.40 Glock Sold - Lost Records? Liability?

[echoecho]

Hello, my name is Peter and I am new to this forum. I have a few questions. I am not very knowledgeable about gun laws so forgive me if I appear naive.

I owned a .40 Glock from '92 until sometime between '97 and '00 when I sold it to B & B Gun Sales in North Hollywood/Van Nuys. Yesterday I received a letter from a LAPD Detective stating that a .40 Glock registered to me was found when serving a search warrant in relation to an investigation they were conducting. The letter also requested that I contact the detective ASAP so that they could return the Glock to me. I immediately called and left a message for the detective saying that I sold that gun to B & B some 10 years ago. I have, however, not been able to find the receipt of my sale to B & B and they have been out of business for several years. I have not yet actually spoken to the detective.

Why is this gun still registered to me? Doesn't the registration automatically transfer to the new owner(B & B) when the firearm is sold legally through proper channels? Did B & B somehow screw up the paperwork? What happens to records when a firearms dealer goes out of business? I sold it to B & B because they had a solid reputation.

I am asking these questions because I am concerned about liability if this gun was used in a crime. Should I be concerned if I can't prove my sale to B & B? I do not want the gun back because it no longer belongs to me.

For the record, I am not a criminal. I have never been arrested and I have never applied for a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

Thanks

Peter

[Spicy McHaggis]

Originally Posted by echoecho

Hello, my name is Peter and I am new to this forum. I have a few questions. I am not very knowledgeable about gun laws so forgive me if I appear naive.

I owned a .40 Glock from '92 until sometime between '97 and '00 when I sold it to B & B Gun Sales in North Hollywood/Van Nuys. Yesterday I received a letter from a LAPD Detective stating that a .40 Glock registered to me was found when serving a search warrant in relation to an investigation they were conducting. The letter also requested that I contact the detective ASAP so that they could return the Glock to me. I immediately called and left a message for the detective saying that I sold that gun to B & B some 10 years ago. I have, however, not been able to find the receipt of my sale to B & B and they have been out of business for several years. I have not yet actually spoken to the detective.

Why is this gun still registered to me? Doesn't the registration automatically transfer to the new owner(B & B) when the firearm is sold legally through proper channels? Did B & B somehow screw up the paperwork? What happens to records when a firearms dealer goes out of business? I sold it to B & B because they had a solid reputation.

I am asking these questions because I am concerned about liability if this gun was used in a crime. Should I be concerned if I can't prove my sale to B & B? I do not want the gun back because it no longer belongs to me.

For the record, I am not a criminal. I have never been arrested and I have never applied for a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

Thanks

Peter

They aren't automatically removed from your name when ownership changes. I don't know if this form was around back when you sold it to B&B, but you can fill out this form to have any firearms removed from your name if you no longer own them.

http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/forms/pdf/NLIP0308.pdf

This also makes me wonder if B&B sold it or registered it to someone. Because if you are the only owner showing up in the DOJ database, then something is up.

[GunSlut]

That gun was never re-registered in somebody else's name. Bottom line.

[echoecho]

Thanks Spicy for the quick reply. I am fairly certain I filled out a form such as this when I sold the gun. I was the original owner of the gun. My own fault for not being more careful with my records. I'll have to wait and see what the detective has to say. Maybe it is no big deal.

Peter

[PUNK]

Originally Posted by echoecho

Thanks Spicy for the quick reply. I am fairly certain I filled out a form such as this when I sold the gun. I was the original owner of the gun. My own fault for not being more careful with my records. I'll have to wait and see what the detective has to say. Maybe it is no big deal.

Peter

tell them the truth. you have nothing to hide, you'll be fine.

[RomanDad]

OK... When the police contact you again (IF they contact you again) tell them "I sold that gun." If they ask for records or receipts tell them "Youll have to speak to my attorney."

[PUNK]

Originally Posted by AMS MIKE

tell them the truth. you have nothing to hide, you'll be fine.

Originally Posted by RomanDad

OK... When the police contact you again (IF they contact you again) tell them "I sold that gun." If they ask for records or receipts tell them "Youll have to speak to my attorney."

Listen to RD. Don't listen to me. I am far from an Attorney.

[echoecho]

I have absolutely nothing to hide. I already left a message for the detective stating that I sold the gun 10 odd years ago to B & B. If the police contact me again and I feel the line questioning gets weird I suppose I should get a lawyer. It's frustrating though because I dealt with B & B because I heard they had strong ties with LAPD and I wanted everything to be on the up and up so to speak. Thanks for the replies, I really appreciate it.

Peter

[X-ffdo]

How about if it goes like this......... B&B apparently did not file the paperwork to change ownership. You can request from CA. DOJ a list of all guns that show under your name and double check this theory. They have a form for such purpose. I do not remember the title of that form, I am sure someone here will chime in with the info.
Good luck, if you need further help, we are here.

[sealbeach]

Originally Posted by RomanDad

OK... When the police contact you again (IF they contact you again) tell them "I sold that gun." If they ask for records or receipts tell them "Youll have to speak to my attorney."

Listen to RomanDad's advice, he knows his stuff. You asked for advice, you got top notch advice.

If you should need it, Bruce Colodny is a firearms attorney:

The Law Offices of Bruce Colodny offer several locations to suit your needs:

San Bernardino Office:

1881 Business Center Drive Suite 8-B,
San Bernardino, California 92408-3448
(909) 862-3113

Orange Office:

850 East Chapman Ave. Suite C
Orange, California 92866-1649
(714) 639-6767

Mailing Address:
PO Box 10787
San Bernardino, California 92423-0787

The Law Offices of Bruce Colodny - Home
"http://www.gunlaw.com/index.php"

Best of luck.

[PUNK]

great info SB.

[CCWInstructor]

Originally Posted by RomanDad

OK... When the police contact you again (IF they contact you again) tell them "I sold that gun." If they ask for records or receipts tell them "Youll have to speak to my attorney."

Call this a major clue. Forget clue. Call it good sound free advice.

[echoecho]

Thanks SB and all of you for your thoughtful advice. I'll take it. Best to let an attorney handle it.

[sealbeach]

Wise decision...

You are welcome, come back any time and hang out with us.

[FiringLion]

Originally Posted by echoecho

Thanks SB and all of you for your thoughtful advice. I'll take it. Best to let an attorney handle it.

Wow!

Talk about one-stop shopping!

Many decades of best-practices experience in the first page of a newbie's first posting!

I'm not nearly as illustrious as any of these others, but the amateur sleuth in me wonders: did you check the telephone numbers by calling the agency and asking to be referred to the initial caller, or just take on faith that the person calling you and the callback number are as represented?

Since you've already called back once, initiating further contact could create unnecessary further issues, but confidence games can be pretty convoluted, and I do wonder...