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View Full Version : Buying a firearm as a gift?



Geology Rocks
01-11-2011, 20:25
My father wants to buy a firearm. He currently has a .38 special that he carries and shoots but he wants something bigger and more fun to casual shoot. I told him an M&P, but he cant justify the $480 or so right now.

What I was thinking is buying him a firearm as a gift. Is that legal? One issue is he lives in Massachusetts which requires thumb safeties and all that other crap.

I would buy it and ship it to an FFL in Mass where he would pick it up and transfer to his name.

Thoughts?
Joe

Graves
01-11-2011, 20:28
Assuming youre buying it from an ffl you should be able to pay for the firearm w/o a cbi and have the dealer ship directly to his ffl where it would be transferred to him. Disclaimer: I'm no lawyer.

Mazin
01-11-2011, 20:29
Just dont say that on the 4473 or it could be considered a strw sell if im not mistaking.

Bailey Guns
01-11-2011, 20:39
There's no problem with this. It's legal to purchase a gun for anyone who's legal to possess it as long as it's a bona-fide gift.

You can do the 4473 and everything if required. Just buy the gun and ship it to dad (well...ship it to an FFL where dad picks it up) or have a dealer ship it to the FFL. Piece o' cake.

Mazin
01-11-2011, 20:44
Wow good to know, I always buy guns for my wife and just thought i was being a criminal for once in my life. (there goes my excitement).

tmckay2
01-11-2011, 20:52
my best man bought me an sr9 for my wedding. he just bought it in his name and then gave it to me. sure, its in his name, but hes fairly certain i won't commit a murder with it as he has known me my whole life. it isn't any different than selling one on here to someone, in fact, its safer. or you can go through all the proper channels and have it in his name

Bailey Guns
01-11-2011, 20:53
Instructions for Question 11a (Are you the actual buyer of the firearm listed on this form?) say, in part:

"You are also the actual transferee/buyer if you are legitimately purchasing the firearm as a gift for a third party."

Geology Rocks
01-11-2011, 20:57
awesome. So I can buy it, and have it shipped right to his FFL where he will do the check.

awesome

Joe

sniper7
01-11-2011, 23:39
totally legal. especially since he will be doing the BG check.

as long as it is a true gift it is no problem.

if you knew he was illegal to own firearms then it would be an issue, but since it is your pops I assume you know pretty well!

hope he enjoys it!

theGinsue
01-11-2011, 23:48
awesome. So I can buy it, and have it shipped right to his FFL where he will do the check.

awesome

Joe

The one thing that isn't getting considered here is the whole "he lives in Massachusetts" thing.

IIRC, MA requires that you be registerd as a firearms owner, AND they have have high cap mag limits like CA. When I went to live in MA back in '03, I knew that my background (although I did have a military TS clearance, would have prohibited me from getting approved for their strict permit process. I had to leave all of my firearms here in CO instead of taking them with me.

Even if your dad already legally owns/posseses a firearm in MA, you should really check out the mag limit restrictions versus trying to send him a firearm with a mag that violates the restriction.

KevDen2005
01-12-2011, 03:25
Instructions for Question 11a (Are you the actual buyer of the firearm listed on this form?) say, in part:
"You are also the actual transferee/buyer if you are legitimately purchasing the firearm as a gift for a third party."


Out of curiosity where is the quote from? Is this on the form?

Bailey Guns
01-12-2011, 07:45
Out of curiosity where is the quote from? Is this on the form?

Yes...it's taken directly from the 4473 instructions.

StagLefty
01-12-2011, 09:26
Just my .02-I moved from MA in 79 because I was tired of their restrictive firearms policies. You had to have a firearms permit to own long guns and forget about handguns there. Maybe it's changed ?

Mtn.man
01-12-2011, 09:28
I need a gift.

Geology Rocks
01-12-2011, 10:16
The one thing that isn't getting considered here is the whole "he lives in Massachusetts" thing.

IIRC, MA requires that you be registerd as a firearms owner, AND they have have high cap mag limits like CA. When I went to live in MA back in '03, I knew that my background (although I did have a military TS clearance, would have prohibited me from getting approved for their strict permit process. I had to leave all of my firearms here in CO instead of taking them with me.

Even if your dad already legally owns/posseses a firearm in MA, you should really check out the mag limit restrictions versus trying to send him a firearm with a mag that violates the restriction.


one step ahead but thank you for looking out. He has his CCW in mass and their limits are 10 rounders, loaded indicator, and a manual safety. He would need to register is there, but being that he is taking legal possession when he does the BG it should be good. Then he just needs to go and register it. I already told him the more I know about mass laws the more it makes me never move back there.

I figure the man who introduced me to guns and drove me every saturday to shooting tournaments should have more than just a .38 revolver to shoot with!
joe

KevDen2005
01-17-2011, 03:18
Yes...it's taken directly from the 4473 instructions.


Thank you

theGinsue
01-17-2011, 07:55
Just my .02-I moved from MA in 79 because I was tired of their restrictive firearms policies. You had to have a firearms permit to own long guns and forget about handguns there. Maybe it's changed ?

If anything, it's gotten more restrictive.


I figure the man who introduced me to guns and drove me every saturday to shooting tournaments should have more than just a .38 revolver to shoot with!
joe

Amen to that!

KevDen2005
01-17-2011, 10:26
.

I figure the man who introduced me to guns and drove me every saturday to shooting tournaments should have more than just a .38 revolver to shoot with!
joe


Whatever, I think that's badass that your dad sports the .38.

Oh, and MA sucks...thought I should throw that in there