Prohibited Items & Parts

Learn what Massachusetts law says about prohibited items and parts.

Prohibited parts

Massachusetts law bans certain firearms parts and modifications. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Automatic parts
• Bump stocks
• Rapid-fire trigger activators
• Trigger modifiers, such as:
  • trigger cranks
  • binary triggers
  • hellfire triggers
• Sawed-off shotguns

Prohibited weapons & items

Massachusetts prohibits certain weapons from being carried, manufactured or sold. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Various types of knives and blades
• Slung shot
• Brass knuckles, or similar
• Blowguns
• Blackjacks
• Nunchaku, or similar
• Shurikens, or similar
• Manrikigusari, or similar

Switchblades

The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts determined in Commonwealth v. Canjura in August, 2024 that switchblades are considered "arms" and protected by the Second Amendment. The ban on switchblades cited in M.G.L. c. 269 § 10(b) was therefore deemed unconstitutional and no longer enforceable. This only applies to switchblades, and the ban on the other items mentioned in that section are technically still in effect.

Suppressors

Massachusetts law makes it illegal to sell, give, use, or possess suppressors, sometimes referred to as "silencers", except for law enforcement or federally licensed firearms manufacturers (FFL 07).

Citations

Commonwealth v. Canjura

FAQ

Are gun lights, lasers, optics, or compensators legal?

Massachusetts law does not prohibit or restrict these accessories. Please note, though, that there are other parts that are restricted as a combination, depending on the firearm platform, which you can read about in our Assault Weapons Ban page.

Is body armor legal?

There is no law that prohibits the possession, use or purchase of body armor, or bullet resistant vests, sometimes referred to as "bullet-proof vests". There is a law, however, that makes wearing body armor a separate criminal charge if done during the commission of a felony.