Long term handgun storage, please help (legal issues?)

[onepostwonder]

In the near future i will be transferred overseas for a couple years and am wondering about what to do with my firearm.

I have a SS revolver so I'm not at all worried about the gun itself, more concerned about the legality of how to store a firearm. (state of Texas)

I will not own property in the U.S. for some time so a closet gunsafe is out of the question, I will be taking some self storage space to put some of my other stuff in. But is it ok to have an unloaded revolver in there too? (ironically the revolver is a newer s&w so i guess i'll be using that lock hole for the first time ever)

I did consider the option to sell, but i like my gun, don't need the money, and since it's my first i'd like to try and hang on to it if possible.

I've searched this ad-nauseam and found no conclusive answer so i thought id finally register on this forum and post my question.


thanks

 

[oneounceload]

No family to leave it with?

Otherwise, you might rent a safety-deposit box, prepay for the time you're gone and put it in there in a silicon cloth.

 

[BullpupBen]

Yeah if your already using a self-storage facility for other items then you should definitely put your handgun there. I had my whole collection (5 long guns) in a storage center when I was at college last year and it was never an issue.
Not that the people at the storage place ever necessarily knew that.

 

[danbrew]

You'd be well served to find a trusted pal with whom you can leave the gun if you don't have family where you can leave it while you're overseas.

Self storage places? Personal property is personal property - whether a gun or family pictures. I wouldn't make it obvious there were guns in with your belongings, as it's almost certain that *somebody* will be in your unit while you are out of the country. Whether it's the staff at the self storage place or a burglar, somebody will get in there while you're gone - lock or no lock.

Safe deposit box? About the same, really. You will probably have better luck with the self storage place being here in a few years than you do the bank. I stored a bunch of machineguns in a safe deposit box for ten years and then one day, out of the blue, the bank drilled my box and turned the guns over to ATF. Fortunately I had left a "in case I'm dead" letter in the box with directions on how to contact ATF and that the guns couldn't be turned over to just anybody. The bank claimed I hadn't made payment the boxes. Weren't they surprised when I provided a canceled check.

My point in telling the story above is that there is some element of risk with long-term storage by "institutions". My first choice would be family or friends.

 

[Mags]

I left my firearms with my best man when I took off for the Air Force.