Registering and old pistol question
- Thread starter GBG
- Start date
Is the pistol registered?
Are you the executor of the estate? If so, you have the authority to be in possession of the pistol pending disposition. Disposition could be transfer to yourself.
If it is not registered, it can still be registered in in your name. You can call the CFP and start the process.
Are you the executor of the estate? If so, you have the authority to be in possession of the pistol pending disposition. Disposition could be transfer to yourself.
If it is not registered, it can still be registered in in your name. You can call the CFP and start the process.
- Location
- The Police State: Ontario
About 15 years ago, I was approached by a co-worker when he heard I was into "guns". He said he had an old Walther P38 (WWII) in a shoebox in his basement (really), and that it used to belong to his dad, now deceased.
He wondered if I'd be interested in buying it. I said sure thing, let's transfer it. He said he wasn't licensed, and had no intention of getting licensed or owning/shooting guns. He just wanted to get rid of (sell) the P38 with as little hassle as possible.
So.... I gave him my money, and picked up the pistol from his place (north of Toronto), and drove home. I wanted to be "legal" and register it, and I figured it was never registered before as it was brought back from Germany in 1944. So I concocted a story to tell the CFO when I called them.... to the best of my recollection, this is how the conversation went:
Me: Hi there, I'm calling to register a gun that belonged to my grandfather, I just discovered it recently while looking through some old boxes. My name is <###x> and my firearms license number is <###x>.
CFO: What kind of firearm is it?
Me: Walther P38.
CFO: Do you know how your grandfather came into possession of it?
Me: No idea, as I said, it was just recently found in some boxes of his that have been in storage since he passed away 14 years ago.
CFO: Ok, do you have the firearm now?
Me: Yes.
CFO: Can you read me the serial number please?
Me: <######x>
CFO: (after she types in the serial number).... Hmm, we have that serial number on record already. The gun is registered to a Michael <###x> in Newmarket, it was registered in 1944. Is Michael <###x> your grandfather?
(crap crap crap! I wasn't counting on this thing being registered!)
Me: No, he wasn't.... look, I'm going to come clean, it wasn't my grandfather's gun.
CFO: Ok, please tell me how you came into possession of the firearm.
Me: I had a co-worker approach me, and said he had a gun in his basement that belonged to his father and wanted to sell it to me. He isn't a licensed firearms holder, and he didn't want all the hassle of becoming licensed, registering the gun, then transferring it to me. So I said I'd buy it from him and register it myself.
CFO: Ok..... (I think she noticed I was crapping bricks by this time!). You should have just told me that to begin with, we can still transfer the firearm to you without Mr. <###x> having to go through everything. But we will need to call him to confirm the gun was his father's.
Me: Ok, his number is <###x>.
CFO: (puts me on hold) Ok, I spoke with Mr. <###x>, and everything is good. The P38 was registered by his father back in 1944 when he got back from overseas.
Me: Wow... and that information is in your computer system?
CFO: Yes, all the old paper records from back then were back-loaded into the new computer system.
Me: Wow.... ok.
CFO: So now you'll need an ATT to go pick it up in Newmarket and bring it home, I can get that for you now and fax it to you.
Me: (not wanting to lie any more!). Um..... I already picked it up.
CFO: You already went to pick it up and have it in your possession now?
Me: Yes.....
CFO: Ok, let's pretend you didn't tell me that. The firearm is now registered to you, everything is good. Next time just tell us the truth.
Me: Ok, thank you VERY much!
As I said, I'm sure I'm paraphrasing a lot, as this was a LONG time ago. But the CFO was awesome in dealing with me. I'm not sure things would go as smoothly now....
So, do NOT assume the gun you have is NOT registered when you (if you) call the CFO to get it registered.
OverKill
He wondered if I'd be interested in buying it. I said sure thing, let's transfer it. He said he wasn't licensed, and had no intention of getting licensed or owning/shooting guns. He just wanted to get rid of (sell) the P38 with as little hassle as possible.
So.... I gave him my money, and picked up the pistol from his place (north of Toronto), and drove home. I wanted to be "legal" and register it, and I figured it was never registered before as it was brought back from Germany in 1944. So I concocted a story to tell the CFO when I called them.... to the best of my recollection, this is how the conversation went:
Me: Hi there, I'm calling to register a gun that belonged to my grandfather, I just discovered it recently while looking through some old boxes. My name is <###x> and my firearms license number is <###x>.
CFO: What kind of firearm is it?
Me: Walther P38.
CFO: Do you know how your grandfather came into possession of it?
Me: No idea, as I said, it was just recently found in some boxes of his that have been in storage since he passed away 14 years ago.
CFO: Ok, do you have the firearm now?
Me: Yes.
CFO: Can you read me the serial number please?
Me: <######x>
CFO: (after she types in the serial number).... Hmm, we have that serial number on record already. The gun is registered to a Michael <###x> in Newmarket, it was registered in 1944. Is Michael <###x> your grandfather?
(crap crap crap! I wasn't counting on this thing being registered!)
Me: No, he wasn't.... look, I'm going to come clean, it wasn't my grandfather's gun.
CFO: Ok, please tell me how you came into possession of the firearm.
Me: I had a co-worker approach me, and said he had a gun in his basement that belonged to his father and wanted to sell it to me. He isn't a licensed firearms holder, and he didn't want all the hassle of becoming licensed, registering the gun, then transferring it to me. So I said I'd buy it from him and register it myself.
CFO: Ok..... (I think she noticed I was crapping bricks by this time!). You should have just told me that to begin with, we can still transfer the firearm to you without Mr. <###x> having to go through everything. But we will need to call him to confirm the gun was his father's.
Me: Ok, his number is <###x>.
CFO: (puts me on hold) Ok, I spoke with Mr. <###x>, and everything is good. The P38 was registered by his father back in 1944 when he got back from overseas.
Me: Wow... and that information is in your computer system?
CFO: Yes, all the old paper records from back then were back-loaded into the new computer system.
Me: Wow.... ok.
CFO: So now you'll need an ATT to go pick it up in Newmarket and bring it home, I can get that for you now and fax it to you.
Me: (not wanting to lie any more!). Um..... I already picked it up.
CFO: You already went to pick it up and have it in your possession now?
Me: Yes.....
CFO: Ok, let's pretend you didn't tell me that. The firearm is now registered to you, everything is good. Next time just tell us the truth.
Me: Ok, thank you VERY much!
As I said, I'm sure I'm paraphrasing a lot, as this was a LONG time ago. But the CFO was awesome in dealing with me. I'm not sure things would go as smoothly now....
So, do NOT assume the gun you have is NOT registered when you (if you) call the CFO to get it registered.
OverKill
_______________________
No. If you are the Executor you have MORE power than do firearms laws. Relax. You can hold the pistol for an "indeterminant" amount of time, until you can straighten out the situation.
Don't let the CFO or police railroad you. YOU are in control.
Take your time, sort it out.
In my case it took .... years.
Think it thru.
I just recently had a m1911a1 left to me that was not previously registered called CFO office and had it registered over the phone. Received paperwork 6 days later, I have never had an issue with CFO orrilia office ever, always polite with me and pretty speedy. Last person to person transfer was 15 days and I thought that was long but apparently nothing to some of the horror stories that you read about on cgn.
If you have an RPAL, and intend, as executor to deliver the pistol into your possession eventually, get on with it. If it needs to go to a verifier, as executor you are entitled to whatever ATT is needed, gun club membership or not. As part of an estate, the CFO should not - note I used the word "should" as in what is right and proper - interfere with you receiving this firearm from the estate. Now, I understand "right and proper" is an expression with which the Ontario CFO is not familiar, so you may need to push back a bit when he suggests no membership, no gun, in which case, as executor, you can delay transfer of property until the recipient - you - can legaly take possession.
As executor, you must comply with storage laws, and it is most unlikely you could take it to a range to shoot - maybe if as executor you had determined to sell it from the estate, and a prospective buyer insisted on seeing that it functioned, and had not been somehow deactivated. That might work once, or not!
The Ontario CFO may also choose to not register the gun, insisting that it be deactivated or destroyed. His call, but as executor, again, you can take some time, and hope the Ontario CFO has a change of heart, or gets told how to deal with this situation by a higher political authority. In any case, cling to the war trophy with all your power. Such treasures should not be given up to the police state without a fight.
As executor, you must comply with storage laws, and it is most unlikely you could take it to a range to shoot - maybe if as executor you had determined to sell it from the estate, and a prospective buyer insisted on seeing that it functioned, and had not been somehow deactivated. That might work once, or not!
The Ontario CFO may also choose to not register the gun, insisting that it be deactivated or destroyed. His call, but as executor, again, you can take some time, and hope the Ontario CFO has a change of heart, or gets told how to deal with this situation by a higher political authority. In any case, cling to the war trophy with all your power. Such treasures should not be given up to the police state without a fight.
