Massachusetts gun laws are not user friendly. There are a number of nuances (you may even call them traps) and specific requirements.
A Firearms Identification Card is a gun license in Massachusetts. According to Massachusetts Law, the holder of a Firearms Identification Card (FID) can not legally possess a firearm. True! Massachusetts has two types of gun licenses. It is illegal to purchase, own, possess or sell a gun of any kind (black powder rifles are the exception) in Massachusetts without a license. A license is also required to purchase ammunition or any of its components.
In the great preponderance of the world, a firearm is a gun. (ie. a firearm is a device which fires a projectile through its barrel by the expanding gases produced by extremely rapid burning gun powder.) Not so in Massachusetts. In Massachusetts a firearm is a handgun only. Using the same clear logic, ammunition is not just a cartridge, but rather the cartridge and every individual component. That means that even a spent casing is considered to be ammunition which, by the way, requires a state issued gun license to purchase and possess.
Massachusetts has very specific requirements for storage, transportation and possession of firearms, rifles and shotguns. Rifles and shotguns have different requirements than handguns (firearms in Massachusetts) and large capacity (greater than 10 rounds) weapons. When not under a licensee’s direct control, all firearms, rifles and shotguns must be properly stored. For storage, a rifle or shotgun can be stored using a trigger lock but not a handgun which must be stored in a locked compartment or case. Transportation of guns has similar requirements.
A summary of storage and transportation requirements and more
Massachusetts gun laws are not simple. In addition to requirements for possession, storage and transportation of guns, with different requirements for handguns, large capacity guns, rifles and shotguns, there are many more rules. Not all of the many rules and regulations make sense to gun owners, but the laws were not written by folks with gun knowledge.
If you are a resident of another state, especially a free state which truly respects the constitution, don’t bring your firearms to Massachusetts and expect to legally carry. There are very limited reasons that allow you to bring any gun into this state. Definitely do not bring your AR of AK unless it was manufactured prior to September 13, 1994. Also leave your standard (>10 rounds magazines at home.
In Massachusetts your rights as guaranteed by the Second Amendment of the Constitution is allowed only by the discretion of the Police Chief in your city or town. Some chiefs are good Americans who support your rights while others, most notably in the major cities and surrounding suburbs, choose to obstruct your 2A rights. This results in an inconsistent application of the licensing process and issuance of Licenses to Carry (LTC).
Thus, in order to exercise your 2A rights as a good, law abiding citizen, in many communities, you have to make your case to the police chief to demonstrate that your can be trusted with a gun.