Should 85yrs MIL have been given a gun license?

[Highlander]

I'm afraid I sparked a huge row, by saying that she can barely operate the microwave and should never have been given a license.

History: FIL is a farmer, got dementia. MIL asked cops to store guns when his licence was revoked. She was scared that he would go mental if the guns were permanently disposed of. The policeman advised her to get a licence instead.

My point is that an elderly person does not need a gun. Ever.

Is she going to use the guns though? It's not that she wants to fire them, is it?

Could she not have them rendered inoperable and then kept in the case?

Could you - or another member of the family get a gun license and store the guns instead?

She will need to have a licence if the guns are stored in the house.

I would contact the local issuing authority and ask what the best options are. They will listen and have some suggestions.

FIL is dead.

She doesn't know how to use a gun. She says she wouldn't touch the shot gun, but 'I might need to shoot a rabbit with the pellet gun, or use it if someone breaks in'. TBH, I think the rabbit comment was just trying to justify having a gun.

There's only DH left, but there's no need for anyone to have the guns.

I want her to hand them in to the police to et them destroyed.

It sounds like she is simply attached to them, and isn't actually intending to fire them. If they belonged to her deceased husband and mattered to him, I can understand she might feel reluctant dispose of them.

To be honest, I assume that as she has the license, she's mentally competent and has a secure gun cabinet? In that case I cannot see the problem with her keeping them. If you don't think she's of sufficiently sound mind to own a gun, talk to the police official responsible, they can revoke her license; if they won't revoke the license, she's competent and thus it's none of your business.

Just a thought.... leave her with the licence and the gun(s), but make sure there is no ammo in the house. She'll struggle to do any damage without cartridges.

If you want to get rid of the guns, suggest you firstly contact a firm called Holts who auction guns. One of you may as well benefit from the sale of them!

www.holtsauctioneers.com/

Oh blimey, they're not remotely expensive

They are in a secure cabinet; I think that's a condition of the licence.

Ah well, I'll leave it.