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Forums10
Topics39,502
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Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 350
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 350 |
Gentlemen, Please remember that there are no dumb questions. So here we go......Can a corporation own a firearm in the USA???.....Our corporation is a chapter of the IWLA.....Our club, the corporation, achieves not for profit status by way of an umbrella agreement with the IWLA......The IWLA holds the tax exempt letter of determination......We, the chapter, use that tax exempt letter of determination issued to the IWLA to file our IRS Form 990 EZ......We, the WIWC, are a regular corporation incorporated in Virginia in 1955......We are not in the business of buying or selling or renting firearms......We are a IWLA chapter......Obviously a gun store can own a firearm......I guess the store owns the firearm when it is on the rack in the shop for sale......A museum probably owns firearms that are on display, Maybe???.....A shooting range would most likely own the firearms that it rents out to guest like we see in some of the casino destinations......So what about a corporation that is a club that elects officers and a BOD each and every year......Can that type of a corporation own firearms????? Thank You, Jent
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 177
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 177 |
A representative of the organization fills out the 4473 and supplies a written statement that he/she is buying the gun for the organization's use. This is spelled out in the instructions section of the 4473 form. Otherwise, take a look at the February 2011 FFL Newsletter from the ATF: ATF Newsletter February 2011 Purchase of Firearms by Organizations
When the buyer of a firearm is a corporation, company,
association, partnership, or other such business entity, an
officer authorized to act on behalf of the business must
complete Section A of the form with his or her personal
information, sign Section A; and attach a written statement,
executed under penalties of perjury, stating: (A) the firearm
is being acquired for the use of and will be the property of
that business entity and (B) the name and address of that
business entity. This statement identifies the corporations
place of business to the transferor (Federal firearms licensee)
and establishes the corporation as owner of the firearm. The
licensee needs to ensure that the address provided by the
officer acquiring the firearms on behalf of the corporation
accurately reflects the place of business.
Further, a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed
dealer, or licensed collector shall not sell or deliver any
firearm to any person not licensed under this part who the
licensee knows or has reasonable cause to believe does not
reside in (or if a corporation or other business entity, does
not maintain a place of business in) the State in which the li
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censees place of business or activity is located: Provided, that
the foregoing provisions of this paragraph (1) shall not apply
to the sale or delivery of a rifle or shotgun (curio or relic, in
the case of a licensed collector) to a resident of a State other
than the State in which the licensees place of business or
collection premises is located if the requirements of 27 CFR
478.96(c) are fully met, and (2) shall not apply to the loan or
rental of a firearm to any person for temporary use for lawful
sporting purposes.
Example of a handgun purchase:
ABC Corporation has
business premises in Maryland and wishes to purchase 10
handguns for the company. John Doe, President of ABC
Corporation, is a Virginia resident. John Doe completes
Section A of the ATF Form 4473 with his personal informa
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tion, and provides the FFL with a written statement that the
firearms will be for the use of, and will be the property of,
ABC Corporation located in Maryland.
Although John Doe completed Section A of the ATF Form
4473 with his personal Virginia information, John Doe
would need to purchase the handguns in Maryland because
the corporation is located in Maryland, and the corporation
will retain ownership of the handguns. Therefore, the FFL
must use the corporations address for the State of residence.
However, if John Doe wishes to purchase the handguns in
Virginia on behalf of the corporation, the Virginia FFL must
ship the handguns to a Maryland FFL because the corpora
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tions State of residence is Maryland. An officer authorized
to act on behalf of the corporation would then complete
Section A of the ATF Form 4473 with his or her personal
information, and provide the Maryland FFL with the written
statement as indicated above.
Last edited by bladeswitcher; 08/30/16 07:35 AM.
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 227
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 227 |
It depends on what Virginia law says. Generally the answer is yes. But how it is licensed is a question in each state. In my state a bank , lending institution or museum , shooting gallery , etc. can . The weapon can be an asset of a corporation . But the state law may require a " warm body " on the license even if the company is named as the owner. The assets of a company are owned by the company for the benefit of shareholders . A corporation is considered a person. So a license would be required unless there is a state exemption .
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 236
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 236 |
I heard once that 1 of the big 3 associatoins had acquired or been gifted shotguns in th past. you may want to reach out to the current 3 EDs asking if thats right, how that works , who has possesion of the guns and what steps are in place to transiton them to new association people when presnt ones resign or voted out.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,604 Likes: 12
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,604 Likes: 12 |
Bladeswitcher. Good information. 4+ years from registration to first post! 
Mike
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,572 Likes: 165
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,572 Likes: 165 |
The big conservation outfits (DU, PF, RGS, etc) regularly supply their chapters with guns for their banquets. So the answer is yes . . . but individual chapters also acquire guns to auction or raffle from local sources. Works best if someone in the chapter has an FFL, can handle the paperwork, make the phone call etc at the banquet so auction/raffle winners can take their guns home. My old RGS chapter acquired guns locally, and the store in question provided someone to take care of all of that for us. Worked quite well.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,015
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,015 |
The big conservation outfits (DU, PF, RGS, etc) regularly supply their chapters with guns for their banquets. So the answer is yes . . . but individual chapters also acquire guns to auction or raffle from local sources. Works best if someone in the chapter has an FFL, can handle the paperwork, make the phone call etc at the banquet so auction/raffle winners can take their guns home. My old RGS chapter acquired guns locally, and the store in question provided someone to take care of all of that for us. Worked quite well. That may be seen as a violation and not legal,as the 4473 would need to be filled out at the licensee's business premise,unless its is a "qualified" event like a gun show so you would want to be sure the ATF blesses it https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/if-licen...e-sales-be-madeIf a licensed auctioneer is making sales of firearms, where may those sales be made?
In a consignment auction firearms may be displayed at an auction site away from the auctioneers licensed premises and sales of the firearms can be agreed upon at that location, but the firearms must be returned to the auctioneers licensed premises prior to transfer. The simultaneous sale and delivery of the auctioned firearms away from the licensed premises would violate the law, i.e., engaging in business at an unlicensed location.However, if the auctioneer is assisting an estate in disposing of firearms, the estate is the seller of the firearms and the estate is in control and possession of the firearms. In this situation, the firearms may be sold by the estate at the auction site. [18 U.S.C. 923(a); 27 CFR 478.50]
Hillary For Prison 2018
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 452
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 452 |
When I worked for a American Shipping Company all our Vessels had a S&W Model 10 and two boxes of Peters Nickel plated 38 Special Ctgs in the safe. We owned the guns in Virginia to avoid the Sullivan Law in New York City. As the smaller older ships were replaced by newer larger vessels I collected a number of them in my office safe.
Boats
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 29
Boxlock
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Boxlock
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 29 |
I am prize chairman of our RGS chapter and our guns are shipped to a local FFL and brought to the banquet site the morning of the banquet. The FFL is at the banquet and does the paperwork on site. Law enforcement people attend and no complaints. By the way the Highland chapter is Sept 17 for anyone in the Cadillac Mi area. Check RGS website
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,015
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,015 |
RGS-and well as DU may well have the approval of the ATF as being a "qualified" event,some of the National ones do,you just need to e sure.
Most Law enforcement people have no clue about what is and what is not allowed by the ATF gun dealers,its the local IOI who would give them grief.
Hillary For Prison 2018
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