FOUND A GUN!!! NEED HELP

[moparmoneyman]

I need to get pointed in the right direction. Earlier this week I was helping my girlfriend moves some things out of her garage and I found a Smith & Wesson 44 mag model 29. Her Older brother said his ex girlfriend's dad gave it to him years ago with no dros. He said he didnt want it and I could keep it.



The barrel has some minor pitting on it and a little bit of rust here and there, and the screw for the rear sight is missing but it functions flawlessly and it looks cool.
I wrote down the SN and took it down to the local pd to make sure it was not stolen. The officer said it was on record as an original purchase in 1986. There was no other record on it soooo its not stolen. He didnt provide me with any other information.

Can I register this thing??? and if so then how?

[rromeo]

I think a vol reg would be in order.

http://wiki.calgunsfoundation.org/index.php/Voluntary_Registration

[Ubermcoupe]

Vol-Reg is the answer I was thinking.

[Mssr. Eleganté]

The legal way to do it is for the current owner (your girlfriend's older brother) to go with you to a California licensed dealer and complete a private party transfer of the handgun from him to you.

[moparmoneyman]

i can do a self registration, even with a registered owner from 86 on the gun???
whoever this guy is, he didnt miss the gun or sold it without dros...

[Merc1138]

i can do a self registration, even with a registered owner from 86 on the gun???
whoever this guy is, he didnt miss the gun or sold it without dros...

There wouldn't be a registered owner from 1986.

Just go do a PPT with the current owner, problem solved.

[Mssr. Eleganté]

i can do a self registration, even with a registered owner from 86 on the gun???
whoever this guy is, he didnt miss the gun or sold it without dros...

You can't legally do self registration. California law requires you do to a PPT with the current owner. It doesn't matter who the gun was last registered to, it only matters who the current owner is. The gun was registered to the guy who bought it from the gun shop back in 1986. For a few years after that it was perfectly legal for him to transfer it to another California resident without any paperwork.

There wouldn't be a registered owner from 1986.

Handguns purchased from gun shops in California have been registered to the buyer since the 1920's.

[223556]

Thats an awesome find, makes me want to clean my garage, but I know I wont find anything like that...

[GOEX FFF]

The legal way to do it is for the current owner (your girlfriend's older brother) to go with you to a California licensed dealer and complete a private party transfer of the handgun from him to you.

^^ +1 That.

You're not the current owner and since it wouldn't be an Intra-Family transfer, just a volreg is not an option. For you to take ownership of it, it must be DROS'd.
The new reg to you will be taken care of at the same time.

[taperxz]

I'm the DAD! Thank you for finding my pistol! Please send it back to me.

[Connor P Price]

Volreg form is not the answer here, it is not supposed to be used as an alternative to the DROS system.

The current owner needs to give to you through a PPT by a licensed FFL like a few of the other posters have mentioned.

[moparmoneyman]

ok, there is no record of this firearm in my girlfriends brother name as he never had it dros'd to him. Is that gonna be a problem when he puts his information down as the seller?

[bwiese]

A variety of people above should really THINK and KNOW before they post incorrect info (illegal conduct).

Thanks to Mssr Elegante and Goex FFF for helping the OP get straightened out.

[moparmoneyman]

and also, why couldnt i do a vol reg form? it asks on the form how i acquired it. cant i just say found it???

[mrdd]

and also, why couldnt i do a vol reg form? it asks on the form how i acquired it. cant i just say found it???

No! You are signing that under penalty of perjury! Don't even think about going there. This is a transfer, do it right.