Is there a way to make this gun legal?

**STBear** · June 28th, 2015, 10:15 AM

A neighbor who needs some cash asked me if I wanted to buy some guns. He is not a shooter but bought these from a lady whose husband died because he figured it was a good deal and could make some money. She wanted to get them out of the house. He has three nice rifles, two shotguns, a S&W 9mm semi and a TC Contender with 2 pistol barrels, rifle stock and a .223 rifle barrel. I told him I would buy them and asked when he wanted to go transfer the S&W 9mm. He asked why we needed to go transfer the pistol and I told him all handguns had to be transferred. Well there was never a transfer done between the lady and the current owner. The lady has since died.

Is there any way to legally transfer this gun?

What about the TC Contender? I remember there was some issues with them but never being in the market for one didn't really pay attention. Will I be OK if I buy it in the rifle configuration?

Thanks

**Delkal** · June 28th, 2015, 10:41 AM

I have heard you can take a pistol to an FFL and have it "transferred" to yourself. Remember in Pa its not a registration!

they just want to know you have one.........

Contenders are a gray area. To go by the letter of the federal law the receiver is determined to be a rifle or a pistol by the way it was configured when it left the factory. You are technically supposed to call the factory and find out what it was. The problem is all of their records were destroyed in a big fire so no one really knows anymore. I would say if you buy it make sure it is configured as a rifle. If anyone asks, you purchased a rifle.

Contenders have a BATF exemption so you can convert a pistol to a rifle and back again. I don't believe Pa. has any laws concerning this issue.

**Statkowski** · June 28th, 2015, 12:27 PM

Assuming that all parties concerned, living and dead, are Pennsylvania residents, when the pistol was sold by the lady to your neighbor, it was the lady that violated the law (the way it's written, as if that means anything nowadays), not the neighbor. He is the owner of the pistol. For him to transfer it to you, all that needs to be done is go to a local FFL and have the transfer done. You're legal, your neighbor is legal, and the deceased lady can't be prosecuted.

If a TC Contender is a rifle, there's no big deal on selling it to you, as long as you're not a prohibited person.

Question: Shouldn't a "Prohibited Person" be required to wear a Scarlet "P"? Of course, any and all laws defining a "Prohibited Person" are Bills of Attainder, prohibited by the U.S. Constitution, but I digress.

**DavidTM** · June 28th, 2015, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by Statkowski

... and the deceased lady can't be prosecuted.

Your making an assumption on this one. Don't put it past our Pres to dig her up and put her on trial just to make an example outta her!!

:roll eyes:

**IV_Warrior** · June 28th, 2015, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by DavidTM

Your making an assumption on this one. Don't put it past our Pres to dig her up and put her on trial just to make an example outta her!!

:roll eyes:

President? I wouldn't put it past our governor.

**dannyb** · June 29th, 2015, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by DavidTM

Your making an assumption on this one. Don't put it past our Pres to dig her up and put her on trial just to make an example outta her!!

:roll eyes:

Now that would really raise a stink.

**markshere2** · June 29th, 2015, 08:27 AM

It pisses me off that some hardware is considered "legal" or "illegal"

Every crime should be comprised of an ACTION. Crimes of possession are just stupid.
I could have 1,000,000 rounds of ammo and 100 guns of every ilk: fully auto, sawed off, pistols with big stocks, 1" caliber monster gun, whatever...
As long as I don't disturb the peace on Sunday and kill/wound/ menace my neighbors, there's no crime committed.

That would be correct. Current laws, aren't.