My dad lives in Ashtabula county. He recently fell ill and was hospitalized for a month and has yet to be released. This is another story for later.
He had a bunch of 1903's, '03-A3's, M1 Garands and M1 Carbines along with a couple of 9mm Lagos and his Colt 1911.
When I traveled up to visit with him, he asked me to make certain his wife was not selling off his collection. Well I took a trip out to his farm and sure enough. They are all gone.
Lucky for me she let me in to check.
Now her story has changed ever time I ask her what happened to the firearms.
First it was "we put them in the barn so he would not get to them and hurt himself." Dad's only 76.
Next it was, a police office friend took them away for safe keeping.
Then it was, "The ATF took some of them and I hid the rest in the barn." These are all his wifes respones.
So I checked out the cop story only to find out he is not a cop but, an Auxiliary and is known as a "stand up guy" by the dept he works with.
So I call him and tell him what my Dad s wife said and he tells me she's a nutjob and probably sold all of them.

My question to you guys is, Should I contact the ATF just to cofirm her story is a lie? I don't belive for a minute the ATF shows up at someones house and takes a couple of firearms, especially asin old as some of these were.
I am attempting to catch her in all of her lies but, don't want to make trouble for my old man either.
Every story my dads wife has told me about these missing firearms has been a complete fabrication.

Would the ATF show up take a few firearms, not leave a receipt, not provide a search warrant?

Maybe she had them auctioned of at a firearms or estate auction  You might want to check into that.

The ATF did not take the guns.  

Your dad is a big boy, and he knows his wife better than you do.  
He's asking you to check on them because he already knows she sold them.

Check the nearest pawn shops and gun shops.  They may still be for sale.    
More than likely, he's screwed.  

I'd check on his bank accounts, stocks, vehicle titles, house deeds, will, etc. while you're at it.

This.



She's lying to you. I have a friend who's currently going through the same thing with his Dad and stepmother. His Dad had a stroke, but he certainly isn't dead and his wife started laying her claws into everything as if he was.  



Get your Dad's power of attorney NOW would be my best advice, and be suspicious of her.  Demand proof.

If they are still married, the collection may be community property and she may have a right to sell them or whatever.

Good luck and I hope you can get them back.

maybe she lost them in a boating accident

I'm sorry you're going through this, viking.  It's a tough situation to be in.  Unfortunately, I think other posters are correct in that legally speaking, you don't have a dog in this hunt.  It's between your father and his wife.  You might want to contact a family lawyer in Ashtabula county for advice going forward.

If any of you guys know of local pawn shops or gun shops in and around Windsor, Ohio, Ashtabula county, please pass along their information so I can contact them.
I appreciate your help.
There are 2 particular pieces that mean a lot to me, my father and his brother. One is my dads 1911 Colt which he carried throughout his military career, 33 yrs.
The 2nd is our great-great grand fathers 45-70 from the GAR.
Both of these were intended to be family heirlooms.
Unfortunately my dads 2nd wife is none to bright and not concerned with family. Her actions are speaking loudly to this fact.

Thanks for your help.
My dads a good man being treated like a dog and forgotten in a nursing home.
I'll fight the fight in court in the coming months just to make certain he doesn't get left in a nursing home and die like a dog.

Oh, if you guys start seeing a boatload of US Military surplus items in local gun shops, pawn shops, chances are it was my dads as well. He was a big surplus buyer& seller. Some old some pretty new issue. Alice packs, desert canteens w/covers, WWll stuff, helmets. Lots of M1 Garand clips, carbine dust covers for mags.
I know it's never gonna be seen by me again but, you may start seeing this stuff in your market areas very soon as she is cleaning out his collections.
A few military blazers one WWll truck-restored.

Thanks again.