PLEASE DELETE

[CDK3]

So I found this para ordnance p14-45 that had been tucked away in a box in the garage since 1993, when my wife's boyfriend at the time left her to go back to the Philippines. He never returned or contacted her. She did not know the gun was in there and said I could have it. I researched the serial number online and it appears to be from the early 1990s. The gun is in decent shape, I cleaned and oiled and took it to the range. I did not like it because of the larger grip made to accommodate the larger 14 round magazine. As much as I'm happy to have this "free" gun...I'd rather sell out or trade it for something else and wondering what problems there might be selling it. Should I take it to a FFL to get it registered to me first and then try to sell it? Or just sell it unregistered if that is even possible? I understand there might be a problem with this gun having a higher magazine capacity. I don't know what the registration laws were in the early 1990's...I suppose it could still be registered to her ex? Any thoughts or advice?

[G-forceJunkie]

It doesn't matter who it is registered to when it is sold. No requirement to register it in your name before selling it. As long as it is not listed as stolen, the transfer will go fine. You cannot sell or give away the magazines in California since they hold over 10 rounds so just keep them, or permanently convert them to hold 10 or fewer rounds. Find a buyer, meet him at a gun store, do a PPT transfer, done.

[The War Wagon]

Wish I could find a P-14 laying around in my garage!

Did he leave any other "treasure" behind?

[CDK3]

As long as it is not listed as stolen, the transfer will go fine.

Wow, that's encouraging. Is there a way to check if it was reported stolen or "missing" before I do anything with it? Also, if it's "clean"...there will be no red flags with DOJ regarding the lack of "chain of custody" with this gun suddenly returning into circulation with a different owner?

Did he leave any other "treasure" behind?

No, it was in a shoebox with an old pair of running shoes and under paperwork from INS regarding his visa status and lack thereof. It is weird though that he never called about it or even had someone come get it. He had family and friends here. Makes me wonder if he stole it or did something wrong with it...

[CDK3]

Updated Question

Is there a way to check if the gun is considered stolen or missing? After thinking about it her ex was a little shady and I find it weird he never had a friend or relative contact her about the gun. I don't want to meet up at Ammo brothers for the sale only to find out as I'm leaving there is a Sherrif deputy wanting to talk to me...

[P5Ret]

If it was in a box with paperwork that concerns his lack of legal status in the U.S. I'd be real cautious with it. No telling how he came to be in possession of it. Try to sell it and it turns up stolen, they come looking for you.

There is no way to check if it is stolen without involving LE. Some agencies may run it for you, even though that is forbidden by DOJ policy for the system.

[CDK3]

Thanks, how should I approach law enforcement? Tell them the story, give them the serial number...let them have it if stolen or missing then throw her old boyfirend under the bus?

[p7m8jg]

Nope. You found this in your garage. You have no idea who it belongs to but you're hoping to keep it. no idea who may have put it there.

Then call me, I'll take it.

[CDK3]

Which LE agency should I go to and how? CA DOJ (by a letter) or LA or Orange
County Sherrif's dept...or local Los Alamitos or Seal Beach or Long Beach PD? Should I take the gun in for them to get the serial number or just in with the serial number on paper? I feel like it will be a no-win situation where they will pressure me to surrender it with fear mongering something along the lines of "well, if it comes back stolen can you prove you didn't steal it" or worse "what if we run ballistics and it comes back to a murder...do you want to have to defend that/". At which point I'll probably just cave in and let them have it to destroy just so I don't end up getting railroaded. Another option I was thinking of was since I have a friend that is a lawyer....have him send a letter to DOJ saying he has a client who found it in his garage and wants to know if he can keep it. I'm hoping if there are problems with it then maybe the attorney/cleint priviledge will offer some protection. Thoughts?

[M76]

Sounds like a great SHTF gun



jk

[CDK3]

Does anyone here have a friend in law enforcement or anyone here actually in LE willing to look it up for me?

[P5Ret]

Does anyone here have a friend in law enforcement or anyone here actually in LE willing to look it up for me?

You're kidding right? What do you think would happen should it be stolen, and someone asks the cop where the stolen gun he ran is?

Call your local PD report it as found property, and be done with it.

[Cali-V]

Wow...

[CDK3]

You're kidding right? What do you think would happen should it be stolen, and someone asks the cop where the stolen gun he ran is?

If it was stolen, even 25 years ago, I'm totally willing to cooperate and surrender it back to it's rightful owner. I'm also even willing to throw her ex-boyriend under the bus if push came to shove, including my wife's testimony that it was in a box of his possessions she had inadvertantly stored for him 25 years ago.

I realize there is almost no way to sell it and agree it probably best to just turn it in as found property or a no questions asked buyback. But it's so hard to just not keep it and plink around with it. Maybe in the future we will leave calilfornia and move to a state with no registration issues.

[hermosabeach]

At one point you could buy a used handgun - from a private party - cash and carry


If your girlfriend was given this pistol BEFORE California required an FFL transfer, then she legally owns the gun if he gave it to her.


If he did not give her the gun, it needs to be turned in to police or it falls into Theft by Conversion.


As he left the US and can’t bring the gun to the PI, it sounds like a gift.



If it was before the date when FFL transfer was needed, the she can submit a voluntary registration by mail for $19


This will also check the serial number.



Once this is done, she is now the legal owner and can sell the gun.




I’m not FFL- just my understanding



If she was gifted the gun after the date when the transfer, she is not legally the owner and my guess is I would turn it over to LEO to avoid prosecution.