# Gun Safety Course?



## visible25 (Feb 7, 2012)

Hey all, so I made an appointment to sit down with a Sgt. in my town for an interview in hopes of getting my FID card. I was told I'll need to take a gun safety course (and pass it) before I'm issued my card but since I'm out of state most of the year due to school I'm looking to take a course while I'm on break. After looking around I found a place called MassFireArmsSchool (sic) and I'm just wondering what some of you think of this place or if you know of a better place in the Worcester County area? Thanks in advance!


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## Pvt. Cowboy (Jan 26, 2005)

First defense firearms is doing a course next Sunday. I was there yesterday and heard them talking about it. People in the store who had taken it were pretty impressed.


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## visible25 (Feb 7, 2012)

I'll look into it, and stupid me meant to add this in my first post.. *typical* length and cost of these courses?


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## Goose (Dec 1, 2004)

FYI, you say "hopes of getting your FID card". Don't sweat it - I don't know why departments are holding interviews for FIDs as they are shall issue. The interview is thus a formality for a license that state law mandates you receive unless you are disqualified from receiving it.

The LTC on the other hand is "may issue", so your answers and the relationship you build from the interview for your FID card will likely help you later on when you apply for a LTC as well. A Chief/licensing officer can deny your LTC or restrict it for any reason (or no reason) whatsoever. That my friend, is the fucked up system in the Commonwealth.


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## visible25 (Feb 7, 2012)

frank said:


> FYI, you say "hopes of getting your FID card". Don't sweat it - I don't know why departments are holding interviews for FIDs as they are shall issue. The interview is thus a formality for a license that state law mandates you receive unless you are disqualified from receiving it.
> 
> The LTC on the other hand is "may issue", so your answers and the relationship you build from the interview for your FID card will likely help you later on when you apply for a LTC as well. A Chief/licensing officer can deny your LTC or restrict it for any reason (or no reason) whatsoever. That my friend, is the fucked up system in the Commonwealth.


That's a fair statement, but being the person I am I didn't want to say I was going for it and jinx my luck! (Plus I just went through my clothes and realized I left all my khakis and dress pants at school, so I only have jeans. Which is something I'm not sure about wearing to the interview)


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## Goose (Dec 1, 2004)

Go back to school or go out and buy another pair of pants. I would at least wear a dress shirt, tie, nice pants, and nice shoes if you don't have a suit.


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## visible25 (Feb 7, 2012)

That's what I thought, I'm too far from school to be able to do that so I think I'll be canceling my appointment. But thanks for the information nevertheless, I'll keep it in mind for next time


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## Goose (Dec 1, 2004)

263FPD said:


> Frank, we are not a shall issue state, remember? We are may issue state for all intents and purposes


LTC is may issue, FID is shall issue...

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter140/Section129b

http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/...ps-revoke-his-firearms-license-seize-his-guns

http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/...uit-against-Dighton-police-department-dropped




> "The FID is unlike a handgun license," Trask went on to say. "The LTC (license to carry), which allows a police chief to exercise as what the law refers to discretion to determine the applicants' suitability, based on various unarticulated non-specified factors the chief may or may not think is important. This case, as the complaint alleges, we have information that shows that the decision to suspend the FID card was a decision based on reflected maturity and essentially his choice of friends."


If a Chief gets a big head and denies or revokes a FID for a non-statutory reason, game on...


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## Joel98 (Mar 2, 2011)

frank said:


> A Chief/licensing officer can deny your LTC or restrict it for any reason (or no reason) whatsoever. .


They cannot deny it for any reason, the only reasons they can deny it are; any felony conviction, any conviction of a gun crime, drug crime, sentenced to a mental insitution, or habitual drunkeness. This is straight from CH. 140.

If the applicant does not have any of these, and the Chief STILL tries to deny him/her an LTC, then find yourself a lawyer and game on


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## Pvt. Cowboy (Jan 26, 2005)

Joel98 said:


> They cannot deny it for any reason, the only reasons they can deny it are; any felony conviction, any conviction of a gun crime, drug crime, sentenced to a mental insitution, or habitual drunkeness. This is straight from CH. 140.
> 
> If the applicant does not have any of these, and the Chief STILL tries to deny him/her an LTC, then find yourself a lawyer and game on


Worked for me. Just the threat of a suit the chief fixed it. Thank you comm2a!


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## Goose (Dec 1, 2004)

Joel98 said:


> They cannot deny it for any reason, the only reasons they can deny it are; any felony conviction, any conviction of a gun crime, drug crime, sentenced to a mental insitution, or habitual drunkeness. This is straight from CH. 140.
> 
> If the applicant does not have any of these, and the Chief STILL tries to deny him/her an LTC, then find yourself a lawyer and game on


License to Carry: MGL c140 s131(d)
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter140/Section131


> (d) Any person residing or having a place of business within the jurisdiction of the licensing authority or any law enforcement officer employed by the licensing authority or any person residing in an area of exclusive federal jurisdiction located within a city or town may submit to such licensing authority or the colonel of state police, an application for a Class A or Class B license to carry firearms, or renewal of the same, which such *licensing authority or said colonel may issue* if it appears that the applicant is a *suitable person* to be issued such license, and that the applicant has good reason to fear injury to his person or property, or for any other reason, including the carrying of firearms for use in sport or target practice only, subject to such restrictions expressed or authorized under this section, unless the applicant:
> 
> ...


There is a member on here going through this exact issue right now and has racked up over a $3K legal bill. I went through it as well but without the lawyer.


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## Dan Stark (Aug 2, 2005)

Joel98 said:


> They cannot deny it for any reason, the only reasons they can deny it are; any felony conviction, any conviction of a gun crime, drug crime, sentenced to a mental insitution, or habitual drunkeness. This is straight from CH. 140.
> 
> If the applicant does not have any of these, and the Chief STILL tries to deny him/her an LTC, then find yourself a lawyer and game on


LTCs are discretionary. FIDs are not. Hence the hatred for MA in respect to them. I may even file for my FID as a backup just in case.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk


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## hunter025 (Dec 22, 2012)

My brother and I took a course at the Mass Firearms School in Holliston and enjoyed it. The instructors were great and gave everyone the one-on-one attention they needed. I plan to go back again at some point for the basic firearms safety course (which I believe is $100).


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## visible25 (Feb 7, 2012)

Thank you all for the information!


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