The specific context was I had my shotgun sitting stock out, like 75% into my trunk, unloaded while I was putting stuff in my pack. The guy next to me was like… don’t do that keep it cased until the very last second, and told me about the leaning thing. In MA it’s not a “safety” law like leaning is dangerous because it could fall over it’s an “under your direct control law”. I can almost guarantee you that no criminal has gotten their hands on a shotgun because some hunter had it sitting next to them on the backseat and they sprinted up and grabbed it.
I get the safety issue, but IMHO that law is far more intrusive/ripe for abuse personally I’d be fighting that one more than background checks.
Basically Joe Pickett would be f-ed in MA.