Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Advice on Inheriting Firearms

Hello everyone, hope all is well

I was hoping to get some advice here as I am sure I'm not the only one to go through this.

My father is getting older and he wants to keep our family firearms including pistols protected by passing them down to me but he is unsure of the laws and wants to be covered on all ends.

What is the best recommendation on how to go about transferring all of his firearms over time into my name? I have my firearms purchaser ID card.

Go to a FFL with any firearm we believe was purchased "on record" and have them transferred into my name?
Leave them in his will to me and I will inherit them? Do not want to have to pay tax on them if that could come up if we go this route?
Do pistols complicate things?

Basically what can bite us here, want to do the right thing. Would be heartbroken if we had any unwanted consequences with this.

Thank you kindly!

Dad walks up to son, hands him a firearm and says to have a nice day.

Repeat as necessary.

How it's been done in my famdamily.

That anyone even has to ask this question is sickening.

True

Oh please. Geez.

No legal issues that I can think of, unless your state requires a permit and registration for handguns. The only possible issue might come from other relatives who might claim you wrongly took them after your father passes away. How about your dad gives you a signed bill of sale for all of them in exchange for one dollar? I believe that would settle the matter vis a vis any challengers.

And that;s how it's done

I can hand anything I wish over to my kids or grandkids, or sell it to any Tom, Dick, or Harry walking down the street, as long as I have no reason to suspect Tom, Dick, nor Harry is prohibited from firearms ownership, nor that he resides in a different state.

But then, I live in Free America, where such things as a "Firearms purchaser ID card" are unheard of.

That's a legal question, and any advice you get here is worth what you paid for it. Different states have different laws.

Usually, the "have a nice day" approach is fine.

This is what the libs are trying to push thru.

Right now, it's still a free America, no law preventing passing any gun (except Class III) to a family member. May need a new ATF stamp with Class III.

I'd probably draw up an act of sale or transfer just for internal family records. May be a good idea if there was potential for a challenge down the road from other stakeholders questioning the legitimacy of the gift(s)..

Optional. Depends on family dynamics.

DF

One just gives the gun to the other. If one wants a paper trail, type up a single statement, I, joe blow, give the following guns to my son . List them and be done with it. Personally, I'd just tell my boy to take them and enjoy.

Several years ago, Dad and I had the discussion about who he wanted his guns to go to. It was all written out on paper and he signed it with 2 witnesses. Except for 1 rifle, he has already given the family members the guns he wanted them to have. There are other guns that were not specified to go to any particular person and they will be dispersed according to the directions written on the paper.

pennsylvania

Best thing to do ..........

is to inherit really nice guns.

Yeah, that says a lot about the reason the OP has questions.

It gets complicated after he dies if it is a machine gun. The ATF has a amnesty period after the death to straighten out the paperwork.

If you think there will be issues with other family members, then have him express his wishes or the transfer of all firearms in a letter signed in front of a notary or an attorney.

Should be no serious legal issues, unless he has dementia, or YOU have a felony or domestic violence conviction.

What is this firearms purchaser card you need in Pennsylvania? Never heard of that.

Aside from that, I agere with everyone else. Just give your sons the guns.

Do NOT mention any guns in your will.

If your dad has will or trust that transfers, that is all you need. Property transfer just like a home or anything else is a court filing with no ability to contest.

Handguns must be legally transferred in Pa.

But,

they can be passed (without any paperwork) between
immediate family members. Blood or spouses only.

So, my Super Blackhawk that was registered in my Stepdads name
when I bought it at 17, could be given to my mother, who then could
give it to me. Legally. He couldn't give it directly to me.

This issue caused me to examine the law about 3 years ago.
For simplicity, due to some unusual issues, I paid the $12 to do
a transfer.

In short, in Pa, your dad can legally give you any gun he legally owns.