WORCESTER – A federal magistrate judge in Worcester Tuesday denied a motion filed by Attorney General Maura T. Healey’s office seeking to stop four police departments from testifying as to their understanding of her controversial 2016 crackdown on “copycat” assault rifles.

The departments – Worcester, Holyoke, Orange and Agawam – will now be deposed in the case, which was filed by four gun shops alleging Ms. Healey’s 2016 enforcement order is unconstitutionally vague.

Ms. Healey, shortly after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida that killed 49 people, announced a crackdown on “copycat” assault weapons she said were being sold in defiance of Massachusetts law.

She received pushback from lawmakers of both parties, along with Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration, but stood by the notice and told the T&G in February that sales of copycat weapons have “effectively stopped.”

The gun shops, joined by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, argue the AG’s notice – which sought to crack down on guns she said were being sold illegally – was too vague to determine which guns she was talking about.

A judge has narrowed the lawsuit to concern seven types of weapons specifically mentioned in its pages – the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 and other .22 caliber rimfire AR-15 style rifles, the Springfield Armory MIA, the IWI Tavor, the KelTec RFB, the FN PS90, the Kel-Tech Sub 2000 and the Beretta CX4 Storm.

In court papers last month, the AG said that it has informed the plaintiffs that all the above weapons are legal to sell in Massachusetts. It asked the court to cancel depositions of the four police departments that had been subpoenaed, arguing they would “needlessly waste law enforcement resources” since the office had confirmed that the guns in question are legal.

The gun shops argued the depositions should move forward, noting that the AG during discovery stated that other law enforcement agencies have the power to enforce the state’s assault weapons ban as well.

“In light of this admission, the undersigned finds that the information sought from the police departments is relevant to the remaining issues in the case,” Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy ruled Tuesday.

Judge Hennessy noted that the plaintiffs intend to ask the police, who are from the four towns where the plaintiff gun shops are located, about their understanding and application of the AG’s enforcement notice.

The depositions are likely to occur soon, as fact discovery in the case is schedule to close at the end of August.

In his order, Judge Hennessy noted that the plaintiffs have also noticed depositions to the AG’s office and Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, and have “expressed an intention to depose” the governor’s office and state police.

In addition to seeking clarity as to the guns in question, the gun shops argue they were deprived of property because they stopped selling some guns for fear of prosecution. The plaintiffs' lawyer has said that two of the shops, including Pullman Arms of Worcester, stopped retail firearms sales as a result of declining sales they attribute to the notice.

“We’re very pleased by the court’s ruling, and we look forward to finally moving this case forward and having our day in court,” Lawrence Keane, general counsel for NSSF, said Wednesday.

Contact Brad Petrishen at brad.petrishen@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @BPetrishenTG.