California Gun Question - Can I inherit a firearm in California?

[Baroliche]

Greetings,

We had a death in the family a good while ago and only recently realized that among the possessions we inherited, was a box of handguns.

I live in California and would like to know, do I need to register these guns? If so do I need to go to a dealer? Should I call the police? I really have no idea.

If you have advice or can answer my question, if possible could you link to a reference? I have searched california law online, and the only inheritance statutes i could find referred to assault weapons. These are handguns.

Thanks,

- B

[Marlin T]

You can just send them to me, I'll take care of the hastle for you!!!

Just joking, and welcome to this great place. I'm sure that someone will be along shortly to answer your questions.

By the way, if you go back a couple of weeks in this fourm, someone else asked the same question.

[LDBennett]

I recently overheard a conversation in a gun shop in CA about a similar situation. The answer was that ALL handguns need to be registered in CA. You take the guns to your FFL dealer with a copy of the death certificate. The paper work must be done by you and you may also have to take the handgun safety test as well (you take it once and they give you a certificate good for (?) years). You may be limited to doing one gun per month (??) in which case the dealer can legally store the guns for you. He may want a fee as they have to be processed into his BATF FFL books. If you keep them at home before legally registering them you are technically in the possession of un-registered (to you) hand guns. Your dealer has all the answers. The Police know litttle about CA registration proceedures as that is not a job they do, but a job FFL dealers do absloutley every day. If your dealer has no info he has a CA DOJ office he can call that will fill him in. There are fees involved.

See your local dealer (gun shop).

LDBennett

[Silencer]

Originally Posted by Baroliche

Greetings,

We had a death in the family a good while ago and only recently realized that among the possessions we inherited, was a box of handguns.

I live in California and would like to know, do I need to register these guns? If so do I need to go to a dealer? Should I call the police? I really have no idea.

If you have advice or can answer my question, if possible could you link to a reference? I have searched California law online, and the only inheritance statutes i could find referred to assault weapons. These are handguns.

Thanks,

- B

I'm from California and your answers are no and maybe. If the guns are "concealable" then you must report them to the DOJ (Department of Justice).

It's all spelled out in legalize here... http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/forms/pdf/Cfl2006.pdf

Go to Page 48 - Penal Code 12078(u)):

Under "Sales, Loans, or Transfers of Firearms"

"Exceptions"

Read the "Note:" Guns that are concealable must be reported to the DOJ. If concealable guns are illegal where you live, they want your guns.

Oh, and NEVER call the police about gun questions or gun laws or even ammo questions. They'll grill you and treat you like crap. My mother found some old .44 mag bullets in her house (probably mine) and wanted to get rid of them properly. A neighbor suggested to give them to the police. Bad move. They took her into a room, asked to search "her person" grilled her with questions that made her out to be some sort of suspect, then asked to search her car and house. So, they did. After hearing about this, I suggested she contact the ACLU and sue the crap out of them, but she gave them permission to search. Apparently, they have a "policy" to "ask questions" whenever somebody brings in a firearm or firearm related items. If they don't like your responses, they haul your ass in for questioning, apparently.

So, NEVER CONTACT THE POLICE!

[southernshooter]

Welcome Barol

[Bruce FLinch]

My local FFL recently told me, you can only inherit guns from your Father,w/o registration. Not Uncle, Brother or Grandpa
My .02
Welcome

[dogtrainer579]

Bruce Flinch is indeed correct. I had a similar situation that involved my grandfather and inheriting some firearms from him. My FFL said that what should happen (easiest way for things to work out) is for them to go to my dad and then my dad give the firearms to me. That they could be handed down on the male side of the family from generation to generation no problem, not so if it were from say my mom or a sister etc...kinda messed up but what are you gonna do right? I guess it goes back to the days of only men owning and handling the guns in civilization.

On the note of asking the police, yes, I totally agree: don't ask local pd. Go to a FFL (any gun store) and ask them. Thats outrageous on the post about the cops and the ammo that someone posted earlier. My grandfather had a bunch of old decayed ammo sitting around and I went to my local pd to turn it in. Explained what the circumstances were and they logged them into property there at the station and that was that. No questions asked and they were very polite and courteous.

[ponycar17]

What the heck kind of quasi-masochistic tendencies would one need to possess in order to continue residence inside CA?...

Sorry guys, I just find all this legal rambling a bit much. I certainly hope that the rest of the country doesn't follow CA's example of firearms regulation.

OK, back on topic, and I hope the original poster got the information he/she desired...

[artabr]

What has happened to our country?
Pack your guns, pack your bags, leave California and come to sanity.


Art

[swanshot]

In Aus it is probably worse. The police don't care what the source of the gun is, so long at it is legal. BUT!! I'm either qualified to possess the fire arms, or I'm not. When I say qualified I mean for each and every gun in question, individually. That I legaly own one revolver does not qualify me to own another, even in the same calibre. Each and every firearm (rifles too) have to be licenced seperately, one at a time.

[noslolo]

Good lord Swanshot, I didn't know that you had to go through all of that! We have 40+ states that would love to have you. please move soon.

[PPK 32]

Guns? What guns?

[Nighthawk]

Originally Posted by PPK 32

Guns? What guns?

yeah

[durk]

You guys realize this thread is 2 years old. The gun laws in Calli have probably gotten more strict by now.

[PPK 32]

Originally Posted by durk

You guys realize this thread is 2 years old. The gun laws in Calli have probably gotten more strict by now.

To be honest--no I didn't just jumped on the bandwagon

[artabr]

I didn't check the o p date, but my reply still applies.
Pack your bags, pack your guns, head for the border son.


Art

[Nighthawk]

thanks I didn't notice original date

[krig51]

old thread resurrection, i hope.



live in ca.
brother recently passed away.
inherited his gun/rifle collection.
about 20 firearms. finally identified them all with help at this forum.
variety of antiques, black powder, WWI-II carbines, and many modern handguns.
(not to mention a collection of daggers/knives/swords/bayonettes)

loved the one guy's earlier response in this thread "guns, what guns ?"
still laughing.
but probably good advice, considering CA's apparently ridiculous gun laws.

will try let you all know how it goes with the legal stuff/registration/etc.
(unless i decide to just "hide" them, lol)
any CURRENT advice from those that know would be greatly appreciated.
otherwise i'm likely off the the local FFL/Gunshop to get edumacated.

[fuzebox40]

That would be quite expensive going through a dealer with 20. If it were me I'd use the money for ammo, but if you insist on registering them you might consider registering them yourself. Go online and print out the docs you need. Fill them out and send the 20 bucks I think it is to the DOJ. You may have to do this 1 or 2 at a time or whatever, I don't know how all that works. There is a limmit on how many can be purchased over given periods of time. It's complicated here, the cops don't even know half the gun laws.
Welcome to the forum krig.

[mogunner]

I'd just pack up and move out of California...oh wait, I did that back in 1986...never looked back!

[Silencer]

Originally Posted by Silencer

I'm from California and your answers are no and maybe. If the guns are "concealable" then you must report them to the DOJ (Department of Justice).

It's all spelled out in legalize here... http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/forms/pdf/Cfl2006.pdf

Go to Page 48 - Penal Code 12078(u)):

Under "Sales, Loans, or Transfers of Firearms"

"Exceptions"

Read the "Note:" Guns that are concealable must be reported to the DOJ. If concealable guns are illegal where you live, they want your guns.

Oh, and NEVER call the police about gun questions or gun laws or even ammo questions. They'll grill you and treat you like crap. My mother found some old .44 mag bullets in her house (probably mine) and wanted to get rid of them properly. A neighbor suggested to give them to the police. Bad move. They took her into a room, asked to search "her person" grilled her with questions that made her out to be some sort of suspect, then asked to search her car and house. So, they did. After hearing about this, I suggested she contact the ACLU and sue the crap out of them, but she gave them permission to search. Apparently, they have a "policy" to "ask questions" whenever somebody brings in a firearm or firearm related items. If they don't like your responses, they haul your ass in for questioning, apparently.

So, NEVER CONTACT THE POLICE!

Originally Posted by krig51

old thread resurrection, i hope.



live in ca.
brother recently passed away.
inherited his gun/rifle collection.
about 20 firearms. finally identified them all with help at this forum.
variety of antiques, black powder, WWI-II carbines, and many modern handguns.
(not to mention a collection of daggers/knives/swords/bayonettes)

loved the one guy's earlier response in this thread "guns, what guns ?"
still laughing.
but probably good advice, considering CA's apparently ridiculous gun laws.

will try let you all know how it goes with the legal stuff/registration/etc.
(unless i decide to just "hide" them, lol)
any CURRENT advice from those that know would be greatly appreciated.
otherwise i'm likely off the the local FFL/Gunshop to get edumacated.

My post above should answer your question. It's on page 42 and on.

[jjmitchell60]

You should hve seen the crap I had to go through to GIVE my brotehr (who lives i CA) a CA legal hand gun. I had only ONE hand gun on the CA's approval list thanfully!!!! Now that was ONE out of over 100 hand guns I own.

[fuzebox40]

Originally Posted by jjmitchell60

Now that was ONE out of over 100 hand guns I own.

I'm feelin mighty low.