What to do with non-functioning guns

[mcdaniel]

During an estate clean out I has a couple guns put aside for me that were found at the house. They knew I'd take them as I am the family's outdoorsman. Well I was excited to pick them up but my excitement was short lived when I saw the condition. What I have is a Western Auto branded pump shotgun, based on the Moss 500 from what I can tell as well as a High Standard 22 auto. Neither is in a functional state.

What should I do with them? I'm certainly no gunsmith, BTW.

 

[John Canuck]

I'd be happy to take them off your hands. I am the best amateur gunsmith at my house.

 

[PCShogun]

Find out how much they will be worth in a working state. That will tell you if the cost is justified.

Otherwise, sell them for parts or wait for the next gun buyback and turn them in for $$$.

 

[mcdaniel]

I honestly don't think either could be returned to service with any return on the investment. I'd love to say they could, but I think they are boat anchors. The gun buyback idea is the best one I've heard. Now to just find one around here.

Neither have any value on the market. Both are ~$200 guns in perfect running order. On the Western Auto Mossberg 500 you would be replacing so much that you would be over that cost. On the High Standard, you would have to buy another one just to get the parts. They were found in a leaky old shed. Neither will cycle because of rusty everything.

 

[PCShogun]

Well, for the buy in, you need to get them in the semblance of working order or they will not give you anything for it. So long as it cycles, they won't know

Maybe even trade someone in line two for one. Then you get a working firearm and they get two to turn in.

 

[TheGriff]

You may run into issues with making deals while in line. My uncle, a retired gunsmith, was trading in two guns that were unfixable for gift cards at one of those events. He was speaking to a woman in line that said she was only trading the gun because hers didn't work, otherwise she would have sold it at a gun store. Turns out that she was unfamiliar with the gun, it was a bit unique and probably had some value to it, and that it was probably in working order. The local LEOs caught wind of them talking and got nasty with him in the line.

I can understand that maybe they don't want people handling firearms, sales or trades on their property due to lawsuits. But they never brought those up as an issue.

I guess it all depends on whether they already consider your guns theirs...

Personally, I don't like the term 'gun buy back'. All my guns were bought by me, not anyone else.

 

[PCShogun]

That is interesting. I have often wondered if I stood across the street from a police "Buy Back" and offered a higher value Walmart card for guns what would happen. I am not aware of any law being broken. I'm sure they would prefer I not do so, but is it breaking the law if I am not on private property? Of course, you'd have to have a good definition of "Private Property".

Any Legal Eagles have info on doing something like this?

Found this interesting article :lol:
http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index ... utbid.html

 

[mcdaniel]

I'd love to pick up some of those old dirty unused guns for $75.

 

[oceancoursecaddy]

That is interesting. I have often wondered if I stood across the street from a police "Buy Back" and offered a higher value Walmart card for guns what would happen. I am not aware of any law being broken. I'm sure they would prefer I not do so, but is it breaking the law if I am not on private property? Of course, you'd have to have a good definition of "Private Property".

Any Legal Eagles have info on doing something like this?

Found this interesting article :lol:
http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index ... utbid.html

Dont know about legalaties down here but I know of some people back home in Michigan that do just this. They go the gun buy backs and offer cash to people. I think one big thing is you cant be on private property doing the sales unless you have permission. Gotta stay on the sidewalks and such.

I cant remember where I saw the story but just a little while ago a lady was taking a gun to a gun buy back that she recieved from her grandfather. When she got up to the counter to turn over the firearm the people running the buyback wouldnt allow her to trade her firearm. Turns out it was a WWII german machine gun. They told her what she had and to sell it. The gun was worth like $4000 or something.

 

[PCShogun]

I saw that article, it was worth much more than $4000

 

[armaborealis]

I would say sell them at a buyback to fleece the taxpayers (or do a 2:1 trade with someone in line who doesn't look like a felon), or turn them into wall hanger decorations ("flair"), or use them as "bait" to deceive thieves (hide your real guns somewhere low profile).

The High Standard may be something you can sell to Numrich for parts, but I doubt the Mossberg 500 is worth anything.

 

[John Canuck]

Countering the buy back scam seems common enough. The hosts of the original scam may not like it, but tough titties.

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/dallas/G ... 07121.html

http://deadlinelive.info/2011/02/26/fir ... r-program/

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/guns-tr ... 963f4.html

 

[rotarymike]

I'll add to the requests. I've been asking for cheap broken guns for a while, to practice smithing on. Doesn't matter if it can be returned to shootable or not - I'm going to do stuff like recrown the barrel on the lathe, crack and repair the stock, make handmade (well, homemade) sights, that sort of thing. I might even get crazy and bore/sleeve the barrel of something for .22.

Just in case you don't find a buyback.

FWIW, I have a neighbor with some saturday night special types (.22 and .38 derringers, really dangerous pieces of crap) that he's waiting for a buyback. Last one here was $200 per gun; these things sold new for $65 each.

Personally, I don't think there would be anything illegal about FTF buying a firearm on private property. HOWEVER, there's always public nuisance, interfering with official police activities, and the standby "resisting arrest without violence". That gets you a misdemeanor charge without actually charging you with anything.

 

[oceancoursecaddy]

Here is a gun buy back out in Washington.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...-that-would-otherwise-be-destroyed-by-police/

 

[PCShogun]

Has anyone actually turned in a gun on one of these things? Do they really give you $200 for a piece of crap firearm?

My Wife's Hi-Point is worth about $100 bucks, assuming I could find a buyer. I'd love to sell it upgrade her

 

[TheGriff]

Am I wrong, or does this money come out of the communities taxes?

 

[PCShogun]

Griff, I would think it depends on who is hosting it.

If its the local police, then yes, it's your and my tax dollars at work. Some private organizations also sponsor their own though.