Massachusetts has outlawed all Semiautomatic Long Guns

[Miami_JBT]

Background, the US State of Massachusetts passed their own version of the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban. The Federal Ban expired in 2004 by a sunset provision inserted when it was pass by our Congress.

Massachusetts copied it in their State Legislative Body except it did not have a sunset provision. The law stated that rifle made after September 13, 1994 were banned if they had the following features.

If a firearm had more than two banned features, it was illegal to own.

1. Threaded Barrel
2. Flash Hider
3. Pistol Grip
4. Expandable/Folding Stock
5. Semiautomatic with ability to take detachable magazine
6. Bayonet Lug

Also magazines with a capacity of more than 10rds are also illegal if made after Sept. 13th, 1994.

An AR-15 with a fixed stock, a target crowned barrel, a pistol grip, no bayonet kug, and the ability to take magazines were legal. Since only the pistol grip and ability to take mags were banned. But it had to be more than two banned features to make the gun illegal.

Well, on July 20th, 2016 at 11am EST. The Massachusetts Attorney General " reinterpreted" the law.

* effective immediately the "illegal assault weapons" since 1994 are now illegal. No buying, no selling. Dealers with existing stock must sell them out of state where they are"still" legal.

No legal way to make a gun compliant. She used an example of a flash hider and said that a gun without a flash hider (no features) is illegal. If a gun is "MA compliant" it's illegal.

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...



Here's the major issue. The AG stated tht rifles sold since 1994 that were legal are no illegal but due to prosecutorial discretion granted to the attorney general, she will not file charges on those gun owners that now own illegal guns. The huge problem is that she stated that guns sold after July 20th are also illegal. She can change her mind at anytime and bring charges to those lawful gun owners.

All gun sales in Massachusetts are tracked by the State and the State Police knows who has what. So when the AG decides to file charges against thise gun owners. They can just go down the list and do it.