Jeff ... Waxing poetic about the 2nd Amendment on the application is a guarantee that it will be rejected. You'll be viewed somewhere between a wise-acre and a trouble maker.

Keep it simple ... something along the line of "all lawful purposes" or "personal protection". Your best advice will come from a knowledgeable FFL or lawyer in your area who has played the game before.

I lived in CT for many years, and it was originally tough to get a CCW because applicants had to go through their municipalities first, then the state. Numerous local authorities simply refused to sign off on the city permits. I believe several class action suits were filed over the years, and once the state law was changed, the process became significantly easier. I also had a non-rez MA permit for a while, but decided not to jump through the inane hoops every year, or pay the outrageous fee. MA is not a state I anticipate visiting ever again, so I'm not particularly concerned.

Good luck with your application.

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I'm with the banned ...