Storage Facility Question (law)

[free]

Wasn't really sure where to put this question.

I was recently at my parents' house, and they were watching something called "Storage Wars". That show is not really the subject of my question - but it was the genesis.

The scenario:

1. Suppose you went to a storage auction and you won the auction, fair and square, according to whatever rules there may have been.
2. You now own whatever is in the locker
3. Now suppose that when cleaning out the storage locker you won, you found some guns. For the sake of this question, suppose they include rifles and pistols (no NFA items)
4. Suppose for the sake of this question (although I don't know why it would matter), the original rental contract did NOT have a "no guns" policy
5. Suppose for the sake of this question, the scenario occurs in a "ALL transfers must go through an FFL" state
6. Assume that no guns are reported lost, stolen, or otherwise have any kind of illegal status in and of themselves

Questions:

• What is the legal status of the guns?
• Do you in fact, own them without having to do anything else?
• Do you need to have them transferred to you via an FFL?
• Does the storage facility or auctioneer have any role in what happens next?
• What if you are not a resident of the state where the auction occurs?
• Does it matter of the storage locker renter is or is not still alive and generally contactable?
• Anything else of interest to know?

[Krichardson]

Why no NFA items?

[Emptymag]

This has come up before, but it's been a good while.
I recall people taking legal ownership of guns found this way, but I can't recall the details that would answer your questions.

[God's Country]

Don't know for sure. It probably varies from state to state. I'm willing to bet there is some type of disclaimer before any auction stating that any firearms that fall under the definition of a firearm need to be handled accordingly. In Pa I'm guessing all would need to be transferred to the new owner, as with any auction or raffle, etc, and if any come up stolen tough titty for you.

[Manxdriver]

Don't know for sure. It probably varies from state to state. I'm willing to bet there is some type of disclaimer before any auction stating that any firearms that fall under the definition of a firearm need to be handled accordingly. In Pa I'm guessing all would need to be transferred to the new owner, as with any auction or raffle, etc, and if any come up stolen tough titty for you.

You mean IF there were any firearms FOUND in the unit, right?

[Manxdriver]

GunLawyer, a quick follow up question to your last post. You stated that you can't import a pistol from another state. Does that include a person moving here from another state, and already owns a pistol. Or, was it to mean, cannot import from another owner to an owner in this state (transfer, I guess would be the appropriate term)?

[Statkowski]

According to the Hollywood movies, the Good Guy's got a storage unit filled with all sorts of automatic weapons, anti-tank weapons, assorted explosives (including Claymores) and more small arms than many gun shops.

How'd you like to have the winning bid for one of those storage units?

[Krichardson]

According to the Hollywood movies, the Good Guy's got a storage unit filled with all sorts of automatic weapons, anti-tank weapons, assorted explosives (including Claymores) and more small arms than many gun shops.

How'd you like to have the winning bid for one of those storage units?

It would be bittersweet unless you kept quiet about it...otherwise someone would be coming to confiscate it all.

[JDA58]

Anything else of interest to know?

Yeah.... Rats can't vomit.

[free]

Yeah.... Rats can't vomit.

Sure they can - if you punch them in the gut hard enough.