Firearm Shipping Q's

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zero_chances

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Acworth, Georgia
My uncle passed away several months ago, and he had a couple guns. my aunt said she would ship them to me if she could figure out how. i just did a search on here, and i think it confused me more. This will be an inheretance( im assuming since a death occured) so do i need her to ship to an FFL( and what does FFL stand for??) or can she juast have them packaged professionally and ship them to my house. She is in Michigan, and im in Georgia. Is there a website i can find this legal info on?

Any help would be appreciated,

Zach
 
Are you named in your uncle's will specifically as to being bequeathed the guns ?

i really doubt it. but i also doubt he put the two guns in the will for anyone else in the family either, since noone else really hunts/collects weapons.
 
So it's not really an inheritance or bequest, there being nothing in writing concerning the guns. Your aunt is just giving you two fireams that she doesn't want (in the legal sense). Legally, they have to go through an FFL on your end.
 
I'm pretty sure that if the guns aren't specifically bequeathed to you, you are going to be stuck with transferring them from out-of-state via an FFL.

Dean
 
Is your Aunt the executor of the estate? If so, they might be considered a bequest from the estate. You might ask the local BATF office, although a letter to BATF Hq would be better, but would also take longer to get an answer.
 
I don't know if the laws in GA are a whole lot different from MS, but if it were me, I'd just drive up to Mich and get them.

Unfortunately he's not dealing with State laws but Federal law. Driving up and picking them up would probably work, but it's not necessarily legal.

Dean
 
Unfortunately he's not dealing with State laws but Federal law.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought if he drives to Mich and takes possession of them, then they are his to take wherever he wants, as long as they are legal where he's going. I never thought Fed laws had any effect on taking your possessions to your home. I know in many states he could not buy them without local ID, but it sounds to me like he doesn't have to go through an FFL if they are just being given to him.

In California, you have AFAIK 60 days to register a handgun you bring in, but I never heard of any restriction on bringing them in. Of course, I brought in all of mine before the law took effect. ;)
 
What you need to do first is call your local ATF office and ask for a clarification on what exactly constitutes a "bequest" in the eyes of the ATF. The Gun Control Act does not specifically state that you have to be named in a will in order for it to be considered a bequest, so they would be relying on a dictionary definition or whatever else they feel like this week. But seeing as how you weren't named in the will and your aunt is still alive, I would doubt that it would be considered a bequest.

If ATF says it is a bequest, she can send you the guns without having to go through an FFL on either end of the transaction. She would have to use UPS or FedEx (if they're handguns), although she might have a problem with FedEx, or even UPS for that matter.
If they are long guns she can use either of those services or USPS.

If it is not considered a bequest, the ONLY way for you to legally take possession of the firearms will be for her to ship them to an FFL in Georgia, unless they are long guns, in which case she could transfer them to an FFL in her state and you could go there and pick them up. Find yourself a local pawn shop that handles firearms, they would most likely handle the transaction for a nominal fee. All interstate transfers, except bequests, MUST go through an FFL.
 
IM just going to have her ship them to a local FFL. Trying to jump through loopholes or getting them seized is just too much trouble. Plus, 25 bucks to the FFL for two rifles, is a price im willing to pay:D
 
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