In Arizona, an adult heir who is not prohibited from owning firearms may keep, give away or sell the guns a parent left behind. There is no state registration and no permit to own. The simplest and safest way to sell is to a licensed dealer, who records each gun in federal acquisition records and takes on the paperwork from that point. Private sales between Arizona residents are legal, but they put the responsibility for the buyer's eligibility on you. This post walks through the practical steps; it is general information, not legal advice, and the estate's attorney should confirm anything that affects probate.

First, make them safe and leave them where they are

Do not clear or unload a gun you are unsure about. Leave firearms where you found them, keep children and visitors away, and note what you have. If anything looks like it might be a machine gun, a short-barreled rifle or shotgun, or a silencer, stop and read the section on NFA items below before you move it.

Who can take possession

Under federal law a person may not possess a firearm if they fall into a prohibited category: a felony conviction, a domestic-violence conviction or restraining order, an unlawful drug user, and several others. If the heir is prohibited, the guns must go to someone else or be sold. If the heir lives in another state, federal law allows a firearm acquired by bequest or intestate succession to be received across state lines without going through a dealer, as long as it is legal to own in the heir's state; shipping it there still has rules, and a dealer-to-dealer transfer is the clean way.

Three ways to sell

1. Sell to a licensed dealer. The dealer identifies and values each gun, pays you, and logs the acquisition in their bound book. From that point the gun can only be sold again to a buyer who passes a background check. You get a bill of sale for the estate's records. This is what we do; see how our process works.
2. Consign or auction. Online auction sites and consignment shops can bring higher prices on collectible guns, with fees of roughly 10 to 25% and a wait of weeks to months. The gun still has to transfer through a dealer to the winning bidder.
3. Private sale. Legal in Arizona between residents, but you are responsible for not selling to someone you know or should know is prohibited, and you have no record of the sale unless you make one. We do not recommend it for an estate.

Getting a fair price

Whoever buys the collection should show you the recent sales they based each number on. Our method is public: for each gun we average the three closest of about eight recent sales and deduct a flat 20%, so the offer is around 80% of current market. Ammunition and accessories are priced separately and itemized. If a buyer gives you one number for the whole lot with no breakdown, get a second opinion.

Ammunition, reloading gear and accessories

Ammunition has value and so does reloading equipment, especially partial boxes in calibers that are hard to find. Do not throw it away and do not put it in the trash; most dealers, including us, will buy it with the guns. Black powder and primers need careful handling; tell the buyer what is there.

NFA items

Machine guns, short-barreled rifles and shotguns, and silencers are regulated under the National Firearms Act and are registered to a specific person. They can pass to an heir, tax-free, on ATF Form 5, but the executor must file the paperwork before the heir takes possession, and the item cannot simply be sold like an ordinary gun. If you find one, do not transport it; call a dealer who holds the Special Occupational Tax (we do) or the estate's attorney.

Paperwork to keep

Keep the bill of sale, the itemized list and any letters testamentary or small-estate affidavit the dealer asked for. If the guns were specifically bequeathed in the will, the executor distributes them according to the will; if not, they are part of the residuary estate and are sold or distributed like any other property.

What we do

We come to the home anywhere in the Phoenix area, make everything safe, document each firearm by make, model and serial, research values, and bring back a written, itemized offer with the comparable sales attached. Both of us spent our careers in Arizona law enforcement and have done this for a lot of families. Call or text 602-803-8300 to talk it through.

How selling to us works: Sell Your Estate Firearms