Nunchucks?

[breakerz]

I'm from Washington state but moved to Massachusetts for college. However, i practice martial arts and use nunchucks for demonstration purposes and was wondering what the laws in Massachusetts were. I heard somewhere that it is illegal to carry nunchucks yet it was okay for them to be kept in the martial arts school, but i'm not very positive on this subject. If someone could please explain whether or not i can use them for demonstration purposes or if i cannot posses them at all, that would be great. Thank you

 

[hso]

Welcome. I hope you find this to be the best of fourms on the net.

What form of art to you study? There are at least 3 Chinese Boxing practioners here.

Read the MA state law here. You'll beed to dig for the local law and for any restrictions that your campus may have. http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/ma.txt

 

[Benjamin]

Welcome to MA. I hope that you enjoy your time here.

To the point: read the laws. I recall, somewhat dimly, an exemption for possession by martial arts practitioners. Possession, specifically; not carry.

In my experience: most MA practitioners will not encounter any hassle from police while in possession or during the use of martial arts weapons in an exhibition or tournament. This went to the extent of the Clark Univ. Karate Club letting drunk Ben twirl nunchucks throughout a club recruiting session, in a packed hall. Another person was displaying his proficiency with Sai.

If I may be so bold, what part of the state do you find yourself in?

 

[Phantom Warrior]

I'm not from MA, so I don't have the final word on this. But my experience has been similar to Ben's. You can use it during class and transport it, just don't stick it in your belt when you go down to the bar on Friday.

 

[Devonai]

Hey, Phantom, go spit on Sand Hill for me if you get the chance!

My advice is to get in good with your college's department of public safety. I had hardwood nunchaku for the entire time I spent at Gordon College in Wenham, and the only reason I got away with it is because I was known to the DPS... as a good guy.

 

[breakerz]

Thanks so much for the details. I'm at Tufts University right now and our martial arts team was thinking of doing a demonstration via nunchucks and i was just curious since i heard from some people that it was illegal to have nunchucks. Obviously i won't walk around but its good to know that the police aren't too harsh about it as long as it looks liek i know what i'm doing.

 

[Manedwolf]

I'm from Washington state but moved to Massachusetts for college. However, i practice martial arts and use nunchucks for demonstration purposes and was wondering what the laws in Massachusetts were. I heard somewhere that it is illegal to carry nunchucks yet it was okay for them to be kept in the martial arts school, but i'm not very positive on this subject. If someone could please explain whether or not i can use them for demonstration purposes or if i cannot posses them at all, that would be great. Thank you

From what I've heard from friends in MA, if you walk around with anything harsher than a bright-orange-painted Nerf toy, you're asking for a hassle.

Lovely laws, there.