Massachusetts is a “may issue” state for handguns. The law is so gray that many police chiefs (who have the ultimate say under state law) will not issue a LTC for “all lawful purposes”. Come to Springfield MA sometime. The Springfield COP will not issue, but the next town over, Monson COP, will issue. Therefore, if you live in Monson, you can carry in Springfield or most of the state except Boston, while if you’re from Springfield, you are not legally allowed to carry concealed anywhere in the state.
And....just recently, the state legislature changed the LTC to restrict any firearm usage unless specifically noted, where as before, the license listed “reason to issue” on your LTC, which was gray enough under the law that you could carry because, after all, the license was for LTC, and didn’t specify what type of carry.
And....I read here on this forum that most states allow open carry, even MA, but I have never tried it. They probably would call it brandishing, which is illegal.
So......even though the MA state contitution allows the right to bare arms, and predates the Bill of Rights, you would be lucky not to be arrested for some type or firearm offense if you carried concealed or open, whether handgun or longgun.
P.S. I have also heard that under the new license, as I stated above, if I shot someone, even in my home (and of course in fear for my life only), they could arrest me because my LTC did not specifically state I could use it for self defense.
The Peoples' Republic of Massachusetts has a Castle Law.
The real reason for not openly carrying is simply that it provides ammunition for the local Liberals who claim they were "Threatened" or "Placed in Fear" or "Scared" or had their "Karmic Vibrations disrupted" by seeing a gun. Such a complaint imperils the Carry License.
Also, local Police get pretty sick of "Man With Gun" calls every time a local merchant puts the day's reciepts into a night depository or ATM.
The reason I searched and found this old thread was because my wife and I just returned from a visit to Falmouth. Of COURSE we were armed. I wouldn't visit a place like that without a gun.