Registering Guns

[fd15k]

If you buy a hand gun from/through a FFL in Washington it is in fact registered (though not in name). The dealer fills out a form that goes to the local PD where you live (county or city/town); with or without a CPL. The form contains your name, address, and the serial number of the weapon. Now what the locals do with information I have no idea; but, they have the information. And I think they hang on to it and maybe also send it to the state someplace.

A couple of years ago, I bought a Ruger SR9 from a dealer. After about 6 months I decided I did not like it and sold it privately. A couple of months later I got a letter from the Federal Way PD. The letter said they had recovered my Ruger from a crime scene and wanted me to come get it (????). I called and told them I no longer owned the pistol and told them the name of the person I sold it to. They said, "Thank You." and that they would look into it. That is the last I heard about it. Later though, I checked with the dealer and he told me the Feds had not requested anything from his books. That is the only way (ya, sure, you bet) the information should be available. The Feds ask the manufacturer where they sent it, then they go to the dealer and ask what he did with it and he gives them your information.

So, if the Feds didn't ask, guess where they got my name? Of course, they got it from the Washington NOT a registration database!!! Or they sent a request to every local/county PD in the state to search their NOT a registration database. One or the other.

Just letting you know,
Ed

What's the name of the form they file with the PD ?

 

[Nwcid]

If you buy a hand gun from/through a FFL in Washington it is in fact registered (though not in name). The dealer fills out a form that goes to the local PD where you live (county or city/town); with or without a CPL. The form contains your name, address, and the serial number of the weapon. Now what the locals do with information I have no idea; but, they have the information. And I think they hang on to it and maybe also send it to the state someplace.

A couple of years ago, I bought a Ruger SR9 from a dealer. After about 6 months I decided I did not like it and sold it privately. A couple of months later I got a letter from the Federal Way PD. The letter said they had recovered my Ruger from a crime scene and wanted me to come get it (????). I called and told them I no longer owned the pistol and told them the name of the person I sold it to. They said, "Thank You." and that they would look into it. That is the last I heard about it. Later though, I checked with the dealer and he told me the Feds had not requested anything from his books. That is the only way (ya, sure, you bet) the information should be available. The Feds ask the manufacturer where they sent it, then they go to the dealer and ask what he did with it and he gives them your information.

So, if the Feds didn't ask, guess where they got my name? Of course, they got it from the Washington NOT a registration database!!! Or they sent a request to every local/county PD in the state to search their NOT a registration database. One or the other.

Just letting you know,
Ed

Again you just PROVED it is not registration. It is a record of the last transfer though an FFL. IF it was registered then you would never have gotten that letter because they would know you did not own it and who the current owner was. IF it was registration when you sold the gun you would have to fill out paperwork transferring it to the new owner so it could be tracked.

Every buy or sell a car? They ARE registered. You buy a car and you fill out paperwork so it is registered to you. Then if you sell it you fill out more paperwork with the new owners name, address and info on it. Then when it gets in an accident 10 owners later the cops dont come to your door. The car IS registered...........

 

[hermannr]

Hope everyone is enjoying a sunny Friday!
I have a couple quick questions in regards to registering guns. I have purchased two hand guns from local gun shops in the past and currently talking with a private seller in regards to an AR-15. I spoke with my cop friend in pierce county and he told me that in WA you don't need to actually register a gun...

So my questions are:

1. If we don't have to register guns, what's the point of going to an FFL dealer? Is the main purpose for a FFL registering your gun, just in case it gets stolen its registered, as well as, FFL dealers make sure cross state/online purchases get guns get delivered into the right hands?

2. Any different guidelines for registering pistols vs long rifles?

3. Is it true that when you buy a gun at a gun store, they aren't actually registering it?

4. Later down the road say I want to register the AR-15 I bought from a private seller, do I need anything from the previous seller? Bill of sale. etc?

Thanks so much for all your input!

You may buy and/or sell long guns and pistols Face to Face with any other resident of WA that is not a prohibited person and you need to tell no-one. If you are purchasing, it is nice to know that the weapon is not stolen, so you might request a history of how the sell came into posession of the firearm....if you are selling, you are not supposed to sell to a prohibited person, but you are not required, or really have any viable way of doing so, to check that the person is not lying. Some people will only buy and sell with people that have a CPL...This does two good things...someone has already determined they can legally possess a firearm, and ups the probability that the arm is not hot.

However, you are not legally bound to prove either case. If you purchase a stolen weapon, it can be taken from you, and you will not be compensated, but you MAY be charged with receiving stolen property...It would be nice (and the state of OR does this) to have a hotline where you can check a SN before you put out your money...but it has been my experience that is the price is out of wack with the market...the weapon is suspect. Do not purchase any firearm that is 1/2 price, or "too good to be true" and you will probably be safe.

Another thing is to be careful of people that are willing to pay more than market as long as you don't check them out first...don't get greedy.

You can never register any weapon here in WA. It does not happen, there is no means to do so, and it just can't be done. If you mean you are going to move to NY or another one of the nanny states...you just tell them you purchased it from a private party...it is for them to prove that you do not own it (that is, it is stolen), not for you to prove that you do own it.

Why do we have FFL's? Federal law...GCA68.