Inheriting guns from other states

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trevorthebusdriver

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Hi, total newbie to guns, gun laws and this site...

I live in Washington state which does not require guns to be registered. I just inherited two pistols from my dad who lived in California. I know he would have registered them there, as I'm pretty sure it's required.
Question: Do I have to do anything to show I am the new legal owner of the guns? (cancel/transfer the registrations) Or can I just do with them what I please. (shoot/sell/trade)

Of course if I wanted to carry them I'd have to get my CPL(which they give to almost anyone here) :D
 
I may have answered my own question.

I went to CA DOJ site. It looks like I need to fill out a No Longer In Possession form (NLIP) and send it in with a copy of the death certificate.
Since I plan on selling the guns, I should probably do this.
 
I didn't bother doing anything when I inherited several guns. My state laws are the only ones that apply and they respect private property.
 
Since you plan on selling the guns, filing the form you found seems like a good idea.

You may find that they will fetch a higher price in California than in WA. You may want to find out before you take them home.
 
Yeah, that is kind of like inheriting your great-grandfathers double barreled shotgun and wondering, gee I wonder how much I can get for this?

OTOH I am amazed at the number of family bibles with multiple generations of names listed therein that I have run across at thrift/pawn/antiques stores.

It's hard to imagine letting either one go.
 
Don't sell your dad's guns!:what: You should cherish your past and take solice in knowing that your father thought enough to leave you somethings so valuable as a couple of pistols. Honor the memory of your dad and keep them with you always. Even if you never use them, KEEP THEM.


"A person without knowledge of their past, is like a tree without fruit." Aswad
 
I've had to let a few heirloom guns get away, and trust me...don't do that to yourself, it ain't worth it.
 
ok guys, let me explain.

These are the guns:
S&W .357 Combat Magnum Stainless Revolver Model 66
Bought in 1981. New in the box, never fired.

S&W .38 Combat Masterpiece Stainless Revolver Model 67
but it is a Limited Edition California Highway Patrol Edition- New in a nice wood box. (search for "highway patrol" in the forum search for pix)

Not that I need any of y'alls permission or blessing to sell my guns, I will try to explain some of my reasons.

As far as these being "family guns" or having "sentimental value"-

It's not like he was a Chippie and he died on the job and I'm selling his service revolver or I'm selling the rifle that he got from his grandpappy and he let me use it to shoot my first deer when I was eight...

As far as I know, he bought both of these almost 30 years ago, put them in a drawer and they never saw the light of day til now. He probably bought the CHP one as an investment, since he was not a patrolman, but an accountant.
I don't even think he ever went to a range or shot at a tin can.
(ok, he was in the army during the Korean war, but there wasn't much action in France.) And we never went hunting.
So, are they nice guns? Yes. Sentimental? Not so much.

As for him "caring enough to leave me his guns"-He did care, but didn't really leave them to me. He died, so they went to my mom for a few years until she was dying and she decided I should have them, probably because I was the only son or something.

And one more thing, it's not like I'm selling them to get an I-pod or an Xbox or something. I'm buying another gun. Something more practical to shoot and carry. Like a Glock 19. And I could not afford it without selling these ones.

So there you have it.
 
You're going to sell two, excellent condition, pre-lock Smith and Wessons that your late father owned to buy a Glock, 19?:scrutiny:
 
:confused: You should keep the two from your dad and save up for the glock. You got some really good guns already. I'd rather have the two you own now instead of the glock. But that's just my opinion, you'll have to decide what you want. Good luck with your decision. Aloha.:)
 
I realize you will do what you want, however the glock will not be worth the money 30 years from now. If you decide to sell post them here on THR, we will give you a fair price and give them a good home. Be aware there are people on this forum that will offer little money, and then resell them for a lot more. Do your research first. Also where are the pictures??
 
As for him "caring enough to leave me his guns"-He did care, but didn't really leave them to me. He died, so they went to my mom for a few years until she was dying and she decided I should have them, probably because I was the only son or something.
Click to expand...

If your mother is still alive the rules are different than if she left you the guns as part of an estate.
 
+1

Now your talking about a gift, not an inheritance, since mom is the legal owner.

You need to transfer them to you through an FFL in your own state, or help your mom sell them in her own state.

IANAL.
 
long story short...

Mom and dad lived in CA.
Guns were registered to dad in CA.
Dad died.
Mom moved to Seattle WA with guns.
Mom died in Seattle.
Left me the guns in will.
I have the guns now in Seattle.

So if I keep them I should be ok?
If I want to sell them I should probably fill out No Longer in Possession forms?
Can I ship them to FFL in any state?
Someone said they "weren't on the import list to CA so I would have to sell them IN CA FTF? Is that right?
Thanks for your help guys...
 
pix of the S&W CHP .38

are in this thread
Smith & Wesson Model 68-2 "California Highway Patrol" .38 Spl. Price Check

or this one:
Revolver Picture thread of all time.
 
Mom and dad lived in CA.
Guns were registered to dad in CA.
Dad died.
Mom moved to Seattle WA with guns.
Mom died in Seattle.
Left me the guns in will.
I have the guns now in Seattle.

So if I keep them I should be ok?
Click to expand...

Yep, I think you're cool.

If I want to sell them I should probably fill out No Longer in Possession forms?
Can I ship them to FFL in any state?
Click to expand...

I don't know if you have to do this legally, since you are no longer in CA.

Someone said they "weren't on the import list to CA so I would have to sell them IN CA FTF? Is that right?
Click to expand...

If they are not on the "import list" you can't sell them to anyone in CA, FTF or FFL.

AFAIK, IANAL, etc.
 
You're a Washington state resident. The 'no longer in possession' is a Cal. state law that would apply only to Cal. residents.

I second the suggestion that it's crazy to sell either of these two fine revolvers for a Glock. Either of these revolvers would make a fine carry piece in a shoulder rig.

This is an interesting thread though, as there are guns such as Browning Hi Powers probably still lying around in drawers with hi-cap mags. If you inherit one of these, you should just quietly go down, collect the weapon and get the heck out of California! And don't ask how I came to that conclusion....:evil:
 
You are not inheriting guns from another state, you are inherting guns in WA.

You get to ignore CA since you are out of their jurisdiction, and the original owner who was subject to their jurisdiction is beyond their reach in any legal action.

You need to comply with WA laws only.

Go the the executor and pick up your property.
 
You can sell to a Law Enforcement Officer in CA. That being the case, there may be some CHP officer that would be willing to buy the .38 (?).
 
Those two guns are collectible in that condition. Can't blame you for wanting to sell them and get the money.

However, if you sell two such guns in order to buy a Glock, you will most surely rot in hell for it.
 
BTW don't fill out the forms until you figure this out. They're registered in California. You are then best able to sell them in California, since there's no record of your having "exported" them. I don't know -- and I'm also not sure that the "not unsafe" list applies to old collectibles that have been in CA since new. It surely doesn't apply to C&R's, but that's a different issue.

This much is true, though: you won't be busted in WA for having your Dad's guns that were once registered in California, because you are not committing any crime by doing that.

Go to http://www.calguns.net and ask there. They know.

There's no shortage of false information about California gun laws posted here. It seems that a lot of people are averse to writing "I'm not sure." Also, if someone says he "used to live in California", the post is even MORE likely to be utter BS.

Lord willin' an' the crick don't rise, I'll be living in Idaho before I buy another gun, so I'm giving up trying to follow all this stuff. I might well leave at least a few handguns registered in the CA database, since my parents live here, and the legislature is doing a lot to make it harder to bring guns into the state. It's not a problem now, but who knows what the future will bring.
 
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