Guns found in purchase of random storage unit - Can they be registered?

[Chris Yates]

I have a friend who placed a bid (and won) on a storage unit which was being sold due to lack of payment. This is the type of sale where you bid on the unit without having any idea what is actually inside.

Turns out the storage unit contains a few guns (in addition to jeans, shoes, old magazines, etc).

So now he is trying to figure out what to do. He doesn't have a MA gun license.

Is there a way a MA license holder could take these guns and have them registered? They weren't exactly sold by the original owner but rather the storage company who sold the contents of the storage unit.

Thanks for the advice in advance,
Chris

 

[Terminator03]

bump for you, since I don't know the correct answer, but am interested in hearing more about this situation. From what I understand from similar type situations, though, I doubt they can be legally transferred (owned) in this state.

 

[GunGrey]

There was a whole thread about this when that show about auction of storage units, the gist of it was a licensed person would have to have them taken to an FFL for them to be transfered.

 

[glide]

Why would he want to have them 'registered'? What does he intend to do with the guns?

 

[jason1029]

I went to a few of those auctions. There are mainly two commecial companies I know of that most storage places contract to handle the auctions. On the website of one company I found this in the terms and conditions "Illegal Contraband including Guns, Weapons, Drug Paraphernalia must be turned over to the proper authorities" So my best suggestion would be to report them to the local PD where the storage place is locatied and let the PD pick them up and do whatever needs to be done. Maybe get some sort of receipt for them and inquire about transferring them to a license holder if possible.

~good luck

 

[Mr Weebles]

I went to a few of those auctions. There are mainly two commecial companies I know of that most storage places contract to handle the auctions. On the website of one company I found this in the terms and conditions "Illegal Contraband including Guns, Weapons, Drug Paraphernalia must be turned over to the proper authorities" So my best suggestion would be to report them to the local PD where the storage place is locatied and let the PD pick them up and do whatever needs to be done. Maybe get some sort of receipt for them and inquire about transferring them to a license holder if possible.

~good luck

Yeah, turn them into the PD and you'll never see them again.

 

[drgrant]

If I was the guy that won the unit I would FA-10 them and shut up about it. Some of those auctions have rules saying that guns etc have to be surrendered to the police, but that's a crock of crap. There is nothing in MGL stating that a "found gun" is illegal if possessed by a licensed individual, the only legal requirement is to FA 10 any acquisition within 7 days.

In MA if the cops are called about it you will never see the guns, ever again, unless you happen to know someone on that PD who is a pro RKBA guy that can prevent that from happening.

-Mike

 

[calsdad]

Guns? What guns?

 

[LoginName]

I went to a few of those auctions. There are mainly two commecial companies I know of that most storage places contract to handle the auctions. On the website of one company I found this in the terms and conditions "Illegal Contraband including Guns, Weapons, Drug Paraphernalia must be turned over to the proper authorities" So my best suggestion would be to report them to the local PD where the storage place is locatied and let the PD pick them up and do whatever needs to be done. Maybe get some sort of receipt for them and inquire about transferring them to a license holder if possible.

~good luck

I caught one episode of the previously mentioned storage unit auction show, and one of the buyers scored a box of vintage flare guns.
He was a bit relived because he stated that if they were "real" guns, he would have to notify the ATF about the find.

 

[DickWanner]

Yeah, turn them into the PD and you'll never see them again.

Unless you visit one of the officer's house

 

[Jose]

On the website of one company I found this in the terms and conditions "Illegal Contraband including Guns, Weapons, Drug Paraphernalia must be turned over to the proper authorities"

Since firearms are not illegal contraband, their T&C are null and void.

If I came into the possession of an abandoned storage locker with guns, they would legally be mine. If any were NFA, I'd turn them over to a Class 3 licensee until they were either sold or I got the NFA paperwork for me through the wringer.

 

[Jose]

There was a whole thread about this when that show about auction of storage units, the gist of it was a licensed person would have to have them taken to an FFL for them to be transfered.

That depends entirely on the state. Since in most states there is absolutely no legal need to involve an FFL in a private transfer of firearms within the same state and the auctioneer is not involved in the business of selling firearms, the firearms legally belong to whomever buys the shed.

Period.

 

[JimB]

I went to a few of those auctions. There are mainly two commecial companies I know of that most storage places contract to handle the auctions. On the website of one company I found this in the terms and conditions "Illegal Contraband including Guns, Weapons, Drug Paraphernalia must be turned over to the proper authorities" So my best suggestion would be to report them to the local PD where the storage place is locatied and let the PD pick them up and do whatever needs to be done. Maybe get some sort of receipt for them and inquire about transferring them to a license holder if possible.

~good luck

DON'T do this, you may have something worth keeping, get them identified
first, if their junk call the cops. Someone here knows what to do, unfortunately i do not.

 

[Gadsden]

To quote theGringo:

"Best be quiet about it, Ollie!"
(not legal advice, btw)

 

[LoginName]

Since firearms are not illegal contraband, their T&C are null and void.

If I came into the possession of an abandoned storage locker with guns, they would legally be mine. If any were NFA, I'd turn them over to a Class 3 licensee until they were either sold or I got the NFA paperwork for me through the wringer.

... and hope that they're in the NFA registry otherwise they'll be seized and transformed into manhole covers.

 

[bigjim]

what guns

 

[bostonasphalt2]

If I was the guy that won the unit I would FA-10 them and shut up about it. Some of those auctions have rules saying that guns etc have to be surrendered to the police, but that's a crock of crap. There is nothing in MGL stating that a "found gun" is illegal if possessed by a licensed individual, the only legal requirement is to FA 10 any acquisition within 7 days.

In MA if the cops are called about it you will never see the guns, ever again, unless you happen to know someone on that PD who is a pro RKBA guy that can prevent that from happening.

-Mike

He cant FA-10 them as he does not have a license. The OP could take control of them, however

 

[Zappa]

I caught one episode of the previously mentioned storage unit auction show, and one of the buyers scored a box of vintage flare guns.
He was a bit relived because he stated that if they were "real" guns, he would have to notify the ATF about the find.

I saw that too, that was the "collector" guy with the midget.
However, some of the other auction buyers also found guns in their lockers, and they just took them to a gun shop and sold them to an FFL.

 

[George D]

I went to a few of those auctions. There are mainly two commecial companies I know of that most storage places contract to handle the auctions. On the website of one company I found this in the terms and conditions "Illegal Contraband including Guns, Weapons, Drug Paraphernalia must be turned over to the proper authorities" So my best suggestion would be to report them to the local PD where the storage place is locatied and let the PD pick them up and do whatever needs to be done. Maybe get some sort of receipt for them and inquire about transferring them to a license holder if possible.

~good luck

I would consider myself a "proper authority" since I have jumped through the hoops to obtain an unrestricted MA LTC and take possession of them.
The make, model and SN of the gun need to be run through a database by an FFL to see if they are stolen. If they come back fine, then the FFL can transfer the guns.
I would keep the police out of it. They have no interest in storing firearms or dealing with the paperwork.

 

[KMaurer]

As my grandfather used to tell me, "En boca cerrada, no entran moscas."

Ken

 

[KMaurer]

As my grandfather used to tell me, "En boca cerrada, no entran moscas."

Ken

 

[fencer]

Oh! That is where I left those friggin things!

Those are my guns and i demand that he turn them over to me as soon as possible. I will give him $20 for gas and keeping them safe for me.

Thanks

 

[MA_Shooter]

I caught one episode of the previously mentioned storage unit auction show, and one of the buyers scored a box of vintage flare guns.
He was a bit relived because he stated that if they were "real" guns, he would have to notify the ATF about the find.

I saw that episode too and believe they were in CA. They later went to the range and fired off some flares.

 

[JRyan]

This thread shows me that I actually live in a f$%#ing madhouse of a state.

 

[swampy]

Seconded. If you call the PD about them they could even go so far as to locking you up for not having a license, not having them properly stored, illegally transporting them, etc etc etc. If you don't want to FA-10 them grease them up and archive them in an air and water tight container somewhere underground in preparation for the apocolypse. Don't forget to trigger lock them...LOL

Guns? What guns?

 

[drgrant]

He cant FA-10 them as he does not have a license. The OP could take control of them, however

I guess I write terribly- I said, if I was the guy. Obviously in his case it's a different ballgame.

 

[drgrant]

The make, model and SN of the gun need to be run through a database by an FFL to see if they are stolen. If they come back fine, then the FFL can transfer the guns.

This database you speak of, it doesn't exist. FFLs cannot get into NCIC and the like, only LEOs can, and only for investigative purposes.

Some states, like FL, maintain a database of stolen guns, but that's as close as you'll ever get.

There is no iron-clad way you can determine whether or not the gun you are buying was stolen or not, whether you are a dealer or even a person buying a gun from a dealer.

-Mike

 

[securityboy]

... and hope that they're in the NFA registry otherwise they'll be seized and transformed into manhole covers.

If they are MG's there really is nothing you can do with them period, unless you can somehow track down the registered owner (ATF will only tell you if they are registered not to whom) then you would have to convince that owner (or thier estate) to let you keep thier $$$$$$ MG's (considering they didn't/couldn't pay thier storage fee, they will probably want to be paid for thier MG's).

Same would really hold true for suppressors (except they aren't worth much $$$)

As far as all the other types of NFA, there would be "hope" for them. At least in the case of many SBR's, SBS's, DD's, and AOW's. steps could be taken to remove them from being covered by NFA, at which case they could be dealt with in the same manner as any other title 1 firearm...

 

[JoeT]

or he could wait for the next "gun buyback" and get a couple gift certificates for wal-mart [/sarcasm]

 

[Jose]

... and hope that they're in the NFA registry otherwise they'll be seized and transformed into manhole covers.

Easy come, easy go.