H & R Handy Gun

Question
After my father past away I came across a unique gun a H & R 410 Handy Gun. It looks in good shape but my concern is I don't know if it was ever registered do i need to register it and how. thank you. Terry


Answer
Terry,

Smooth bore Handy Guns that are not currently registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms cannot be legally owned and are subject to seizure.  The gun was made illegal in the National Firearms Act of 1934.  The Handy Gun falls into the category of a 'short barrel shotgun'.  Any shotgun with a barrel length of less than 18" or an overall length of less than 26" is not legal to possess.  

After passage of the law, guns that fell under the NFA, like the Handy Gun, could be registered by filing some paperwork and paying a transfer fee of $200.  Problem is that $200 was a lot of money in 1934.  Many people did not want to spend that kind of money.  IF the guns was not registered, it is not legal to own.

You should probably try and locate any paperwork that your father had on the gun to see if it was registered.  If it was not, you have some pretty serious exposure under existing federal law. (10 years in prison, $100,000 fine).  Don't make the mistake of thinking that ATF wouldn't pursue something like this if they found out.  They would.  

Also, you didn't say what state you lived in, but depending on where you are, your could be illegal under state laws as well.

You should probably contact a Class 3 Firearms dealer and see if they can help you out...I'm not sure if they can do anything, but it is probably worth checking out.

Best of luck to you...

Regards,

Doug