New Assault Weapon ban in Massachusetts

[xsubsailor]

 

Semi-automatic “assault” weapons are banned in Massachusetts. Yet 10,000 of the guns were sold in the state last year, Attorney General Maura Healey said Wednesday.

Gun manufacturers create supposed “state compliant” guns by making slight changes in the weapons — removing a flash suppressor or telescoping stock — Healey said. That ends now, she announced in a press conference and Boston Globeop-ed. On Tuesday, letters went to the more than 300 gun dealers in the state letting them know they can no longer sell these weapons.

“We put gun manufacturers and gun dealers on notice that we’re cracking down on the sale of illegal assault weapons,” she said.

 

https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2016/07/20/massachusetts-enforce-longstanding-assault-weapons-ban-closing-loophole

[Steelharp]

Time for an "assault tea" party?

[Sidecarist]

So... If the guns are compliant with the existing law how are they banning them? It will be interesting to see how this plays out. If the attorney general can simply "decide" that the guns are no longer compliant then what else can the AG "decide"?

We don't know all the facts, but if what I described above is true then this is a slippery slope!

[cjohnson44546]

Idiots actually think laws stop murderers...

[Ugly]

It's a banana republic in a banana republic. 

So much for the rule of law. 

[nightrunner]

I'm curious also as to the actual validity of this. Not doubting it has happened but how it will hold and if it has legs to stand on. I was under the understanding that an AG could only interpret existing laws not create new ones.

[300winmag]

It looks like the AG is stretching legal interpretation and making up her own law. 

Still MA is not the best place to be if you like guns.

[Grand Torino]

1 hour ago, nightrunner said:

I'm curious also as to the actual validity of this. Not doubting it has happened but how it will hold and if it has legs to stand on. I was under the understanding that an AG could only interpret existing laws not create new ones.

Well that's what they used to do. Nowadays most of these politicians say whatever they want and the bumbling masses say it must be true. Idiots.

[lordjackel]

2 hours ago, nightrunner said:

I was under the understanding that an AG could only interpret existing laws not create new ones.

As I understand it this is exactly what she is doing.  They already have a "law" banning AR type rifles but the standard was based off cosmetic items which manufactures just went around.  Now she is "interpreting" the law differently based off the action type therefore all existing AR/AK rifles would fall under the ban.  And since the Supreme Court recently kept in the place the lower court ruling that AR bans don't violate the 2nd amendment MA is pretty much screwed.  At least today it only affects dealers selling new ones...privately owed ones are still "allowed".   MA gun owners should have stood up years ago if they cared to stop this.  Given the high amount of gun laws there I am guessing most people are very liberal and will welcome this change.   Let the Purge begin!

Edited July 20, 2016 by lordjackel

[Mindless-Focus]

According to her wording an interpretation, any guns that use roll pins, screws, aluminum, etc, that can be found or used on other rifles are now banned. 

[Whisper]

Anyone know where S&W ARs are made?  If they're made in Massachusetts, this law would apparently prevent S&W from *selling* any such rifles, even if they were being sold to customers out of state.  Also, to you police and sheriff's departments in the state -- hope you have all the ARs you will ever need; it's now illegal for any dealers to sell you any more.

Cheers,
Whisper

[Mindless-Focus]

 

[Ugly]

She is also banning the manufacture of such evil firearms. Dictating to he manufacturers! ?!?

This is like Chavez, rule by edict. All logic aside, damn the people and laws. 

It is truly amazing that the New England area has had such an important role in this countries history because of their firearm ingenuity, that the Libtards want to spread their scat all over them is beyond reason. 

Talk about biting the hand that feeds. 

 

Edited July 21, 2016 by Ugly

[Grand Torino]

Smith & Wesson and Savage Arms are both located in the craphole state I believe.

[Chucktshoes]

1 hour ago, Mindless-Focus said:

According to her wording an interpretation, any guns that use roll pins, screws, aluminum, etc, that can be found or used on other rifles are now banned. 

Correct. This action essentially bans all semi automatic rifles (and possibly handguns) from sale in the state. Anyone wanna take bets on how long before she issues an opinion that any sold in the last 10 years were illegally sold and must be surrendered?

[Oh Shoot]

 

[Scorpion Equalizer]

1 hour ago, Grand Torino said:

Smith & Wesson and Savage Arms are both located in the craphole state I believe.

Tennessee would be a good relocation state to manufacture those evil black rifles.

[DWARREN123]

Take every thing bad and look at the one thing that links them. It's people, so make people illegal!

[Scorpion Equalizer]

2 minutes ago, DWARREN123 said:

Take every thing bad and look at the one thing that links them. It's people, so make people illegal!

It's the idiot liberal Dems that are bad. The Dems are the only ones wanting to take away our guns and liberties.

[DaveTN]

Smith & Wesson is leading the AR market; this doesn’t look good for them.

[MrJones79]

I'm curious also as to the actual validity of this. Not doubting it has happened but how it will hold and if it has legs to stand on. I was under the understanding that an AG could only interpret existing laws not create new ones.

I am a former (thankfully) MA resident. You are correct that the AG can't create new law. What she has done is issue a "directive" to clarify (her) interpretation of the law, which is really the only one that matters ultimately because she's the one who'd bring charges. So yesterday the AG said that AR's and the like have always been illegal since the MA assault weapon ban of 1994, and that the state compliant versions that have always been sold there were never legal to begin with. She says she isn't going to go after individual gun owners who bought under the impression they were legal (isn't she nice?), or go after the FFLs for same reason.

The "directive" on the AWB is similar to what the last AG did with Glocks. Dealers cannot, or are not supposed to, sell Gen 3 or higher Glocks because of handgun safety standards in the state that the Glock apparently doesn't pass. So AG threatens dealers and manufacturers with fines, lawsuit etc. The dealers can't risk their business so most comply.

MA is lost cause when it comes to firearms laws. There isn't enough pro gun people in the general population to get things done legislatively. Most state lawmakers are anti gun.

[TomUT07]

Savage, S&W, and I think there are a lot more.  I believe Sig moved to Exeter, NH so they are good, my understand NH still has some freedom lovers.

There are a lot of manufacturers right over the border in Connecticut as well, Colt, Marlin, Mossberg to name a few and I am sure the folks in Connecticut will do their best to try something similar.

Hopefully they will move out of that area, I'm sure Haslam would love the jobs here and I am sure there are plenty of other states that would take them as well.

Terrible news though, all in the name of safety, well, we know it's not, yay control, self reliant be damned.  This will save ZERO lives.

[btq96r]

5 hours ago, DaveTN said:

Smith & Wesson is leading the AR market; this doesn’t look good for them.

Massachusetts politicians are hypocritical, not stupid.  As long as none are sold inside the state, they'll let S&W sell ARs to anyone else in the country and wet their beak from the business taxes they get to collect.

[Grand Torino]

I realize relocating is an expensive proposition but so is kissing the butts of politicians that think gun manufacturers are scum but willing to take their tax money. Every maker in that state is hopefully looking at options to get out of that crazy place. States like Tennessee would bend over backwards with tax breaks and incentives to encourage the move.

[ironsniper1]

can the AG really do that without the state senate or governor or anything like that?