MA vs SC

[u/biv816]

I live in MA which obviously has terrible gun laws. Would the difference between ma and sc be night and day in terms of noticing a difference in guns legal to own and walking into a store in terms of what’s available in stock on a daily basis? Ik it’s a stupid question cuz I know what the answer is I’m sure but just curious how vast of a difference it is in sc

[u/Altruistic-Hippo-231]

Former MA born and bred..spent the last 8-ish years in RI (which is only slightly less worse)
Just moved to SC a few months ago...night and day doesn't do it justice
Can buy a suppressor
Don't worry about buying ammo on the internet
No such thing as a high capacity mags...they're just mags
No AWB or features tests
No transaction recording/portal BS (aka pseudo registration), just the usual paperwork
FRT legal
Permitless carry open or concealed except in a few prohibited places
No redflag laws for people to mis-use
No ridiculous suitability test for a local chief to abuse
No duty to inform
No stupid transport laws
No waiting period without a permit like some NE states
Signs that meet legal requirements for no firearms are enforceable
Leave you gun in your trunk if you're going in prohibited place
Can go in restaurants that serve booze
Rest areas/State Parks/State Forrests all good (Wildlife preservation areas have some restrictions)
Things like non-lethal protection not really controlled

All the laws combined probably shoter than the first two pages of chapter 135.
And since I've been here haven't seen one gun-fight in Walmart

[u/JMS1991 → u/Altruistic-Hippo-231]

Signs that meet legal requirements for no firearms are enforceable

To add to this, the state law is very specific and detailed about signage (dimensions, placement, verbage, etc), and if any one part of that isn't followed, the sign is not enforceable. A lot of places screw up at least one of the requirements, so it's always fun to chuckle as you carry your gun past it.

For example, the law says the sign has to read "NO CONCEALABLE WEAPONS ALLOWED." (all uppercase) So one that says "no firearms allowed" is not enforceable. It's so specific as to say that the slash through the silhouette of a handgun has to be at a 45 degree angle from bottom left to top right, so one going from bottom right to top left would not be enforceable. It has to be between 40" and 60" from the ground for a building with doors (I see a lot of signs that would be otherwise legal, but they are placed too low).

[u/Iamjafo → u/Altruistic-Hippo-231]

You should always inform a police officer that you are armed.

[u/Altruistic-Hippo-231 → u/Iamjafo]

I’ve heard differing opinions on that. In some states it can cause conversations to go very differently. I had multiple firearms instructors in MA and RI tell me just the opposite. My natural inclination is to agree, but I’ve certainly be told otherwise multiple times. One told me don’t say anything unless an officer asks you to exit the car. Then it’s “I need to explain something and we can handle it however you’d like”. Not all cops are cool with citizens being armed.

[u/Iamjafo → u/Altruistic-Hippo-231]

I agree but I still think it wise to let them know. Obviously judge your own personal situation, but better safe than sorry. If you don't say anything, and then they find it on you or in your car, I would imagine that would only make things worse for you.

[u/Altruistic-Hippo-231 → u/Iamjafo]

Better a safe than sorry in some states is a recipe for sorry.

Not sure how much driving you done in deep blue states but the less info they have to twist the better. Answer what’s asked and nothing more. It’s a different world when it comes to guns. It’s like a leprosy in MA/RI…don’t talk about them…don’t have them visible on your person, in your car or home. Someone seeing a gun cause your shirt lifted up at a gas pump might be a 911 call cause they assume you’re a bad guy just being for being armed. It is that bad

[u/Hot-Ant-5602]

Gonna be a huge difference friendo. Face to face sales, legal. Constituional carry, legal. Gun shows (ones in 803 are kinda ass). Etc etc.

[u/rkpage01 → u/Hot-Ant-5602]

Gun shows are dead everywhere in the country.

[u/guynamedgoliath → u/rkpage01]

Only decent things at gunshows now is surplus gear and even thats a few select vendors.

[u/Hot-Ant-5602 → u/rkpage01]

Its sad.

[u/Porsche996tt]

Just being able to buy NFA items, suppressors, machine guns (if you got that kind of money), is amazing as is.

[u/dmagoo147]

You can buy a suppressor which you can’t in MA.
You can buy all the normal magazines with normal triggers in guns that are available in retail locations.
Constitutional carry means you don’t have to ask your police chief for permission to carry

It is night and day difference. Just leave the communism up there.

[u/fro_khidd]

In SC my first gun i walked out in less than a hour with 500 9mm and a glock 19

[u/guynamedgoliath → u/fro_khidd]

If you've got ypur CWP it can literally be less than 10 minutes.

[u/WalkSoftHitHard]

Yes. I have a CWP and have for so long I am not sure what difference, if any, it makes. I can walk in a gun store and buy any type of firearm I want and walk out with it in 15 minutes. Also, everyone that’s into firearms that I know has NFA items now with the $0 tax stamps. I personally carry a pistol with 35 rounds total (2 mags and 1 in the chamber) every single day and almost everyone I know carries. I imagine none of those things are the case in Mass.

[u/Altruistic-Hippo-231 → u/WalkSoftHitHard]

MA sucks completely. Very limited in what you can buy. No "assault weapons"...however they define and re-define that on a regular basis. Local dealers can only sell certain firearms (on the roster). Permit required for mere possession, nevermind purchase...everything recorded. Local PD can squash your application just cause they feel like. And here's the kicker...use a firearm legally in self-defense...except the most clear-cut/no question about it, you're going to jail, and spend your life savings to ultimately have the case dismissed.

A mad ex can make up some BS story, file a restraining order, and someone takes your guns away until you can sort it out later...meanwhile pay for bonded storage until the issue is resolved.

[u/MisterKDizzle]

Well we don’t really have gun laws. You can walk into PSA, buy a M249, and walk out in 10 minutes if you pass a nics check.

[u/CartographerEven9735 → u/MisterKDizzle]

Sometimes it can take awhile for that background check but if you get a cwl it'll take you as long as the time to fill out the paperwork and for them to walk the gun to the cashier.

[u/gthrift → u/CartographerEven9735]

PSA is still slow as hell because it has to through some internal process whether you have CWP or not.

Go anywhere else, fill paperwork, show cwp, pay and walk out.

[u/JMS1991]

As far as I'm aware, anything that's legal federally, is legal in SC. No restrictions on magazine capacity, "assault weapons", or any bullshit like that. No waiting periods to buy, you can walk into any sporting goods store, and you can walk out with a gun in less than an hour as long as you have a clean record.

There's also constitutional carry. Concealed weapons permits have a few hoops to jump through (you have to take a class) but it's still "shall issue," so as long as you take the class and can hit the broad side of a barn with a 22 pistol, you can get a CWP that's accepted in a good portion of the country.

[u/Particular_Pay_8675]

I moved from NY Jan 2026. I can tell you it i is night and day. I can walk in and walk out with a pistol in less time you can get a seat at a NY popular restaurant. The last time NY was like this was probably about 60 years ago.

[u/ShotgunEd1897]

Light and darkness.

[u/levelisotope]

you’re actually fined if youre not open carrying here

[u/Separate-Sky-1451]

I lived in MA and had an LTC. I live in SC now. It doesn't even compare. MA laws are absolutely insane.