registering laws...

[Tebpac]

Hi all,
A friend asked me a question about a pistol she received as a gift. It was given to her by a relative who in turn, had bought it off of a friend. She is unsure if the pistol was registered in her relatives name or the previous person. In reading the "law" section, I noted that it said that you do not have to register the weapon unless it was a new pistol purchase? She will be getting a concealed carry permit soon and planning on taking classes in firearm handling. She just wants to be sure she's legal and wanting to know if she needs to take it in to be registered.....Any help appreciated....

[cigarmanpa]

there is no registration in pa, unless the person who gave her the gun was a blood relative it was an illegal transfer and unless the sale took place at a ffl, it was also an illegal transfer.

[/dev/null]

Long guns can be transfered face-to-face. Handguns must be transferred through a FFL. There are exceptions in the case of parent to child, spouse to spouse.... check the LAWS section on this site.

From what you said, "relative" is too vague. There is no "registration" in PA, although to transfer a handgun (pistol as you posted) youll need to take it to a FFL with both parties present to run PICS. Im also assuming that both parties live in PA. If not youll have to make arrangements to transfer (ship) between to FFL.s (Im also making the assumption that all parties live in PA. For example if they are in Ohio, again, all parties, then face to face transfer of handguns is legal {at least last time I checked Handgunlaw}... BUT EVERYONE needs to be an Ohio resident). These laws are dependent on the state that each person lives in, so well need a little more information

There are plenty of folks that will add the exact procedures here.

Welcome! IANAL

[Tebpac]

thanks for the info. The relative is her father......He had purchased the pistol from a friend and now is giving it to her. No idea if there was a legal transfer done between the father and friend.

[PA Traveler]

IANAL - secure proper legal advice from an attorney versed in Pennsylvania firearms law.

That said, the transfer from father to daughter requires no paperwork, and falls under the exceptions noted above, assuming that both are PA residents.

To be legal, the transfer to her father, when he purchased it from his friend would have to have been completed through an FFL with the relevant PICS background checks.

This is where future problems could arise.

Best to get a proper assessment from an attorney familiar with the Pennsylvania Uniform Firearms Act.

Good luck to her!

[customloaded]

Even more complicating the issue is these fine folks are quoting current law and the transfer between "Friend & Father" could have taken place before the UFA was a law, thereby making said transfer legal. Woohooo!!! Gotta love the law!!!

CL

[Pa. Patriot]

Hi all,
A friend asked me a question about a pistol she received as a gift. It was given to her by a relative who in turn, had bought it off of a friend. She is unsure if the pistol was registered in her relatives name or the previous person. In reading the "law" section, I noted that it said that you do not have to register the weapon unless it was a new pistol purchase? She will be getting a concealed carry permit soon and planning on taking classes in firearm handling. She just wants to be sure she's legal and wanting to know if she needs to take it in to be registered.....Any help appreciated....

Your Q was mostly answered. So first, welcome to PAFOA.
As others mentioned, there is no registration in Pa., but handguns are generally required to be transferred through an FFL. One of the exceptions is parent to child transfer. So, if your friend received the pistol from her father, and they are both Pa. residents, and she is not prohibited from possession, it was a legal transfer and she can enjoy her gift.

[Pa. Patriot]

... although to transfer a handgun (pistol as you posted) youll need to take it to a FFL with both parties present to run PICS.

Point of order: Both parties need not be present. Only the tranferee.

[Pa. Patriot]

To be legal, the transfer to her father, when he purchased it from his friend would have to have been completed through an FFL with the relevant PICS background checks.

Not necessarily. Could have been residents of another state. Could have been before the transfer requirement, etc

This is where future problems could arise.

Not likely, unless the "friend" of the father reports it stolen. Which even he violated the law transferring to the father, is unlikely.

But as PA Traveler said. Best to get an answer, and/or confirmation of anything posted here, from an attorney that practices Pa. firearms law.

[/dev/null]

Point of order: Both parties need not be present. Only the tranferee.

Thanks Rich.... Ill appreciate the clearing of that point. I thought that the transferor had to do "some" part of the paperwork however, hence my statement that both parties need be present. Last couple transfers I did were F2F at FFL's, but I really hadn't thought deeply about it. I just recall "thats what you had to do".... guess I spoke up a little too fast.