Transporting Interstate

**Kempo** · March 3rd, 2008, 09:52 AM

My son, who lives in Mesa, Arizona is about to purchase his first home. I'm thinking of driving out for a couple of weeks to help him get settled in, etc. I plan to also haul a few pieces of furniture that belong to him. Question is, I have a pump shotgun that was given to him by his grandfather, an old antique shotgun, and an old single shot .22 that I'd also like to take out to him. What would be the laws as far as transporting thru the different states? Does any paperwork need to be done federally?

**knight0334** · March 3rd, 2008, 10:29 AM

Were these firearms given to him when the grandfather and your son were residents of the same state?

If yes - you are protected under federal law to transport them provided they are: unloaded, securely encased, ammo stored separately, and the firearm in the trunk of the car, or if its a vehicle without a trunk - the most remote part of the vehicle.

If no - you will have to ship them to a dealer in his new home state to do a transfer.

**Kempo** · March 3rd, 2008, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by knight0334

Were these firearms given to him when the grandfather and your son were residents of the same state?

If yes - you are protected under federal law to transport them provided they are: unloaded, securely encased, ammo stored separately, and the firearm in the trunk of the car, or if its a vehicle without a trunk - the most remote part of the vehicle.

If no - you will have to ship them to a dealer in his new home state to do a transfer.

The pump shotgun was physically given to me around 20 years ago by my father for my son to have when he got old enough. The antique shotgun was given to me by my grandfather when he died around 45 years ago. The old .22 was given to me by a great uncle around 45 years ago. None of these guns have any paper trail at this point.

If I have to, I guess I can have him find a dealer there and ship them out.

**knight0334** · March 3rd, 2008, 11:01 AM

You might have to do that to stay on the legal side of things..

All interstate transfers, except bequeathed firearms, have to go thru a FFL. If your son had been given the firearms when he was a resident here - you could take "his" firearms to him. {suggestive wink

}

**Kempo** · March 3rd, 2008, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by knight0334

If your son had been given the firearms when he was a resident here - you could take "his" firearms to him. {suggestive wink

}

The only problem is my father was a lifelong resident of Illinois and my son has never had residence there.

I had a job transfer to Tucson back in 1986 and I drove out from here ahead of the moving van. I broke down all my guns, cased them, and put them in the bed of my truck and drove on out. Came back about a year later and hauled them back the same way. Guess I was lucky I wasn't in a little fender bender or anything where the police were called.

**knight0334** · March 3rd, 2008, 11:33 AM

The most legal route then would be for you to get your son to find a local FFL to mediate a transfer.

It would cost you overnight shipping, and your son the transfer costs and background check fee. You're legally allowed to mail longarms to the dealer via USPS. UPS, Fedex and other common carriers generally require overnight shipping.