Girlfriends father wants to pass her a few guns...

[crazymjb]

Hi, I've been a lurker here for a while and finally have a few questions. My girlfriends father has a handful of older rifles and shotguns and wants to pass some down/give them to her. I know a fair bit about guns, at least newer ones, but not too much about older stuff.

The only model I know off the top of my head is the Remington 550 we are working on restoring together as a weekend project. In addition there is a breach loading 12 gauge that does not work, and a Browning Fabrique Nationale 12 gauge auto that was her grandfathers and is now in the possession of her father. The FN Browning is the only of these guns that is serialized. My girlfriend and I are both currently full time students who live on campus so having a firearm in our possession obviously isn't going to happen. We also both have our FIDs (pending our 21st birthday) and want to have the guns legally transferred to her name.

The first issue is her father doesn't have any paperwork on them, and from what it sounds like, has basically just had them forever. I doubt they were ever even registered in his name. What steps would we need to take in moving these to her name? The second issue is where we would keep them. When not at school we stay with her mother or my parents, which are the respective addresses are FIDs are registered to. Would it be acceptable to keep them at one of these addresses if we are at school? How about over an extended period of time? We are both in the USMCR and a deployment in the next 12-24 months isn't out of the question.

Also, is there anything else we should know/ be aware of?

Thanks for the help guys,

Mike

 

[appraiser]

As long as Dad has a FID he can transfer up to 4 guns per year to her, and she can accept the gift of up to 4 guns per year on a FA-10 form.

If Dad has had them for more than 20 years chances are any record of them that may have existed is long lost anyway.

As long as the guns are secured per MGL to prevent unauthorized people from using them, you can leave them at home while you are at school or on active duty.

PS Thank you for your service.

 

[terraformer]

Hi, I've been a lurker here for a while and finally have a few questions. My girlfriends father has a handful of older rifles and shotguns and wants to pass some down/give them to her. I know a fair bit about guns, at least newer ones, but not too much about older stuff.

The only model I know off the top of my head is the Remington 550 we are working on restoring together as a weekend project. In addition there is a breach loading 12 gauge that does not work, and a Browning Fabrique Nationale 12 gauge auto that was her grandfathers and is now in the possession of her father. The FN Browning is the only of these guns that is serialized. My girlfriend and I are both currently full time students who live on campus so having a firearm in our possession obviously isn't going to happen. We also both have our FIDs (pending our 21st birthday) and want to have the guns legally transferred to her name.

The first issue is her father doesn't have any paperwork on them, and from what it sounds like, has basically just had them forever. I doubt they were ever even registered in his name. What steps would we need to take in moving these to her name? The second issue is where we would keep them. When not at school we stay with her mother or my parents, which are the respective addresses are FIDs are registered to. Would it be acceptable to keep them at one of these addresses if we are at school? How about over an extended period of time? We are both in the USMCR and a deployment in the next 12-24 months isn't out of the question.

Also, is there anything else we should know/ be aware of?

Thanks for the help guys,

Mike

Those with FID cards take the shotguns and fifles, along with dad or grandad down to local FFL and the FFL will effect the transfer. Make sure the shotguns and rifles are not high capacity (do they have detachable mags? If yes. Stop and wait until you have an LTC. If no, go on.) There is no registration in this state so there is no paperwork on the guns needed. Now, if dad/grandad has an LTC/FID then all you need to do is file an FA10 but I get from the tone of your question there may be no FID/LTC holders other than yourself and your GF.

ETA: I forgot the last bit of your question re: storage but it appears glockaholic was typing at the same time and answered it anyhow.

 

[houdini]

contact the goal office to at 508-393-5333 to ak the the ?.

 

[crazymjb]

OK, that's great. I just checked and he still has a valid LTC.

I guess, if he has no proof of ever having owned or record of ever having owned some of these guns, as they were grandfathered, passed down, given as gifts before mass got gun law happy, then we would need to take that trip to the FFL? I mean, as far as the registrar is concerned have those guns ever even existed?

Thanks, and thanks for the quick response,

Mike

 

[appraiser]

just FA 10 them, trust me.

4 per calender year

 

[terraformer]

OK, that's great. I just checked and he still has a valid LTC.

My other question would be, I guess, if he has no proof of ever having owned or record of ever having owned some of these guns, as they were grandfathered, passed down, given as gifts before mass got gun law happy, then how do we fill out the FA-10? I mean, as far as the registrar is concerned have those guns ever even existed?

Thanks, and thanks for the quick response,

Mike

Again, MA has no registration. They have a registry of transactions. The primary data point in the database is the transaction. To determine if you have a gun, they simply determine if you were the last person to transact with it. If you leave the state and sell the gun, then there will be no record of that and it will still show as yours as you are not required to tell MA you left, wrt the guns. Only that you are dropping your LTC. Once you do that, the guns may as well have gone poof. Hence, we don't have a registration system.

If we had a registration, the primary key data point would be the gun and as it was passed along from one person to another it would reflect that. But that is not how the system works as I understand it. You can run a report to see what guns you supposedly have but it will likely be incomplete.

 

[WILDCATT]

register

no wonder Mass has awful gun laws.the sheep go to slaughter willingly.

 

[crazymjb]

I just want to be sure I'm doing everything in a kosher manner. My girlfriend and I are both in positions which could ultimately require security clearances and background checks, and are both also interested in further careers which would guarantee we needed those security clearances and background checks. I don't want to be in violation of anything that could end up hurting me, her, or our career goals.

Mike

 

[EddieCoyle]

Mike,

You're fine. Just do them on FA-10s. You're all set. If it makes you feel better, you can also use an FFL, but it's a waste of money. All they're going to do is to file the FA-10s for you.

The guns' lineage does not matter.

 

[crazymjb]

So am I going to be filling this out and holding onto it for personal records, or turning in a copy?

Mike

 

[EddieCoyle]

It's a three-part form. One for you, one for the 'seller', and one for the CHSB. The instructions (and where to send it) are on the form. Use a black pen.