previous use of this specific weapon

Question
I inherited an off duty .38 special from my grandmother back in the 1960's.  It's been in the attic for a long time.  I know my grandmother killed a burglar in her home back then, so this gun has killed a person.How will affect my ability to legally own this gun.I know she had a license for it then.  How can i check the gun's history? Do i need to re-license it?

Answer
Well, you may know or think you know, but not sure I would bring it up or volunteer that info to muddy the waters, not even sure it matters.  This gun is old and older guns were not necessarily registered or logged in any systems, I have ran many guns over the years only to find, no record of them.  Unless a gun is stolen it is probably not in the system.  Depending on what state you live in, each state laws are different.  I think California has a exemption for pass down weapons in family.  So a dad can give his son his gun.  

As long are you are not prohibited from owning a firearm, I think you are OK.  It is your gun and if a cop ran it it, it will probably not be in the system.  You can call your local PD and they might run the serial number for you, if you want to make sure it is not reported as stolen. But I would clean it, keep it and not do anything until I had too.  I am sure whatever state you are in will want some fee for checking, some tax for inheritance, some reg fee or someway to make money and cause you grief.

As a cop I told people all time, nothing ever gets better when you get the Gov involved.  If you are not required to get them involved, I would not do anything, but keep it in the family or get rid of it.

Of course all the choices are up to you, I don't know all the facts or all the laws in every state.

Hope this helps,  

Rick