TargetTalk

Hi all,

I've been shooting air pistol for a long time and I'm thinking about getting into free pistol.


But I live in MA.


[cue jeers, condolences, and outright ridicule]

For those of you that do not know, for any handgun to be sold in MA, it needs to go through safety testing comparable to sending a gun through the center of the earth. But just because it is safety approved doesn't mean it can be sold: - on top of the safety requirements, the Attorney General has a specific list of guns which are able to be sold.

Does anyone in MA have any suggestions about how to still get a free pistol? Much obliged.

Contact Greg Derr at Derr Precision. (Tongue firmly in cheek: We all know that, in general, MA people can't be trusted with the handguns used by many Americans.)

You should contact USA Shooting and let them know about your problem. California has a similar safety testing requirement but olympic type pistols are exempt. USA Shooting will have to submit the list of pistols they want to be exempt. MA Department of Justice has a form to approve target pistols. I just checked their website. You can also contact The US distributor of the gun you plan to buy (Pardini, Morini, etc.). They can also fill the form and apply for approval. Good luck.

The Mass law is written (and interpreted) in a manner that is very different from California. They could care less whether a pistol is used for Olympic shooting. I at least got them to admit that the target pistol exemption process wasn't working, but they aren't about to change it until we shake up the legislature a bit more.

Your best bet is to find one used. Greg Derr might know someone who has one for sale.