I will have to give up my guns

I have been diagnosed with a medical condition that will place my future possession of firearms at risk. My shotgun and firearm certificates are due for renewal within the next 12 months and I am thinking of letting them lapse. I can’t keep my shotgun or rifle but I don’t wish to dispose of them completely. What should I do?

I am very sorry to hear your news but in considering the matter now, you are being both practical and responsible about your future gun ownership. If you were to cease being a certificate holder then, prior to the expiry of your certificates, you would need to transfer the guns to someone with authority to possess them. In the case of the shotgun, this might be a registered firearms dealer (RFD) or possibly a friend to whom you could transfer your gun by way of a long-term loan. The gun would be entered by you on to Table 2 of his certificate and you would both inform your respective licensing departments of the transfer.

In the case of the rifle, you would need to find a firearm certificate holder who had a suitable vacant slot on his certificate or was prepared to apply for a variation to obtain one. It would be much easier to ask an RFD to store the rifle — and sound moderator if you have one — for you. It is possible that a storage charge would apply. If in future you decided to sell the rifle or shotgun, the RFD could do this on your behalf. GD