Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

If a rifle(s) is inherited, what would be the legal method to transfer the registration and ownership in California? I do not want to be out hunting and get nailed for have an unregistered weapon in my possesion

Thanks-Dan

Dan-

As long as you are not a Felon in possession of any firearms- you will never have anything to worry about being in possesion of any firearm while out in the field and breaking the law unless it is an assault style rifle in BLM land and some other quirky laws that need to be observed -- like you are within 100 yards from a ships port of loading/unloading while in posession weather loaded or unloaded. ect..

You can hunt with and even use any firearms that comply with the law while in the field with out fear- as most important is your firearm is legal for game take in accordance with DFG laws, you have the correct licensee and tags for said game and the correct limits under the DFG gaming laws are adheared to.

If said firearm you inherited is a rifle- the Fed.’s do not even record the serial #’s on rifles/shotguns to owners- just handguns== (supposedly) under the Law.

Granted the Fed.’s may have rifles/shotguns recorded…But they are not supposed to… "If" said past original owner is indeed passed into the next afterlife-- the rifle/shotgun is clear in the same manner “as there is no record kept for Rifle/Shotgun Serial Numbersâ€

I appears like I may be wrong on the recordings of serial #'s to registered owners of rifles and shotguns. And recordings for HANDGUNS as I typed and did not look up for my previous posting. I appologise

It is my understanding that no serial #'s are recorded to owners of rifles/shotguns- Only handguns serial # are recorded and a criminal background check is performed for every owner of any firearm with a 14 day waiting period for ALL firearms transfeled into legal ownership.

I recieved this by a fellow outdoorsman today.

Sorry Dan all firearms are registered by SN and to the person that bought them. I don't know in what year they started because there are a lot of shot guns and long rifles that were bought before they started that are not registered.

I just got my firearms license and i am still reading up on the regs.

Here is the Firearms Summary ~~~> http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/forms/pdf/Cfl2006.pdf

Here is the law I am refering to and keep in mind that this is referring to Handguns.

Effective January 1, 2001, no handgun may be manufactured within California, imported into California for sale, lent, given, kept for sale, or offered/exposed for sale unless that handgun model has passed firing, safety, and drop tests and is certified for sale in California by the Department of Justice. Private party transfers, curio/relic handguns, certain single-action revolvers, and pawn/consignment returns are exempt from this requirement.

http://certguns.doj.ca.gov/



My 2 cents- Register or not register is your choice. I personally will always save my monies for any rifle/shotgun (and handgun) that I INHERITED. As long as said firearm is not classified under the CA Assualt Weapon Law/Ban- I personally believe I am legal as I am sure there was a will/trust that granted me said firearm legal posession in writing in "some form or another in verbage" -- Directly or Indirectly verbage of will or trust-- (I do not know if Assault style firearms in/under CA can even be transfered to family members )


Now handguns inherited from my grandfather and father.... There is no way I will ever consider having these test done for primarially this reason.

Notice the the drop test used to perform a passing grade to be transfered to your name of a handgun. ~~~> http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/regs/clmodifi ... /1/hilite/

988.44.(f) -- They will drop your family heirloom from a distance of nearly 40" onto a concrete slab. If it is has multible chambers to hold shells-- (Revolvers, Derringers and more rare guns) It will be dropped again with a factory primered case in every chamber. (summarized -- but please read it yourself on the above link) --But I "belive" you can transfer them into your name w/o having to perform that test as law quoted above.


In short- read and interpit the laws the best you can with support from others in definiton. --The CA Laws have screwed many a persons over (mostly great and good) - and we have lost just in Oakley Don and Hayden's shops/services and three others that I know that have had their liscences revoked from their household FFL.


Congrats and best wishes again,
Dan

DeltaDan,
Thanks for the information and corrections. None of the are illegal weapons, all hunting rifles and shotguns. I will talk with Gene down at the Hook when I get a chance to catch him in one spot long enough. I found a simple transfer of firearms form on the CA. dept of Justice, it's 19.00 per firearm to transfer ownership from a family member, I'll probably just pay the dough and have the peace of mind they won't come and drag me out of bed in the middle of the night. I have already had background and the new livescan deal done previously, so there aren't any issues there.
Thanks again
Dan M.