Gift from family

[docarbuckle]

My step father died recently and left me a Rossi 38 special i live in PA ans want to know if I need to register it. All I have is a sales slip that he recived when he bought it.

[Statkowski]

18 Pa. C.S. §6111. Sale or transfer of firearms.

(c) Duty of other persons. - Any person who is not a licensed importer, manufacturer or dealer and who desires to sell or transfer a firearm to another unlicensed person shall do so only upon the place of business of a licensed importer, manufacturer, dealer or county sher­iff's office, the latter of whom shall follow the procedure set forth in this section as if he were the seller of the firearm. The provisions of this section shall not apply to transfers between spouses or to transfers between a parent and child or to transfers between grandparent and grandchild.

Since the term "parent" is not further defined in this section, the most restrictive definition must apply. A "stepfather" is not a "father" so it would appear you would have to contact the County Sheriff and see what his/her office might say on the subject.

The Sheriff may indeed say, "Don't worry about it," or, on the other hand, have you come in and fill out the appropriate paperwork (including showing a copy of the will). Act accordingly.

Or, if an attorney is serving as executor of the estate, ask the attorney.

[MikeB0]

I would think this section was more appropriate to the situation.

§6115. Loans on, or Lending or Giving Firearms Prohibited.

(a) Offense defined.—No person shall make any loan secured by mortgage, deposit or pledge of a firearm, nor, except as pro*vided in subsection (b), shall any person lend or give a firearm to another or otherwise deliver a firearm contrary to the provisions of this subchapter.

(b) Exception.—

(1) Subsection (a) shall not apply if any of the following apply:

(i) The person who receives the firearm is licensed to carry a firearm under section 6109 (relating to licenses).

(ii) The person who receives the firearm is exempt from licensing.

(iii) The person who receives the firearm is engaged in a hunter safety program certified by the Pennsylvania Game Commission or a firearm training program or competition sanctioned or approved by the National Rifle Association

(iv) The person who receives the firearm meets all of the following

(A) Is under 18 years of age.

(B) Pursuant to section 6110.1 (relating to possession of firearm by minor) is under the supervision, guidance and instruc*tion (if a responsible individual who.

(I) is ‘21 years of age or older; and

(II) is not prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm tinder section 6105 (relating to persons not to possess, use, man*ufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms)

(v) The person who receives the firearm is lawfully hunting or trapping and is in compliance with the provisions of Title 34 (relating to game)

(vi) A bank or other chartered lending institution is able to adequately secure firearms in its possession.

(2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the transfer of a firearm under 20 Pa CS. Ch. 21 (relating to inter*state succession) or by bequest if the individual receiving the firearm is not precluded from owning or possessing a firearm under section 6105

(3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the loaning or giving of a firearm to another in one’s dwelling or place of business if the firearm is retained within the dwelling or place of business.

[Dave in PA]

If you contact your Sheriff's department, do it in writing. Especially since PA does not have an actual registry. We only have a 'sales registry' which supposedly is not a firearms registry.