The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Transferring or giving away a long rifle.

**Aguila Blanca** · March 1, 2013, 06:51 AM

Connecticut requires a State Police authorization to transfer handguns, but does NOT (currently) require authorization for face-to-face transfers of rifles or shotguns. Assuming both you and your ex-BF were both legally residents of CT at the time the gift was transferred, no laws were broken.

That said, nothing can prevent your ex-BF from making up a bogus complaint. However, several years ago CT enacted a law requiring owners to report the loss or theft of any firearm to the police with some very short period (48 hours? 72 hours? I don't remember -- I paid attention at the time because my brother lives in CT but I have since forgotten) of when they knew "or should have known" that the firearm was lost or stolen. I would suggest that, if you have been broken up for some time (like, in excess of 72 hours), your ex-BF is going to have some 'splainin' to do if he NOW decides to go to the police with a concocted story that you stole his AR-15 lower. The lower receiver on the AR-15 is the part that has the serial number and is considered to be the "firearm" for transfer purposes. So, theft of a lower receiver would be subject to the same reporting requirement as theft of an entire rifle.

You don't mention where you are now located, and I don't think we need to know. Unless for some reason you don't want your local police to know that you have an AR-15 lower receiver, have you considered reporting him to the police? What he is doing is essentially blackmail. Further, if he still lives in CT and you now live in another state, for you to return the receiver to him would be an interstate transfer and would have to go through at least one FFL. Somehow, given all the crazy new laws I understand are being proposed in CT, I somehow don't think your ex-BF wants there to be a paper trail on this. However, whatever his or your motives, the receiver is now in another state, and for you to just send it to him (not that I'm suggesting you should do so) would put YOU in violation of Federal law pertaining to interstate transfers.

Standard disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, and my advice is worth what you paid for it.

March 1, 2013, 06:51 AM	#2
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,457	Connecticut requires a State Police authorization to transfer handguns, but does NOT (currently) require authorization for face-to-face transfers of rifles or shotguns. Assuming both you and your ex-BF were both legally residents of CT at the time the gift was transferred, no laws were broken. That said, nothing can prevent your ex-BF from making up a bogus complaint. However, several years ago CT enacted a law requiring owners to report the loss or theft of any firearm to the police with some very short period (48 hours? 72 hours? I don't remember -- I paid attention at the time because my brother lives in CT but I have since forgotten) of when they knew "or should have known" that the firearm was lost or stolen. I would suggest that, if you have been broken up for some time (like, in excess of 72 hours), your ex-BF is going to have some 'splainin' to do if he NOW decides to go to the police with a concocted story that you stole his AR-15 lower. The lower receiver on the AR-15 is the part that has the serial number and is considered to be the "firearm" for transfer purposes. So, theft of a lower receiver would be subject to the same reporting requirement as theft of an entire rifle. You don't mention where you are now located, and I don't think we need to know. Unless for some reason you don't want your local police to know that you have an AR-15 lower receiver, have you considered reporting him to the police? What he is doing is essentially blackmail. Further, if he still lives in CT and you now live in another state, for you to return the receiver to him would be an interstate transfer and would have to go through at least one FFL. Somehow, given all the crazy new laws I understand are being proposed in CT, I somehow don't think your ex-BF wants there to be a paper trail on this. However, whatever his or your motives, the receiver is now in another state, and for you to just send it to him (not that I'm suggesting you should do so) would put YOU in violation of Federal law pertaining to interstate transfers. Standard disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, and my advice is worth what you paid for it. Last edited by Aguila Blanca; March 1, 2013 at 06:59 AM.