My apologies if this has been addressed.  A search didn't turn anything up.

Just when you thought MA was bad enough...

Does anyone have any first-hand experience with the Boston (not MA, just the city of Boston) Assault Weapon Law of 1989?  See http://www.goal.org/MGL/boston.aw.html

I was contemplating buying my first rifle and was considering options when I came upon this bad boy.  It appears to ban *any* AK or AR-15 (and others specifically listed) as well as "rifles...which are substantially identical thereto sold under any designation".  That last part is a little vague, don't you think?  I should note that there are at least some exceptions for "passing through" the city.

By the way, this is the law that people often cite (incorrectly based on my read of the language) as prohibiting high-cap pistol magazines within Boston.

Based on calls to GOAL (MA NRA) and the Boston PD, no assault weapon roster board ever convened, and no roster was ever compiled or posted.  So, the roster is what's in the law itself.

When I pushed a Boston PD officer in the firearms licensing unit on what was  prohibited, I couldn't get much of a useful answer.  On the one hand I was told "your firearm dealer will know what an assault weapon is".  I pointed out that the Boston language is way broader and vaguer than the federal AWB, with which the dealer would likely be familiar.  I also noted that post-federal-AWB-ban AR-15's exist, e.g.  We didn't get too far after that.

Anyway, any guidance or inciteful thoughts would be appreciated.

Flee the city or take your chances.

Yes, I've considered it.  Although not the most useful comment, at least someone's read my post!

For your 154th post, by the way, definitely a value-add.  Nothing personal, actually, just my frustration with the Boston law poking through...

Why would you live in Boston?

I commute 1.5 hours to Mass everyday for work...

I live in Maine.

Most people up here can't spell A-W-B

As a Boston native and former GOAL employee (intern), I may be able to help answer some of these questions.

First, Boston is a GREAT city. Other than its gun laws (more a function of state law) and high cost of living, it is awesome. If MA was better about guns, I'd live there in a heartbeat.

You've already read the ban, I see, so I won't elaborate too much. It appears to me to be like the CA ban in that it names specific guns, and does not list criteria in the way that the federal ban does. So, the way I read it, if it doesn't say "AR-15" or "AK"-something on it, it's OK. That catchall provision at the end seems to be aimed at shorter barrels, stocks, etc., rather than clones. The "substantially identical" is probably void due to its vagueness - it's not specific enough, although I wouldn't want to be the test case.

Also, I have never heard of anyone getting nailed under this law, even people who were doing "something else bad". I doubt if many BPD officers even know about it, much less care. If the BPD firearms licensing people don't know or care, that should answer your question. Just don't go marching down Newbury Street with an AR-15 and I think you'll be fine.