Deceased friend's shotguns

Wheesht!

Well-Known Member
Evening,

After not seeing an elderly friend and neighbour for a couple of days, my father and I unfortunately found he had passed away at home within the above timeframe - fortunately peacefully and in his bed by the way we found him.


After the necessary medical visits the police attended as is compulsary, and I informed them of the whereabouts of my friend's gun cabinet. I also notified them of additional "off ticket" shotguns he'd told me about just recently, and their location on the premises. They were grateful, commenting that it's a common occurence amongst the older generation.


They've said I can enter the "on ticket" guns on my certificate whilst his affairs are put in order, but have recommended the "off ticket" guns be destroyed.


My questions:
Is the destruction of his "off ticket" shotguns a legal requirement?
Can they not be entered on my certificate somehow too?
If so, how would I go about arranging this?


Thanks for any advice.


RIP old friend, keep your powder dry....
 
Easiest way to get the unlicensed guns onto your SGC would be for them to be handed to a friendly RFD who would then book them into his register before transferring them to your SGC.
 
I don't see any reason why the "off ticket" guns can't also be put on ticket. This is what happened when a number of firearms were discovered after a friend of mine passed away suddenly some years back. The police may however want to examine them first to ensure that they are legal and haven't been involved in crime or have been obtained as a result of a theft at some time.

P.S. You will need to discuss this with his executors.
 
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Easiest way to get the unlicensed guns onto your SGC would be for them to be handed to a friendly RFD who would then book them into his register before transferring them to your SGC.

I've seen that done a couple of times ;)
 
Thanks very much for your replies.

I'm due to meet the police regarding the "on ticket" guns in the morning, so will discuss this with them then. At least now I know where I stand.

P.S. You will need to discuss this with his executors.

Good advice thanks. My mother is his executor, so i'll clarify this with her also.

I'm unsure what'll happen to his guns in the longer term as he has little left in the way of family. At least this way they'll be safe for now.
 
All his shot guns form part of his estate and all will have some value.

It is illegal for the police to mandate that his "off ticket" guns be destroyed. Indeed even if the police take possession of them you should refuse to sign any authority to "allow" their destruction...instead saying that you wish them to be held for collection by an authorised RFD or authorised auction house and then sold for the benefit of the estate.

The police can require that they take custody of his guns. They cannot require that you sign a consent to their destruction.

There is also, I belive, no requirement that acquiring a shot gun has to be from the cohort of shot guns held on a Shot Gun Certificate of by an RFD. That is to say you coud enter the acquisition of his "off ticket" shot guns on your SGC with the name of whom they were acquired from being the aforesaid dead gentkeman and under the note for THEIR authority to possess the word "NONE".

If a member of BASC I'd seek their advice. It may be that in fact the "off ticket" guns are in fact worth so little that an RFD or auction house won't be interested in them as a saleable asset. They may be out of proof or of so low grade that the auction house may even decline them!

OTOH the "off tciket" guns may be, as were once handed in in the 1968 Amnesty in my police area...a cased pair of Churchill XXV sidelock ejectors. Now they will be worth money and to allow them to be surrendered for destruction will place the executors in breach of their duty to realise the FULL ASSETS of the estate for the benefit of the beneficiaries of the will.

It is therefore NOT an issue of sentimentality about some odd old shot guns but, in fact, an issue of complying with the duty of the executors to realise the best value form the estate. Think of it as that...for that is no more nor less than what it is.

Now the reality may be that the "off ticket" guns are of so little value or indeed no real value that the best option is to AFTER APPRAISAL BY A COMPETENT VALUER OF SHOT GUNS to allow the police to then destroy them. But until they have been so appraised then you should not sign any consent for such destruction.

Indeed even the "on ticket" guns may be also out of proof or of little value!
 
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When a friend of mine passed away my FEO added them to my license, with the approval of the executor.

Neil. :)
 
this happened to me some years ago, my grandad died and we found his old shotgun, we new he had one which he got rid off but we didn't know he had another which had never been on registered, and it turned out to be a section 1 to.
I contacted the FLO, which was Staffordshire at the time, and all they said to me, are you taking ownership, do you think its been used in any crime, and do you have a slot on your FAC.
I did have a slot and all they asked me to was give the serial number and gun details. They explained to me that this is actually a common.
but this was about 8 years ago, it may be worth calling BASC for there advice
sorry for your lose,
atb
simon
 
Remember to get them checked out to see if they are still in proof if you intend to use them, lots of older guns are in very poor condition.
 
I concur with the good advice / opinion shared by those above.

I will throw in a word of caution....

You will have to ensure your overall collection of firearms doesn't exceed the maximum allowed under the standard terms of security. In our area the maximum number was 9 weapons (don't quote me on the actual amount as its been some time since that figure was quoted and may have changed). Numbers above MAY require additional security (Alarm system etc).

Obviously the above may not apply to your circumstances (total guns held) but worth consideration just to keep yourself right.

He is grateful that he had friends like you who were looking out for him...many pass away undetected for weeks / months, a sad but true fact of life :tiphat:

RIP
 
I informed them of the whereabouts of my friend's gun cabinet. I also notified them of additional "off ticket" shotguns he'd told me about just recently, and their location on the premises. They were grateful

Hi Wheest,
firstly sorry for the loss of your friend.
I see you told the police about the off ticket guns, knowing some of the lads in blue in the north, I'm surprised that no one came up with..."and why did you as a responsible gun owner not
inform us of Illegally held weapons ?" hence opening up a whole can of worms for you.
I know you would have been extremely unlikely to turn in a family friend, I doubt whether the police would see it that way however.
Hope you get the hardware.
once more sorry for your loss

Orionsarms
 
Thanks very much all for the advice and condolences above. I'm very grateful for your concise answers.

All the guns both "on" and "off" ticket have been secured. They'll be assessed for proof and valued in due course as part of his estate.

I'll admit I was a bit apprehensive about speaking out about the "off ticket" guns to the police in terms of how it might reflect on me. I wasn't sure if they were still on the premises or if my friend had already dealt with the issue at this point. I was careful to stress that i'd only very recently learnt of them, had offered to assist with the problem and that ultimately I was informing them as I didn't want to see them fall into the wrong hands by remaining "off ticket". I told them as soon as they'd taken my statement regarding his death, so they knew the situation before the house was left empty and the guns unattended.

They were understanding and grateful that i'd brought them to light. One of the attending officers was a former FLO. I'll maybe get my knuckles rapped once things quieten down though....
 
I believe that you can apply to the Police to issue a temporary Section 7 permit to enable a non FAC holder or non-owning FAC holder to securely hold the weapons until the issue is legally sorted. This gives time for the Executors to become involved and transfer the guns to an RFD or donate/sell them. You may also find a local club will hold them for a fee less than that of an RFD, though you would still need a Sec.7 to transfer them and because you "have access".

I suspect if you get a Section 7 then you would want to keep a good paper trail to prove the guns are being disposed of correctly and within the set time limit.

Would be useful to have a BASC opinion on this, it must be a common situation.

NB - I have been reading up on this as part of my DSC1 but also have a poorly relation (92 yrs and still shooting) so have an interest in how to go about this. We'll do an inventory of his guns, but he won't let us sell any of them until he has gone.
 
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One time that the FEO came here re: my coterminous application for SGC and FAC it was discovered that I had an "off ticket" shotgun. It had been on my ticket in the past, then lent by me to a friend for 5 years (on his ticket) then returned to me. But we had forgotten to enter it back on my ticket and notify the transfer. I'd had it off ticket for about 4 years.
The FEO just said "I'll add that on for you now".

Job done. No hassle.
 
I was given an off ticket shotgun by my godfather years ago. It was my first gun and i didnt fully understand the legalities at the time so just sent the necessary letter off to the police. They never questioned it at the time nor at any subsequent renewals. The system may of changed now so it's more easy for them to pick up on off ticket guns...
 
I have just got hold of a semi auto shotgun that was found in a Farmers loft by his son, his Farther died a few years ago and they have just found an off ticket semi, i handed it into a RFD he checked it out with the Police and the Proofing co. as it was changed from a 5 shot to a 3 shot all came back ok . I now have it on my ticket awaiting the Farmers son to get his shot gun cert so he can then own his late Fathers Shot gun . This was done in the last 3 weeks.
 
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