IN 1998, Massachusetts passed what was at the time the toughest gun-control legislation in the country. Among other stringencies, it banned semiautomatic “assault” weapons, imposed strict new licensing rules, prohibited anyone convicted of a violent crime or drug trafficking from ever carrying or owning a gun, and enacted severe penalties for storing guns unlocked.
There were nearly 1.5 million active gun licenses in Massachusetts in 1998. By June 2002, that number was down to just 200,000.
Massachusetts Law requires firearm owners to be licensed through their local Police Department or the Massachusetts State Police if no local licensing authority is available. A license is required by state law for buying firearms and ammunition. An applicant must have passed a State approved firearm safety course before applying for a license. All applications, interviews, fees, and fingerprinting are done at the local Police Department then sent electronically to the Massachusetts Criminal History Board for the mandatory background checks and processing. All approved applicants will receive their license from the issuing Police Department. All licensing information is stored by the Criminal History Board. Non residents who are planning on carrying in the state must apply for a temporary license to carry (LTC) through the State Police before their travel.
Unless carried or under the control of the owner, state law requires all firearms to be stored in a locked container, or equipped with a tamper-resistant mechanical lock or other safety device.
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/education/hed/hed_gun_laws.htm
