Community Rules
Every member agrees to these when they join. They keep this a place worth being.
Zero Tolerance: Lifetime Ban
Talking about, planning, encouraging or trying to carry out anything illegal gets you banned for life, on the first offense, with no warning. That includes straw purchases, selling or giving a gun to someone who can't legally have one, skipping required licenses or paperwork, illegal modifications, threats of violence, and anything else that breaks federal, state or local law. Banned members may not come back under a new account. Anything that looks like a crime may be reported to law enforcement.
- 1
Follow the law. All of it.
This is a community of law-abiding gun owners. Don't post, plan, ask for or encourage anything illegal. That includes sales without the required licenses or paperwork, straw purchases, getting around Massachusetts restrictions, or threats of any kind.
- 2
Be respectful.
Disagree all you want about gear, clubs and technique, but argue the point, not the person. No insults, harassment, slurs, or going after someone's family, job or home.
- 3
No threats, no violence talk.
Don't threaten anyone, joke about hurting people, or glorify violence. Self-defense discussion is welcome. Fantasizing about using force on someone is not.
- 4
Keep it clean and on topic.
No pornography, gore, spam, scams or self-promotion outside the places set up for it. Politics happens, but keep it civil and tied to guns and gun law.
- 5
Be honest in reviews.
Review clubs and businesses you've actually been to. No fake reviews, no reviewing your own club or business, and no posting someone's personal information.
- 6
Protect people's privacy.
Never post anyone's address, phone number, license details, photos of their license or serial numbers tied to a person, or anything else that could put them at risk.
Classifieds: Use Caution
- By posting or answering a listing, you agree to follow every federal, state and local law that applies to the sale, including Massachusetts licensing and reporting rules.
- Only paid members can sell. Anyone can browse and contact sellers, but posting an item for sale takes an active paid membership.
- Massachusetts license holders only. Buyers and sellers must both hold the license the law requires. Check each other's licenses in person.
- Every private sale gets reported on the state gun portal, or the sale goes through a licensed dealer.
- Four private sales a year, at most. Selling more than that takes a dealer license.
- Frames and receivers count as guns and follow the same rules.
- No shipping guns to private buyers. Out-of-state sales go through a licensed dealer. No exceptions.
- No items that are illegal in Massachusetts, including banned assault-style firearms, large-capacity magazines for sale to non-exempt buyers, and guns without required serial numbers.
- No “no paperwork,” “cash, no questions” or similar wording. Listings that hint at skipping the law are removed and the seller is banned for life.
- Meet in a safe, public place. Many police stations offer a parking lot for exactly this.
- Commonwealth Firearms Network only hosts listings. We never handle the gun or the money, don't verify every listing, and aren't part of any sale. You are responsible for your own transaction.
- If something feels off, walk away and report the listing.
What Happens If You Break Them
Illegal activity means a lifetime ban, no warning, as described above. For everything else, moderators can edit or delete any post, review or listing, and suspend or ban any account, at our discretion and without notice. Paid memberships are not refunded when an account is removed for breaking these rules. Anything that looks like a crime may be reported to law enforcement.
Nothing on Commonwealth Firearms Network is legal advice. Talk to a Massachusetts attorney about your situation. See something that breaks these rules? Report it and a moderator will look at it. Back to home