unregistered guns

[rodneyt]

I have some guestions about hand guns.My first is what do you do if you buy a hand gun that is registerd in some one else is name .Like your frinds grand dad who passed away.How would you go about putting it in your name.My next ? is what would happend if you were cought with one.Is it a slap on the wrist or jail time.

[Librarian]

I have some guestions about hand guns.

My first is what do you do if you buy a hand gun that is registerd in some one else is name .Like your frinds grand dad who passed away.

How would you go about putting it in your name.

My next ? is what would happend if you were cought with one.Is it a slap on the wrist or jail time.

Last first: neither California nor the Feds require that a gun be registered.

That happens when a gun sale goes through the CA Dealers Record of Sale (DROS) process, but probably millions of handguns are in CA that never went through a CA FFL - that wasn't required prior to 1991.

If your friend was following the law, when he inherited it he filed an Operation of Law form, to register it to himself. He can still do that - the state really doesn't much care about the timing, if it eventually gets registered.

But if he didn't, there's no way to distinguish such a gun from one he's had since before 1991, or one moved here before 1998. See Firearms Registration at the Wiki. So, the gun could be sold using the PPT sales rules, and not registered would not matter.

There is a problem if one is illegally carrying a concealed handgun, is apprehended, and the handgun is not registered to the carrier.

[sfwdiy]

Any transfer of a firearm in California has to take place at a gun dealer with an FFL, a Federal Firearms License. There are a few exceptions to this, but not really relevant here.

The dealer helps both parties with the paperwork, then holds the gun for ten days. After the hold, the buyer can pick it up.

If your friend inherited the firearm from his grandfather he should have filled out this form: Report of Operation of Law or Intra-Familial Handgun Transaction

If you both have your handgun safety certificates and he's filled out that form and sent it in with payment, he can now private-party-transfer, or PPT the gun to you at a gun dealer.

As to the question about registered guns in general, there are several pieces to that. Long guns don't need to be registered under any circumstances. Handguns brought into the state when you move here need to be registered with another form. When you buy or PPT a handgun that's taken care of at the gun dealer.

There is nothing illegal about possessing an unregistered firearm. Many people on this board own pistols that pre-date the California registration system.

--B

[sfwdiy]

Damn, Librarian is too quick for me.

--B

[rodneyt]

gun

thank you for the info.i have bought hand guns from the gun store and have my handgun safety certificate.i dont think he put it in his name.but now that i found out that he can ill have him do so

[Vin496]

thank you for the info.i have bought hand guns from the gun store and have my handgun safety certificate.i dont think he put it in his name.but now that i found out that he can ill have him do so

If you are planning on buying them, then don't bother having him register them in his name. When you go to the FFL, the guns will be registered to you through the DROS.

If he registers them to himself first via the DoJ form, you should wait till he gets the confirmation letter before you can buy them. So there is no cross paperwork confusion.

It can take up to 3 months to get the confirmation letter back.