Massachusetts automatic knives

[a2d2]

I know that a couple of years ago Mass was forced via court decision to drop the automatic knife ban due to the second amendment. Definitely a good thing. Oddly I'm seeing on quite a few online sources that MA imposed a blade length limit of under 3 inches. This is not written in any current law that I can locate. Where does this length limit come from? Did they just say it out loud in a meeting and now it's law(or strong suggestion)?

 

[mauser9]

That's a new one one me! Have seen autos still for sale at some sporting /gun stores in my area. Ma. is one of the crappiest for gun laws in the past but spring assist legal for quite a while.

 

[ferider]

"M.G.L. ch. 269 § 10(b) formerly banned all switchblades with blades over 1.5 inches. In Commonwealth v. Canjura (2024), the SJC ruled the ban unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. Subsequent 2025 legislation (St. 2025, c. 14) established new conditions: adults 21+ may carry automatic knives with blades under 3 inches. Sale to minors remains prohibited. § 12 restricts manufacturing and selling switch knives."

 

[a2d2]

"M.G.L. ch. 269 § 10(b) formerly banned all switchblades with blades over 1.5 inches. In Commonwealth v. Canjura (2024), the SJC ruled the ban unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. Subsequent 2025 legislation (St. 2025, c. 14) established new conditions: adults 21+ may carry automatic knives with blades under 3 inches. Sale to minors remains prohibited. § 12 restricts manufacturing and selling switch knives."

Ah Massachusetts. Got slapped for violating the 2nd amendment and added less than 1.5 inches to the length allowed. What part of "in common use" do they not understand?

 

[jfk1110]

Ah Massachusetts. Got slapped for violating the 2nd amendment and added less than 1.5 inches to the length allowed. What part of "in common use" do they not understand?

Anything with common before it always lacks in these wonderful "blue" ...you locations..........Common courtesy none........Common sense, negative, not a stitch and forget.common. ground...........

 

[tom19176]

I went to the Mystic Knife show this month. Tons of switchblades for sale of all sizes.

 

[BootKnifeFan]

The Canjura case that legalized the carry of automatic knives was a Massachusetts SJC decision, not a SCOTUS one. That decision could be reversed at any time. True, it is a major victory for us knife buffs, but "home rule" is still the law here and a number of cities and towns have enacted 2.5" blade length limits for us unwashed peasants. LE, of course, exempt. Just have to defer to those politically-influential police unions in Massachusetts! Boston, Lynn, Salem, Beverly, Lawrence, New Bedford and, I believe, Worcester have the 2.5" blade limits. If anyone can add to this, please share with the rest of us. Gun Owners Action League and Toby Leary managed to get a petition that over 90,000 of us signed onto the November 2026 ballot as a referendum question to overturn blatantly unconstitutional Chapter 135 that was signed into law by our liberal governor, Maura Healey, back in 2024. Us Massachusetts voters have one golden chance to deep-six this piece of trash once and for all with a "no" vote on the question. Read it carefully: "No" is the only proper response. The Massachusetts AG deliberately worded it to confuse distracted voters or those with reading comprehension problems to mistakenly vote in favor of it.

 

[jfk1110]

The Canjura case that legalized the carry of automatic knives was a Massachusetts SJC decision, not a SCOTUS one. That decision could be reversed at any time. True, it is a major victory for us knife buffs, but "home rule" is still the law here and a number of cities and towns have enacted 2.5" blade length limits for us unwashed peasants. LE, of course, exempt. Just have to defer to those politically-influential police unions in Massachusetts! Boston, Lynn, Salem, Beverly, Lawrence, New Bedford and, I believe, Worcester have the 2.5" blade limits. If anyone can add to this, please share with the rest of us. Gun Owners Action League and Toby Leary managed to get a petition that over 90,000 of us signed onto the November 2026 ballot as a referendum question to overturn blatantly unconstitutional Chapter 135 that was signed into law by our liberal governor, Maura Healey, back in 2024. Us Massachusetts voters have one golden chance to deep-six this piece of trash once and for all with a "no" vote on the question. Read it carefully: "No" is the only proper response. The Massachusetts AG deliberately worded it to confuse distracted voters or those with reading comprehension problems to mistakenly vote in favor of it.

THTS how they do all their shady crap......Take advantage of those with LESS. Of Everything by giving them some pennies of the tax bases money and.stealing the rest...

 

[mauser9]

Hopefully this anti gun BS will be defeated in the Nov. election. Had enough votes to overturn last year but some crap emergency crap by gov. prevented it as usual.

 

[BootKnifeFan]

Hopefully this anti gun BS will be defeated in the Nov. election. Had enough votes to overturn last year but some crap emergency crap by gov. prevented it as usual.

That "suitability" BS needs to go away as well. Michael Day's end-run around Bruen. Massachusetts will always be a battleground for 2A rights.

 

[mauser9]

Agree BootKnife!! Nothing improves in Ma. and never will.

 

[knifelobbyist]

"M.G.L. ch. 269 § 10(b) formerly banned all switchblades with blades over 1.5 inches. In Commonwealth v. Canjura (2024), the SJC ruled the ban unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. Subsequent 2025 legislation (St. 2025, c. 14) established new conditions: adults 21+ may carry automatic knives with blades under 3 inches. Sale to minors remains prohibited. § 12 restricts manufacturing and selling switch knives."

Hello ferider, do you have a legislative source for the "2025 legislation"? When I search "St. 2025, c 14 I see an appropriations bill, but nothing about knives. I am pretty sure Canjura still holds, and there are no length restrictions on "switch knives" in Massachusetts. If there are new (2025) laws I'd like to know for certain, because they would likely violate the Canjura decision.

 

[ferider]

Hello ferider, do you have a legislative source for the "2025 legislation"? When I search "St. 2025, c 14 I see an appropriations bill, but nothing about knives. I am pretty sure Canjura still holds, and there are no length restrictions on "switch knives" in Massachusetts. If there are new (2025) laws I'd like to know for certain, because they would likely violate the Canjura decision.

Please do your own research. I'm not a lawyer and happy to live in another state.

 

[knifelobbyist]

I know that a couple of years ago Mass was forced via court decision to drop the automatic knife ban due to the second amendment. Definitely a good thing. Oddly I'm seeing on quite a few online sources that MA imposed a blade length limit of under 3 inches. This is not written in any current law that I can locate. Where does this length limit come from? Did they just say it out loud in a meeting and now it's law(or strong suggestion)?

There is no length limit of 3" at the state level in Massachusetts. There are some municipalities that have length limits, however based on current state statute there is no 3" limit. The limit that the municipalities have enacted through local ordinances are not legal, because of the Canjura decision. But they will not likely be repealed...bc Massachusetts. There is a life related blog that has some nonsense about a 3" limit being enacted in 2025. That's simply bad information.

 

[ferider]

There are lots of links with references to the 3" limit, not just a single "knife related blog", for example:

Massachusetts Knife Laws (2026)

Massachusetts knife laws: rated restrictive. Open carry restricted, concealed carry restricted. No blade length limit. Covers 2 statutes with direct citations.

knifeinformer.com

Are OTF Knives Legal in Massachusetts Now?

Massachusetts OTF knife laws shifted after the Canjura ruling, but restrictions on carry, location, and local ordinances still matter before you pocket one.

legalclarity.org

Massachusetts Knife Laws: What's Legal to Carry | URBAN EDC

Learn Massachusetts knife laws including the 2024 Canjura decision, automatic knife rules for 21+, blade length limits, and Boston-specific restrictions.

urbanedc.com

Can You Carry a Fixed Blade Knife in Massachusetts?

Content Menu ● Introduction ● The Evolution of Massachusetts Knife Laws >> Historical Context >> The Landmark Canjura Ruling (2024) and Legislative Update (2025) ● Current Regulations on Fixed Blade Knives >> General Legal Status >> Blade Length and Age Restrictions >> Location-Specific Ru

biliknife.com

Navigating Massachusetts Knife Laws: A Comprehensive Guide to Ownership, Carry, and Recent Legal Changes - Tosahwi Knives Official

Massachusetts knife laws present a complex and multifaceted legal landscape, characterized by a blend of specific prohibitions, restrictions on carrying, and

www.tosahwi.com

Etc.

And worse, the government-published law on the internet still has 1.5" on the books.

Maybe best to check with your local sherif, will cost you a short phone call.

 

[BootKnifeFan]

There are lots of links with references to the 3" limit, not just a single "knife related blog", for example:

Massachusetts Knife Laws (2026)

Massachusetts knife laws: rated restrictive. Open carry restricted, concealed carry restricted. No blade length limit. Covers 2 statutes with direct citations.

knifeinformer.com

Are OTF Knives Legal in Massachusetts Now?

Massachusetts OTF knife laws shifted after the Canjura ruling, but restrictions on carry, location, and local ordinances still matter before you pocket one.

legalclarity.org

Massachusetts Knife Laws: What's Legal to Carry | URBAN EDC

Learn Massachusetts knife laws including the 2024 Canjura decision, automatic knife rules for 21+, blade length limits, and Boston-specific restrictions.

urbanedc.com

Can You Carry a Fixed Blade Knife in Massachusetts?

Content Menu ● Introduction ● The Evolution of Massachusetts Knife Laws >> Historical Context >> The Landmark Canjura Ruling (2024) and Legislative Update (2025) ● Current Regulations on Fixed Blade Knives >> General Legal Status >> Blade Length and Age Restrictions >> Location-Specific Ru

biliknife.com

Navigating Massachusetts Knife Laws: A Comprehensive Guide to Ownership, Carry, and Recent Legal Changes - Tosahwi Knives Official

Massachusetts knife laws present a complex and multifaceted legal landscape, characterized by a blend of specific prohibitions, restrictions on carrying, and

www.tosahwi.com

Etc.

And worse, the government-published law on the internet still has 1.5" on the books.

Maybe best to check with your local sherif, will cost you a short phone call.

A short phone call that will get you "no" for an answer, or even worse, a legally incorrect answer. Sheriff's departments in Massachusetts are not primary LE agencies. They run the jails, transport inmates back and forth to court and serve civil process. They have absolutely no Chapter 90 authority (making traffic stops/issuing tickets). They don't do patrols or respond to calls either. Don't rely on local or state police for legal advice. If the advice is wrong, you are the one headed for jail, not them. The only person you can get legal advice from is your attorney. Your attorney has your back because you are paying him/her. It's that simple. LEOs don't care because they are exempt from weapons laws.

 

[ferider]

A short phone call that will get you "no" for an answer, or even worse, a legally incorrect answer. Sheriff's departments in Massachusetts are not primary LE agencies. They run the jails, transport inmates back and forth to court and serve civil process. They have absolutely no Chapter 90 authority (making traffic stops/issuing tickets). They don't do patrols or respond to calls either. Don't rely on local or state police for legal advice. If the advice is wrong, you are the one headed for jail, not them. The only person you can get legal advice from is your attorney. Your attorney has your back because you are paying him/her. It's that simple. LEOs don't care because they are exempt from weapons laws.

Not disagreeing with you when it comes to finding out legally correct advise.

But consider that local or state police is who might arrest you and the attorney will make money to get you out again.

Look, in the end the 2nd Amendment trumps any of these county and state laws. So, when you carry an automatic knife in one of these anti-knife regions, you're "just" risking legal hassle. The question is how much you are willing to take.

 

[jfk1110]

Not disagreeing with you when it comes to finding out legally correct advise.

But consider that local or state police is who might arrest you and the attorney will make money to get you out again.

Look, in the end the 2nd Amendment trumps any of these county and state laws. So, when you carry an automatic knife in one of these anti-knife regions, you're "just" risking legal hassle. The question is how much you are willing to take.

You know my answer buddy!!!!. No rules for thee n not me in NYSHITTY........I do me...