Giving a gun as a gift...

[dave_in_delaware]

I hope this thread is in the right category, and that it hasn't been answered before.

As some of you may (or may not) know, I bought an XD-9 subbie about month ago and gave it to my fiancee as a gift. No problem. I knew she had a clean record, and that she's responsible w/ guns (her Dad taught her when she was younger), and is a very good shot. I had asked an FFL dealer friend of mine if I needed to do anything w/ the gun as far as transfering it to her, and he said no. I guess technically, it's "registered" in my name, and it could be stolen some day and used to commit a felony. Don't get me wrong: I trust my fiancee with it totally. I'm more worried about the possible criminal element getting its hands on it, and using it in a murder or something. I'm just trying to protect myself and my fiancee from legal issues....

My questions:
1. Should I type up some sort of documentation and have it notarized that I bought this firearm on this date, w/ serial number, from this store, and gave it to this person on this date and have her and I and witnesses sign it?

2. Should a copy of such a document be be filed w/ the state police?

3. Have any of you given a firearm to someone as a gift, and what did you do about these issues (if anything)?

4. Am I just being too paranoid and should I find a tranquilizer?

Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Edward429451]

1) No. You have 'personal knowledge' that the gun went to a respectable individual with no record.

2) No. None of their business.

3) Yes, several times. To both immediate family and extended family. I didn't address the 'issue' at all other than to make sure I never gave my criminal brother a firearm, which is common sense.

4) With all due respect, yeah, methinks you're being a little paranoid about it.

But OTOH, I'm no lawyer, so take it with as many grains of salt as you wish.

 

[shaggy]

Relax - you can give it as a gift, but to be on the safe side why not spend $25 or so to have it transfered through an FFL? Small price to pay for the peace of mind it will bring you. And if by some stroke of bad luck, you and your fiancee split up, you and the FFL will have a record of the transfer to her which may save you some headaches later.

 

[MicroBalrog]

Let's put it this way - if Sarah Brady is OK with giving guns as gifts [and she did it at one point], you certainly shouldn't try to be more Catholic than the Pope of gun control.