Please school me on MA nonresident LTC rules.

[benEzra]

Since I may be taking a road trip to Boston in the next year or so, I am kicking around the idea of picking up a Massachusetts LTC so that I can legally have an unloaded pistol locked in the trunk, as I'd like to have it with me during other parts of the trip (outside Massachusetts). I would likely not be carrying in MA, but AFAIK I need an LTC even to have an unloaded firearm secured in the vehicle, and the normal FOPA peaceable-journey protections don't apply since I would be stopping in Boston.

I had understood that such licenses were in the past not terribly hard for a law-abiding nonresident to get, if you had a CHL in your home state. However, after reading the application for a nonresident LTC on the MA state website (which is quite new, dated December 2010), I am now thoroughly confused, and am thinking perhaps the requirements have changed.

Here's the application I looked at:

http://www.mass.gov/Eeops/docs/chsb/firearms/Non-resident_20100126.pdf

From what I am reading, it looks like I would now have to make an initial trip to Chelsea, MA to appear in person at an arbitrary date as part of the licensing process?

All new and renewal non-resident temporary licenses to carry firearms (LTC) in Massachusetts are issued through the Massachusetts Instant Record Check System (MIRCS). MIRCS is a computer based application used to manage, process and monitor firearms licensing statewide.

To complete the application process, you must appear in person at the following:

Dept. of Criminal Justice Information Services
Firearms Records Bureau
200 Arlington Street
Chelsea, MA 02150

You will receive a notice by mail or email with your scheduled date and time to appear for final LTC processing in Chelsea, MA. Appointments will be scheduled in the order that completed applications are received and are typically scheduled within 60 days from the date of receipt. The FRB recommends that all applicants apply for renewal at least 90 days before their current license expires to allow time for processing.

And I will have to take a firearm safety class that is certified by the commonwealth of Massachusetts, or taught by an instructor recognized by Massachusetts?

Firearms Safety Course: First time applicants must submit a copy of a recent certificate showing completion of a basic firearm safety course given in their home state or in Massachusetts. This course must have been taken with an instructor who is certified by the Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police (please ask your instructor prior to taking the course if he is certified in Massachusetts). A certificate issued by the Commonwealth’s Division Fisheries and Wildlife, showing completion of a hunter education course is a valid substitute for the Firearms Safety Certificate. A safety course or certificate is not required if you:

1) are applying for a chemical propellant only license, or

2) held a Massachusetts non-resident LTC or Massachusetts resident LTC on or after June 1, 1998, or

3) are authorized by a competent authority to carry or possess a weapon, and are acting within the scope of your duties. Specifically this applies to any officer, agent or employee of the Commonwealth or any state of the United States; any member of the military or other service of any state or of the United States; and any duly authorized law enforcement officer, agent or employee of any municipality of the Commonwealth. Note that this exemption does not cover the carrying of a weapon while not on duty.

I see this list of approved courses, but am I correct in thinking that I'd have to take even an approved course from a MA-certified instructor? (And obviously my NC class no longer qualifies...)

And the "chemical propellant only license" part---do you seriously have to obtain a nonresident license to carry a firearm in order to carry a pepper spray? Or does this somehow apply only to certain sprays? Can I legally have a pepper spray locked in your car trunk (not on my person or immediately accessible) without a MA LTC?

Finally, I see there are Class A and Class B LTC's. If I am reading the rules correctly, a class B restricted LTC would allow me to transport an unloaded Smith & Wesson 3913 in the trunk (8+1 capacity), but to transport an unloaded Smith & Wesson 5906 (15+1 or 17+1 capacity) I would need a class A, correct?

Any clarification would be much appreciated. Thanks!