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This is one instance where it's worth telling loved ones what your collection is worth. I heard of an expensive rifle that went for a song after it's owner had passed away. The owners spouse and gun shop obviously didn't know the true value of it and let it go cheaply.

Given I don't currently have an agenda to follow this course (death) I wonder if leaving a letter with your Will saying where keys are kept is advisable as fundamentally that would give the Executors unauthorised access to firearms. I have made provision in my Will bequeathing all firearms, ammunition, reloading equipment and other items to an FAC holder, but he is currently only 18 and I wonder if, at this time, his authority would agree to transfer the likes of .338LM. It seems there is a deal of conjecture over this matter, so as an NRA member I will take some benefit from my subscription and get their legal advice, which I will happily post here as it is a scenario that could affect any of us at any time.

Can someone explain what a 'Section 7' is?

This must be a common occurrence so there must be a prescribed course of action and leaving detailed instructions of who to contact is essential for anyone settling your Estate.

My daughter got her left handed target rifle that way: deceased effects, no one to pass it on to so it was sold via an RFD proceeds to charity & yes relative to a new one for a song.

But on the plus side - its in proper use, by a 17 year old shooter who would not have had such an opportunity & its been used to reach the Queens stage 2, first ever entry & achieve 3 HPS's & 14 prize lists.

My target PF Enfield for 250 & as new, the old chap who can no longer hold an FAC used to come to Bisley once a year to use, it with my help.

I hope some of mine end up in hands like these when I push off to the FP in the sky.

Silver linings :goodjob:

I'm lucky. My wife is a shooter, has her own firearms licence and can legally possess all of my firearms - so they will simply pass to her.

All I'm saying is, don't say that your Barrett, AI etc only cost £500 in case your husband/wife etc believes it and tells the gun shop that's all that he/she wants for it.

We have a list of rifles and estimated values lodged with our parents. If we both die together they should be able to get the market value or thereabouts without being taken for a ride.

Ha I told my wife my RPA cost 2k when it was nearer 4! & she never even knew I owned a service rifle but if it went to a young shooter for a song i would be happy with that. If we are concerned more with its value than its use to continue the sport are we any better than the auction houses that sell worn out crappy old guns for stupid prices & thus put many off buying in to the sport?

Poss this could be a benefit of membership? - might NRA / BASC etc consider holding an Expression of Wish alongside membership data so in the event of .... thud! sign01 .... it can be made public or to the executors of will? NRA have the ability to take kit on to their RFD to preserve them. Of course this applies more to us within the catchment but there are associated RFDs allover.

I wonder if my FLO would put a letter on file? they cannot just bin it? & if copied to a will & that says copied to County FLO would that help iron out the interim arrangements?

I think the point just making it known what you want to happen isn't enough write it down, get that witnessed, lodge that with those who need to know: Club Sec, NRA etc, FLO, Wife/kids/Will.

ColinR wrote:Given I don't currently have an agenda to follow this course (death) I wonder if leaving a letter with your Will saying where keys are kept is advisable as fundamentally that would give the Executors unauthorised access to firearms.

I made enquiries into this a few years back and was told that leaving details of where you keys are in a Will kept with a solictor is okay. Leaving details of your keys location in a Will kept at home stuffed behind the mantlepeice clock is not...

Tomo wrote:

ColinR wrote:Given I don't currently have an agenda to follow this course (death) I wonder if leaving a letter with your Will saying where keys are kept is advisable as fundamentally that would give the Executors unauthorised access to firearms.

I made enquiries into this a few years back and was told that leaving details of where you keys are in a Will kept with a solictor is okay. Leaving details of your keys location in a Will kept at home stuffed behind the mantlepeice clock is not...

This is always a difficult subject ... There really should be something like a "designated person", another FAC/SGC holder who is identified on a form lodged with the FEO that is fully aware of the location of the set of keys.

I was involved in a complex case - a friend a few days away from dying, it would have been so much easier if I had known where the keys actually were.

We have just had a case like this. A widower member of the club died suddenly, police entered and got a locksmith to open cabinet and took all rifles, as soon as it was found that they had been left to the club for sale to raise money for club and charity, the police transfered them to an rfd.

Oh and related cost of kit remember the man's prayer

Oh lord if I should die today give my wife the sense not to sell my toys for the price I told HER I paid.

Discuss it with your FLD. Mine were quite happy for me to leave a letter with our solicitor addressed to my Executor and containing the location of the keys.

My letter also contains details of how to apply for a section 7 permit, an approximate value of the guns and accessories and a list of RFDs known to me who should be able to arrange to sell the kit.

Job done.