I just moved back home to Spokane in August and got my drivers license renewed in WA then.

Last week my best friend passed and in his will he left me all his firearms. He lived in CA. I drove down to his house to help his son with arrangements.

I am at a loss how to legally take possession of these and his attorney isnt much help. Has anyone faced this type of situation? Everything is locked up at his residence.

Put your guns in your car and go home…

If a gun travels through a forest does anyone hear it?

I understand; However, there is a lawyer involved. Not sure that is an option unless that's all that's required and then fill out some kind of form and send in a check. Its 90% handguns.

CA has an "Inheritance exception" that allows me to take possession & transport them back to my home state, IF that state allows that. This is where I'm getting hung up.

Well, here's what I think I know:

1) Check out paragraph (h), right near the bottom: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9.41.113. That defines when you do NOT need to do an FFL transfer, per WA law.

2) The feds require that an interstate transfer of a firearm (assuming it's not an antique) go through an FFL. And if it's a handgun, then it needs to go through an FFL in the recipient's state (in this case, WA). This basically makes the WA exemption irrelevant.

So to the best of my knowledge, if you want to check all of the boxes, then you should have all of the guns shipped from CA to a WA FFL, and then you do the background checks for them at that FFL.

You need a different attorney.


BLACK HAMMER ARMS
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Personally, I would not take possession of the firearms without the will in hand and the WRITTEN consent of the attorney/ executor.

What MadPick stated above is correct. Here are a few wrinkles to be aware of...

If there are handguns involved, I would find a CA FFL who will agree to ship them via USPS Flat Rate to your dealer here. Have someone (maybe the same FFL?) package the long guns and send them via your favorite carrier.

Non-FFL holders can ship long guns without restriction, but can only ship handguns via UPS or Fedex's overnight service (@$100 each package). USPS prohibits handgun shipments by private individuals. The USPS Flat Rate package for a dealer costs about $40.

Good luck to your designated help trying to wrestle with leftist shipping employees and their personal political leanings vs. actual company policy.

They won't be free guns once you are finished.

If you want to drive the guns up here, I wish you luck.

I appreciate the help. I have a friend in CA that is an FFL in CA & will help me ship them. The estate will be responsible for handling the $ to get me what is in the will.

The Estate Atty was picked by my buddy to handle it. Again, I appreciate the help

The attorney involved should know whether or not if California will require probate for property left in the will. If he can’t confirm it, you need another attorney.


BLACK HAMMER ARMS
Type 07 Class 2 NFA Dealer
http://www.blackhammerarms.com
http://www.facebook.com/blackhammerarms
https://www.instagram.com/blackhammerarms
GLOCK Certified Armourer

Myself, well I would be inheriting a tragic boating accident.

Update.

Executor fired this lawyer & hired a more competent one. Got it all handled. Thanks for the help.

Congrats!…. And condolences.

Well, I just found myself in the same situation, but with all long guns. Could you expound on how you worked it out?