Here's the deal:

Ex-girlfriend, who legally owned two handguns when we lived in MA (she had FOID and CCW, in Boston of all places!!), got married and moved out of state about 8 years ago.  She recently divorced and moved back.

Now, I understand MA changed their "lifetime" FOID card structure to be "Non-Lifetime" and I don't think she's gotten her new one yet.

She doesn't want the handguns anymore due to her little kids and that she no longer has interest in shooting (no lectures...she's very pro-gun, just doesn't want them anymore).  She has offered them to me, but I live in ARizona.  I have an FFL who will gladly do the transfer for me on my end.

Question is:  How can she get them to my FFL, legally?  Does she need to go get another FOID, then give to an FFL there to xfer to my FFL?  Or can she ship via UPS Overnight to my FFL?  I have been out of MA for so long (since 1990), that I no longer know any of the laws there.

If you can, a response to me at [email protected] would be appreciated, but I am subscribing to this thread, too.

Thanks,
TimW
Phoenix
Practical Tactical, LLC

Im pretty sure LenS will chime in a minute, but I was under the assumption that pistol sales across state lines were a unless you were the owner, and you were moving, I could be wrong though.....

my understanding was that it was illegal if it was a direct person-to-person transfer.  Otherwise, how do handguns get across the country?

And...that's why I am asking.

Anyone looking for a Ladysmith 2" .38spl or Ruger MkII .22 5.5" pistol?

I'll see if she's interested in selling....

she can ship UPS to your FFL, that's completely legal.

She should hook up with a gun owner nearby her new residence and have him/her transport her and the guns to the local UPS depot for shipment. She'll need a copy of the recipient's FFL in case UPS demands it (depending on who works the counter, some will demand it while others won't).

She can NOT transport the guns outside her home unless she gets a LTC (as of 1998, FIDs are no longer good for handguns even in the home, and all the FIDs expired in spite of their being issued for "lifetime"). A LTC can easily take 3+ months to obtain and will likely require a training course, etc.

Also, unless she notified the state and the City of Boston when she originally moved out (by certified mail), she was in violation of the law and that violation is now grounds for denial of a LTC!

Legally she can ship direct to an FFL in any state. She does NOT have to go thru a MA FFL (which would likely cost her $30-40 for each gun + shipping).

I know this sounds silly, but if UPS came and picked up the package, she wouldn't need an LTC, right?  Forgive if that sounds really stupid, but I don't want anyone getting into trouble.  I'll see what's up, but I don't think she knows anyone where she is now living, which I can't recall at the moment....

Tim,

I don't think that UPS will pick up firearms unless you have a daily pickup contract with them. I'm not certain about this, but I do believe it to be the case.

If they will, yes she wouldn't need a LTC to do it.

Quoted: She should hook up with a gun owner nearby her new residence and have him/her transport her and the guns to the local UPS depot for shipment. She'll need a copy of the recipient's FFL in case UPS demands it (depending on who works the counter, some will demand it while others won't). She can NOT transport the guns outside her home unless she gets a LTC (as of 1998, FIDs are no longer good for handguns even in the home, and all the FIDs expired in spite of their being issued for "lifetime"). A LTC can easily take 3+ months to obtain and will likely require a training course, etc. Also, unless she notified the state and the City of Boston when she originally moved out (by certified mail), she was in violation of the law and that violation is now grounds for denial of a LTC! Legally she can ship direct to an FFL in any state. She does NOT have to go thru a MA FFL (which would likely cost her $30-40 for each gun + shipping).

thanks for reminding me that I never ever want to live in Mass... it's bad enough I have to work there.

LenS,

I know about the law when moving from one town to another within the state, but does the law specify this when moving out of state?  I asked a gun dealer in Mass a while back, and he said you can just move, no need for the certified letter.

Ed,

Since it doesn't specify, it is implied that you will notify that you are leaving (just like you were going to a new town). Matters not, UNLESS you ever move back. Since NOT notifying is now a specified reason for justifying a DENIAL of LTC, you may well be denied if you ever move back and they check that you never notified. [Apps require you to state that you ever had an FID/LTC in MA and give info on issuance. Any mis-statements on the app is perjury, prosecutable and justifiable reason for DENIAL.]