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EdF

Buying an occupied gun safe . . .

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I put this here because I wasn't sure where it should go.  The question is now moot because I missed out on the sale but I'm still interested.

I had the opportunity to buy a gun safe in another state.  The owner of the safe can't open it and doesn't know if there is anything inside or what MAY be there.  Safe was dad's and dad passed quite some time ago.

So, I don't know what's in the safe either.  

If I was to go buy the safe, transport it to NJ and open it here.  How do I take legal possession of what's inside?  The same question could be asked about buying a used car and later finding a gun or buying a home for rehab and finding weapons inside.  I've been through houses that literally had a foot or more of trash on the floor and hadn't been occupied for years.

I'm sure that if I find a gun in the woods, in good working order, I'm required to turn it in to the police since it may have recently been used in a crime before being dumped.  But, even then, what happens if it ends up that the gun can't be traced to the proper owner?

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19 minutes ago, EdF said:

I put this here because I wasn't sure where it should go.  The question is now moot because I missed out on the sale but I'm still interested.

I had the opportunity to buy a gun safe in another state.  The owner of the safe can't open it and doesn't know if there is anything inside or what MAY be there.  Safe was dad's and dad passed quite some time ago.

So, I don't know what's in the safe either.  

If I was to go buy the safe, transport it to NJ and open it here.  How do I take legal possession of what's inside? 

Interesting quandary.   Seems like the safe owner, child of the deceased, would have to be involved in transferring ownership. Since you already live in NJ, it's a different scenario than if you already owned the guns and then moved here.

I'd have looked for a way to have it opened in the state where it sits.  Because if you moved it to your home in NJ, had it opened, and found it full of un-neutered ARs with standard capacity magazines, you'd be in an awkward position.  Especially if you didn't know and trust the locksmith who cracked the safe for you.

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2 hours ago, EdF said:

I put this here because I wasn't sure where it should go.  The question is now moot because I missed out on the sale but I'm still interested.

I had the opportunity to buy a gun safe in another state.  The owner of the safe can't open it and doesn't know if there is anything inside or what MAY be there.  Safe was dad's and dad passed quite some time ago.

So, I don't know what's in the safe either.  

If I was to go buy the safe, transport it to NJ and open it here.  How do I take legal possession of what's inside?  The same question could be asked about buying a used car and later finding a gun or buying a home for rehab and finding weapons inside.  I've been through houses that literally had a foot or more of trash on the floor and hadn't been occupied for years.

I'm sure that if I find a gun in the woods, in good working order, I'm required to turn it in to the police since it may have recently been used in a crime before being dumped.  But, even then, what happens if it ends up that the gun can't be traced to the proper owner?

regarding house purchase........i think yuo know i do work for one of the smaller local police depts. the cop that brings the vehicles in has told me of quite a few people that had bought or inherited homes in his town....then they find an old gun. he says that they'd always called the station, then brought them down and turned them over to pd.......

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Funny this post pops up now because this morning I was at a locksmith shop and on the back row was a assortment of safes, all sizes and ages. I inquired as to what's up with them as some were sealed with tape and even metal strapping. Some were for sale at respectable prices, will think on them later lol. But others were sealed under court orders or other legalities to be sorted out whenever. They said all sealed ones are from disputed estate matters waiting to be opened and being held at the shop as a neutral party. Of course I asked for some story's about opening them but, disappointingly, said it's their policy never to look inside, just literally crack it open and get signed waivers for that. They don't want to be in any way involved like maybe being a witness to whatever. That was a bummer, was hoping to hear some juicy tales.

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1 hour ago, Sota said:

shoot, shovel, shut up?

I'm with you on this one but was looking for the OTHER answers . . . By the way . . . I could have likely opened it myself.

The problem with opening it up there is that it was a REALLY good deal when the owner didn't know what was in it.  He could have had it opened and then sold the safe and the contents separately.  

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1 hour ago, EdF said:

I'm with you on this one but was looking for the OTHER answers . . . By the way . . . I could have likely opened it myself.

I'm in that same camp as it being the right answer. Possession is 9/10th of the law, right?

If by chance you opened it an found some non-compliant firearms, you could quietly make them compliant, or brought them to a FFL to make them complaint or sell them for you. No sense waving any flags...

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