Member Resource

Massachusetts Gun Laws

Guidance for New Hampshire shooters traveling to registered shoots in Massachusetts. The State Shoot itself is held at Minute Man Sportsman's Club in Burlington, Massachusetts, so this is ground most of us cover every season.

Disclaimer

The information presented here is not meant as legal advice in any way. Information is merely presented as a resource to NHTA members for their own personal consideration. The New Hampshire Trapshooting Association does not guarantee accuracy of the information contained on this page, and encourages members to seek professional and qualified counsel for legal advice surrounding this information.

Why This Matters

NHTA shooting crosses the border

The New Hampshire State Shoot is held at Minute Man Sportsman's Club in Burlington, MA, and Massachusetts clubs host registered shoots on the New England circuit that NHTA members attend all year. In 2024, Massachusetts passed House Bill 4885 and rewrote much of its firearms law, including the rules for nonresidents bringing shotguns into the Commonwealth.

The association gathered the bill text, put questions directly to the Massachusetts Attorney General's office, and obtained a legal opinion. Everything we received is published on this page so members can read the sources for themselves.

House Bill 4885

What the law says about nonresidents

Lines 1293 through 1301 of the bill text are the lines of interest for interpretation for a nonresident shooter bringing shotguns to a Massachusetts club. The excerpt below is quoted directly from the engrossed bill.

(j) A nonresident who is at least 18 years of age may possess rifles and shotguns that are not large capacity or semi-automatic and ammunition therefor: (i) to hunt during hunting season with a nonresident hunting license or a hunting license or permit lawfully issued from their state of residence, which has substantially similar requirements to those in section 11 of chapter 131, as determined by the colonel of the state police pursuant to subsection (l); (ii) while on a firing or shooting range; (iii) while traveling in or through the commonwealth; provided, that the rifles and shotguns that are not large capacity or semi-automatic shall be unloaded and in a locked container pursuant to sections 131C and 131L; or (iv) while at a firearm showing or display organized by a regularly existing gun collectors' club or association.

H.4885, lines 1293-1301

Clauses (ii) and (iii) are the ones most shooters ask about: possession while on a firing or shooting range, and travel in or through the Commonwealth with shotguns unloaded and in a locked container. How those clauses apply to any particular trip is a question for your own counsel.

Full Bill Text (PDF)Bill Status at malegislature.gov

Official Resources

Go to the source

H.4885 at the Massachusetts Legislature

Bill status, history, and the official text on the Legislature's website.

View the bill page

Mass.gov Firearms Services

The Commonwealth's official hub for firearms licensing, registration, and law.

Visit Mass.gov

Gun Owners Action League

GOAL is a Massachusetts organization that tracks the state's firearms laws and publishes updates as regulations and guidance change.

Visit GOAL

Read It Yourself

The source documents

The bill text, both rounds of correspondence with the Massachusetts Attorney General's office, and the legal opinion letter. All four open as PDFs.