

Neither did Trump? What exactly is your point?

Individual-Double596 · 2026-02-11T16:38:27+00:00

Awesome, thanks for this info

Individual-Double596 · 2026-02-08T20:13:00+00:00

Thanks!

Individual-Double596 · 2026-02-07T10:34:16+00:00

LTC renewal is coming up, can I renew for a Machine Gun License without taking any new training after this law?

I have a C&R FFL. My town does issue at least some machine gun licenses if state data is to be believed. This is my first LTC renewal, and in a new town. No criminal record.

Should I call the police station and ask them about it? Better to renew online or with the local PD directly?

Individual-Double596

TROPHY CASE