Let’s get one thing straight: Yes, open carry is legal in Massachusetts if you have an LTC-A. But here’s the catch—legal doesn’t mean welcomed, practical, or even smart in a state where gun culture is often misunderstood, misrepresented, and heavily stigmatized.
Massachusetts might technically allow open carry, but culturally? It’s a different story entirely. Unfortunately, knowing your rights isn’t the same as exercising them without consequence, here in MA.
What the Law Actually Says
There’s no separate open carry permit in Massachusetts. If you hold a License to Carry (LTC-A), you’re legally permitted to carry a firearm openly. The law doesn’t demand that you conceal it. But the law also doesn’t protect you from the social and legal ripple effects that tend to follow when you choose to carry in the open.
What Happens in Reality
Open carry in Massachusetts can quickly turn into a game of unintended consequences. All it takes is one spooked passerby to call 911 and report a “person with a gun,” and you could be face-to-face with law enforcement. You haven’t broken a law—but you’ll likely still be questioned, detained, or at the very least, put in a very uncomfortable situation.
Even worse, some gun owners have found themselves flagged by local departments, harassed by anti-gun citizens, or having to defend their LTC after doing nothing more than openly carrying their legally-owned firearm.
Why It Often Isn’t Worth It
Open carrying in Massachusetts tends to invite more trouble than it’s worth. You’re not changing any hardened minds—you are raising alarms. And while some folks might argue that exercising their rights visibly is a step toward normalizing gun ownership, in a state like this, it often just leads to confrontation, confusion, and even potential legal headaches.
You run the risk of being perceived as a threat instead of a law-abiding citizen. Worse, the state’s “suitability clause” gives licensing authorities wide discretion. Even if you haven’t broken any law, your LTC could be scrutinized, suspended, or revoked under vague claims like “brandishing” or “causing a public disturbance”.
Concealed Carry: The Smarter Play
Let’s be real—Massachusetts isn’t a place where you want to invite attention to your firearm. Concealed carry gives you the ability to protect yourself without becoming a magnet for unwanted drama. It keeps you legally protected, under the radar, and less likely to end up in a confrontation or on Turtleboy.
Carrying should be about safety and preparedness—not about drawing attention, making statements, or sparking change in the middle of the grocery store.
Final Thoughts
Yes, it’s your legal right to open carry. But in a state like Massachusetts, that right comes with strings attached—mostly in the form of public backlash, police interaction, and potential licensing issues.
You don’t have to hide the fact that you carry. But you also don’t have to wear it on your heart (or your hip) for everyone to see. In the end, it’s not just about what’s legal—it’s about what’s smart. And in Massachusetts, concealed carry is almost always the smarter choice.
What Massachusetts Gun Owners Are Saying: From the GOM Original (Guns of Mass Original Page) Facebook Group
Tara D.: “The only open carry I do is on my own land or unless I’m hunting. MA gun laws are so strict it’s not worth getting your LTC taken away.”
Benjamin S. T.: “Unless you’re in Western Mass, someone will probably call the cops on you and then you’ll have to deal with it depending on what cop shows up.”
Scott S.: “As much as I want to open carry, I like concealing—less of a headache in this democratic state.”
Jeremy W.-K.: “It is often viewed as a negative to even carry in this state and you will have events come up just from the act of carrying.”
Terrance D. C.: “I wouldn’t play Texas hold ‘em with my cards showing… I prefer concealed. I’ve also heard family say (while I’m conceal carrying) ‘if I saw someone carrying a gun, I’d call the cops.’”
Jessica H.: “I choose to conceal because if I’m in a public space and SHTF… I don’t doubt for a second someone would try to take my gun and be a hero. Then it’s on you.”
Jason T.: “The culture in MA won’t change until the average person starts noticing people open carrying, but it’s such a big risk. Makes you a target of opportunity…”
Don J.: “People call the cops and then the cops come out and say ‘while it’s not illegal, you have a CCW for a reason. So we don’t have to come to these types of calls and waste our time.'”
Gabriel T.: “While open carry is technically legal in MA, you’re likely to raise some eyebrows. If the cops are called, they could potentially suspend your license for ‘disturbing the peace.'”
Keith G. L.: “Open carry is, IMHO, a mistake anywhere, particularly in MA. The idea is to pass unnoticed—not make a spectacle—and TARGET—of yourself.”
Kevin B.: “You could conceivably be charged with ‘brandishing.’ Loss of LTC. Some towns will make it stick. Conceal carry is smart carry in Massachusetts.”
Jessica S.: “I open carry when I’m working in the woods. In establishments or just walking down the street etc.—I conceal carry.”
Andrew D.: “Open carrying does nothing but draw attention to yourself from bystanders to police… The point is to go unnoticed.”
Steven K.: “If you open carry in Massachusetts and you’re not a cop, people will call the police on you. Eventually some overzealous cop will arrest you for public menace or brandishing.”
Gino R.: “If you open carry, you can eliminate the element of surprise and… make yourself a target either for theft or worse. It’s also going to draw negative attention and usually will end up with a hard conversation with law enforcement.”
Jim B.: “Best to conceal. Why let people—especially bad guys—know you’re carrying a firearm? Open carry is not the norm in Massachusetts and the general public would be alarmed.”
Michael F. B.: “I would prefer not to draw any attention to me.”
Renee G.: “I open carried once due to my outfit… it felt very weird. People’s behaviors are wild. Especially in MA. The culture here is to conceal even though it’s legal to open carry.”
Travis B.: “Not many non-gun owners here realize you can open carry. Which has the potential to lead to a lot of unwanted attention and unnecessary police involvement.”
Matt O. M.: “Open carry is dumb.”
Troy D.: “Legal, but unfortunately not advisable. People don’t know the laws and LEs frown upon it. You’ll get people calling the police on you for certain.”
Dan B.: “I’d rather not have to be pestered by the police because someone called about ‘a man with a gun.’ People in any Liberal state do not know how to chill when they see a gun.”
Pete T.: “I was with a friend that tried to open carry on his first day with his LTC. We were greeted by 4 officers with their firearms drawn. Police explained just because you can doesn’t mean you should.”
Kevin L.: “Why would you open carry? You lose the element of surprise—never mind someone trying to steal your gun in line at a convenience store.”
Bob B.: “Open carry can be like a sign to a potential threat that says ‘Shoot me first.’ No thank you.”
