A "common sense" proposal that will piss off both sides

That’s very true here as well. It’s a serious process to find out if the sketchy dude who was arrested with a pistol tucked in his jeans is actually a prohibited person or not. Unless they’re currently on probation nothing pops.
I'd guess that I interact with someone that's unlawfully in possession of a firearm multiple times per year and am none the wiser. Unless they're under custodial arrest for whatever reason or they are one of my frequent fliers it's not going to be discovered.
 
So illegal aliens won't make the list until a conviction in the USA
 
So illegal aliens won't make the list until a conviction in the USA
There is no list. That's the problem. Everyone must be independently researched comparing their criminal history vs the enumerated offenses to see if they have any disqualifiers.

That being said, illegal immigrants are the easiest to detect as "gun" + "illegal immigrant" = "arrest" every time. Now what happens from there is between the district attorney and ICE
 
@ Vikingsguy >>did Hunter Break the law by checking the box ???
Meh, maybe. Maybe not. I’ll wager a lot of money you’ll find a significant number of much more cut and dried falsification cases if you looked very hard.
 
Meh, maybe. Maybe not. I’ll wager a lot of money you’ll find a significant number of much more cut and dried falsification cases if you looked very hard.
I think everyone agrees that dude should not own a gun, but I agree maybe/maybe not. Sad deal that guy is a mess. If you think about that question in terms of alcohol and what the clinical definite of alcoholism is... talk about murky/opening a can of worms.
 
I think everyone agrees that dude should not own a gun, but I agree maybe/maybe not. Sad deal that guy is a mess. If you think about that question in terms of alcohol and what the clinical definite of alcoholism is... talk about murky/opening a can of worms.
Without a doubt he shouldn’t own one, and yes he’s an absolute mess. I can’t imagine what his ex wife and kids deal with.

My only point is, if you want to begin prosecuting falsified forms, he’s not the one to start with if you’re truly interested in getting convictions.
 
Didn't read the thread. Ban the guns. Who cares? We're all just rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic at this point. 😃
20220610_155607.jpg
 
Gotta think before I post next time.
Definitely didn’t fully think about everyone in those pics.
Not trying to put off that vibe 🤦‍♂️
 
Last edited:
If I could magically change federal gun laws here’s what I’d do:

1. Roll back infringements on conceal carry. All persons legally permitted to own handguns age 21+ may conceal carry in all places in all US states and territories. Certain exceptions for high-risk settings such as airplanes. Also, any establishment may retain armed security at established ratios, ex. minimum one armed security personnel present per 500 persons in a building, and then may also restrict private conceal carry. The idea here is to eliminate the tens of thousands of soft targets in our country, “gun-free” zones. Any potential mass shooter in America knows they will likely face prompt return fire.

2. Implement a federal individual gun license to own, possess, transfer, and sell firearms, three levels: blue, green, gold (see below). Database to register all firearms owned. One time fee to obtain lifetime license. Cell phone app to record transfers linked to the license. Red flags, convictions, and other conditions may suspend license for a set time or indefinitely.

Blue: Age 18+. Sporting rifles, shotguns. Minors may possess and use firearms under a 1st or 2nd degree relative’s firearm license.

Green: Age 21+. Semi-auto weapons, and all handguns. More stringent requirements to keep. Safety/ethics/range course completion to obtain.

Gold: Age 25+. Auto weapons, weapons of war, certain explosives, bump stocks, 21+ capacity magazines etc. $500 annual fee per each 10 weapons and accessories. Most stringent license to obtain and keep.

Self-made firearms may not be sold/transferred/conveyed to any other person without proper serialization
NFA rules around SBR/shotgun length/supressors/etc are gone - a firearm is a firearm, size, shape, and color have no impact on regulation other than a continued minimum metal requirement
Yes and Yes
 
If I could magically change federal gun laws here’s what I’d do:

1. Roll back infringements on conceal carry. All persons legally permitted to own handguns age 21+ may conceal carry in all places in all US states and territories. Certain exceptions for high-risk settings such as airplanes. Also, any establishment may retain armed security at established ratios, ex. minimum one armed security personnel present per 500 persons in a building, and then may also restrict private conceal carry. The idea here is to eliminate the tens of thousands of soft targets in our country, “gun-free” zones. Any potential mass shooter in America knows they will likely face prompt return fire.

2. Implement a federal individual gun license to own, possess, transfer, and sell firearms, three levels: blue, green, gold (see below). Database to register all firearms owned. One time fee to obtain lifetime license. Cell phone app to record transfers linked to the license. Red flags, convictions, and other conditions may suspend license for a set time or indefinitely.

Blue: Age 18+. Sporting rifles, shotguns. Minors may possess and use firearms under a 1st or 2nd degree relative’s firearm license.

Green: Age 21+. Semi-auto weapons, and all handguns. More stringent requirements to keep. Safety/ethics/range course completion to obtain.

Gold: Age 25+. Auto weapons, weapons of war, certain explosives, bump stocks, 21+ capacity magazines etc. $500 annual fee per each 10 weapons and accessories. Most stringent license to obtain and keep.



Yes and Yes
Too simple and makes too much sense.
 
@wllm , what's your take on this?


This is clearly an article written by someone who has neither participated in the Mass system.

TLDR: Massachussets gun regulations either by design or just as a result make gun ownership rates super low. That reduces gun crimes. It's a pain in the ass to get a gun and therefore people aren't as inclined to do it.

Roughly here is my experience and opinions.

MA is kinda a Fud and concealed carry state. Like those are the two primary user groups hunters and folks who want to cc. There really isn't a tacticool culture.

If you come to MA from out of state to hunt, you don't need the permit, you can't buy ammo in MA but you can drive down from like Vermont for the weekend to hunt turkey's or deer. No permit needed if you have a hunting license.

You do need a license, either an Firearm Identification FID or License to Carry LTC, the LTC comes in two flavors restricted, meaning "hunting or sport shooting" or unrestricted "concealed carry".

The basic process is take a class, mail in your application, wait forever took me 9 months, then you go get your permit. The interview is misrepresented in the article, the license mail in application has 15 questions that you answer yes or no. During your "interview" they just ask you the questions again, that's it. The main reason you go in for your interview is to get your picture taken for your license and to get finger printed.

I got a Non-resident LTC when I was first moving to MA and then a resident LTC. The Nonres LTC took waaaaaay longer, but was done by the state police, it felt more legit. The resident LTC is all done through your local town police station. Your local police chief decides whether you get the license or not. Towns in MA are very very small geographically, and if you move you have to redo the process (partially) this is not the case with the non-resident LTC (go figure), essentially if we move 3 blocks I would be in a different jurisdiction and have to jump through more hoops.

You have to renew your license every 5 years, it takes a long time to process so it's more like every 4.5 years. Further this requirement was 2 years, but keeps getting made longer as the state deals with the volume of licenses.

Seems like most causal hunters in MA just hunt muzzy and bow which don't require a license. Folks more into it get the LTC, and a small number of people who really want a CC go that route.

My experience is probably different than most because I'm a white guy, with an above median income, who has no ties to the area. I would imagine that if you are from MA and have a sketchy uncle or something, that makes it harder. I also am very good at navigating legal systems. Beyond my application I wrote a letter explaining why I wanted a license, and provided reference letters from individuals who are MDs and Lawyers. I got the CC or unrestricted LTC... not sure if this is common or uncommon to get.

As far as enforcement goes, the gun shops here kinda suck mostly sketchy feeling stores that sell ARs and handguns (not my scene), there are a few hunting stores that feel a bit hoity toity where you can by nice sidebysides and O/U shotguns. Western part of the state has a Bass pro and I assume more normal shops.

New Hampshire is about 20 min from our house so I mostly buy stuff up there, the store right on the border checks your mass LTC and won't sell guns or ammo to you if you don't have one.

I've also purchased in VT and ME, they are far enough away (60min -90min) that apparently they don't know the MA rules and don't check your LTC for ammo.

If you buy a gun in MA you have to register it with the state there is a whole process, they mostly worry about handguns and ARs. You don't have to register weapons you owned before moving to the state. I think if you bought a gun on gun broker sent it to a FFL in like Maine or whatever and drove up one could likely skirt the law.

Since it's implementation gun violence hasn't gone down, it's just kinda stayed flat or gone up slightly. Given national trends I suspect the rate would have gone way up without the law.

That being said the confounding factor is MAs robust social safety net and healthcare system. Our system is just so much better than the rest of the country and that has to be related. Also, wealthier more educated population with a ton of gentrification going on... that said there are some very rough parts of the city.

I think the system kinda works in MA because pre implementation gun ownership rates were low, and it happened before the taticool era. I'm not sure if it's a model that would be feasible nationwide, I think there are just too many guns and gun owners. Some states could definitely go this route but I'm skeptical of it at a federal level.
 
Last edited:
This is clearly an article written by someone who has neither participated in the Mass system....
I think the system kinda works in MA because pre implementation gun ownership rates were low, and it happened before the taticool era. I'm not sure if it's a model that would be feasible nationwide, I think there are just too many guns and gun owners. Some states could definitely go this route but I'm skeptical of it at a federal level.
I genuinely believe this is the biggest problem for any new, restrictive gun regulation. It's just too late. Look at itlike trying to enforce prohibition on a country that already fell in love with alcohol, except they're all armed lol.
 
I genuinely believe this is the biggest problem for any new, restrictive gun regulation. It's just too late. Look at itlike trying to enforce prohibition on a country that already fell in love with alcohol, except they're all armed lol.
I agree. Though I don't think it's ever too late to improve things go forward, even if all you're doing is keeping them from getting worse.

Further, I think those on this form, and by that I mean hunters, have a huge gun blind spot, education.

There likely isn't a member on this forum who hasn't passed 1 if not multiple hunter's ed courses. Those all teach basic firearm handling.

Realty check a HUGE portion of firearm owners in the US never do that. I think most folks here have a trajectory with firearms that goes something like this... grew up with guns, learned to hunt, maybe served in the military, hunted as an adult, at some point purchased a hand gun or an AR. AR either for personal defense or for predator hunting.

The largest group of first time gun purchasers are buying handguns then ARs, they are never taking hunters Ed or any type of training.

Go back and look at some of the online hunter's ed discussion on the forum, some folks thought it absurd that during Covid you didn't have to do the field day portion.

Ok so adult onset hunter Joe needs to do firearms training to hunt elk, but Chad doesn't to "defend his home" with an AR? We aren't even going to make sure it knows how to load his firearm properly. No explanation of the castle doctrine or stand your ground laws?
 
Last edited:
@ajrcktts and @Bigjay73 I definitely think there are issues with the MA system, but if you look at the systems holistically it's about as easy to buy a gun and hunt in MA as it is in CO. Getting your LTC is about the same amount of time and effort as figuring out which unit to hunt and applying for a unit in CO and dealing with the point system.

Point being it's a bunch of hoops to jump through, but compared to what I do to get various hunting licenses it's not really that onerous.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
111,093
Messages
1,946,550
Members
35,021
Latest member
Higbee
Back
Top