READER Q&A:

Unfortunately, my uncle is dying. In the past he has promised some guns he owns to me but has not put his wishes into writing. What do I need to do to make sure I get them? I do have some greedy relatives whom I know would take them if his wishes are not in writing. And I heard if the wishes are not in a will and specifically named to someone that BAFTE will seize them amd they’ll probably see the cutting saws. My uncle has some good guns and even has a rifle that was used in a murder (he had purchased it in a private sale and didn’t know it was a murder weapon). I was planning to go to see him in September and talk to him about it.

Get him to put tags on the trigger guards with who each gun is supposed to be for. Get him to write down each gun, and ask him to put a little bit of the history of each gun, it’s “provenance” any interesting stories about each one, that he may or may not have told you. Part of the value of firearms as heirlooms isn’t their monitary worth, but their connection to us and to history. The ATF would not seize the guns, they’d simply be included with the estate, and sold. Their cash value is simply put in with everythign else sold from the estate. The best way to deal with firearms and greedy relatives is to get them valued (blue book of gun values) and subtract their value from your ’share’ of the cash. Make a point to see him before September, and not just for the guns – but because he is your uncle.

Technorati Tags: carbines for sale, rules and regulations, used guns for sale