My mother just informed me that a gun of hers has been missing since 1982

[JLStorm]

My mother just mentioned today that sometime between 1972 - 1975 she purchased what she believes to be a .38 revolver in California which she believes she had to register for. She had no interest in guns, but my biological father wanted her to buy it. I have not had a relationship with him, but I know she had to leave in a hurry because of his violence towards her and others. When she left in 1982 she forgot about the gun and didnt remember until today apparently. I dont know what type of records were kept back then, but chances are there is a .38 floating around somewhere in California that is under her name. She wants to know who to contact and what she should say, I am assuming she should talk to the BATFE, but I dont know if that would be the proper first step or not.

Any ideas??

 

[Autolycus]

Call up the CA states attorney would be my suggestion.

 

[gezzer]

Fugattaboutit!

 

[nemoaz]

IF you have the serial number, you may report it as stolen to any local law enforcement agency and have it entered in the NCIC database. The next time some Crip gets pulled over and has the .38 in his waistband, the cops will take it and return it to you.

 

[JLStorm]

I am sure she doesnt have a serial number, she isnt even completely sure of the caliber, and has no clue as to model or brand. I dont even think she picked it out, I get the feeling she just signed the paperwork. Not smart, but she didnt know any better at the time and trusted him too much.

 

[Reyn]

From your description she wouldnt be able to make a report for being stolen because she doesnt remember. If she left it with her prior husband then it would be a civil matter because they were married and generally whats hers is his until the court could settle it. If he does still have it after this long i doubt she could get it anyways. I assume your asking for liability reasons more than trying to track it down to get it back..right? If she doesnt know the caliber,make serial,etc. i honestly dont see how much could be done to locate it.

 

[Caimlas]

The next time some Crip gets pulled over and has the .38 in his waistband, the cops will take it and return it to you.

C'mon man. He was asking a serious question. Don't get his hopes up.

 

[JLStorm]

Yes she is simply worried about liability she doesnt care about getting the gun back.

 

[LawBot5000]

No way that gun will cause her any liability. If it has been missing for 25 years, there is no plausible connection to her.

For all we know the gun has been sitting in a police evidence locker or destroyed since decades ago.

 

[Jamie C.]

My mother just informed me that a gun of hers has been missing since 1982

After 25 years, I...
1.) Doubt she'll ever see or hear from it again..

And

2.) Doubt she needs to worry about it, especially if she doesn't live in that state any longer.

There's also the mater of her memory, if she's up in her later years. If she didn't remember it before now, she might very well mis-remember the matter(s) of it's disposition.

It's just a non-issue, I think. ( Except to her, obviously. )


J.C.

 

[KenpoProfessor]

Bingo Jamie, 25 years and the gun was never reported stolen, it's probably exchanged hands a few time, and all legally. There is a section in the Civil Code of CA that addresses lost and found items, and it seems that this gun was intentionally abandoned so she has lost all claim to it.

Have a great gun carryin' Kenpo day

Clyde

 

[nemoaz]

it's probably exchanged hands a few time, and all legally.

For some reason, I read it as stolen... rather than merely abandoned. Too late at night, I guess.

C'mon man. He was asking a serious question. Don't get his hopes up.

Uhhhh, it happens pretty regularly. Of course, that doesn't mean it's likely. There are MANY stolen guns out there.
In any event, she says she doesn't want it back so the answer is probably fugettaboutit like the other guy says.

 

[Cosmoline]

The feds have nothing to do with registration. It's purely a California issue, thank the lord. She could report it stolen, though at this point I suspect the statute has run on that. Not to mention subsequent transfers now. Whoever has it probably legally owns it.

 

[Jamie C.]

Any property a person leaves behind and doesn't claim in court during a divorce isn't stolen. It simply becomes the property of the other person.

I let my first wife keep a S&W M66 when we divorced. Any trouble that it gets involved in will come back on her, not me, nor the fellow I bought it from.


J.C.