A successful gun buy back program…

[sixboysdad]

Buck, and anyone else who might be interested:

The problem with a so-called gun buyback program is that it fosters and promotes the public belief that they are doing something about crime. Taking weapons out of the hands of law-abiding citizens does not one thing to reduce crime. Or did I miss where you had a special section receiving firearms from criminals and those wearing gang colors?

I am not even sure that I accept your statement that participation in the program removes firearms from irresponsible holders/owners. If they are so irresponsible, why are they bringing in the firearms to the program? Seems to me that it is the responsible thing to do to turn in an unwanted firearm, not irresponsible. I won't even get into the collectibles issue, as I look at a firearm as a tool to be used, not a museum piece.

It is a band-aid measure. It is designed to look good on the evening news, and nothing more.

Oh, and turning in a weapon that has been used in a crime is not better than dumping it off the pier--and far more risky for the perpetrator. I doubt that someone who has participated in a drive-by is going to show up and say, "here you go. No questions asked."

So, yeah, it doesn't directly impact the Second Amendment. It does, however, influence the public opinion of firearms, which indirectly impact that Amendment. It influences how lawmakers treat the gun control issue, and it influences how judges will rule on issues brought up for Constitutional consideration in their courts. In my book, a successful gun buyback program is one in which no one turns in a firearm at all.

OK, so that's my $0.02, and worth every penny.

[Abraxas]

Buck, and anyone else who might be interested:

The problem with a so-called gun buyback program is that it fosters and promotes the public belief that they are doing something about crime. Taking weapons out of the hands of law-abiding citizens does not one thing to reduce crime. Or did I miss where you had a special section receiving firearms from criminals and those wearing gang colors?

I am not even sure that I accept your statement that participation in the program removes firearms from irresponsible holders/owners. If they are so irresponsible, why are they bringing in the firearms to the program? Seems to me that it is the responsible thing to do to turn in an unwanted firearm, not irresponsible. I won't even get into the collectibles issue, as I look at a firearm as a tool to be used, not a museum piece.

It is a band-aid measure. It is designed to look good on the evening news, and nothing more.

Oh, and turning in a weapon that has been used in a crime is not better than dumping it off the pier--and far more risky for the perpetrator. I doubt that someone who has participated in a drive-by is going to show up and say, "here you go. No questions asked."

So, yeah, it doesn't directly impact the Second Amendment. It does, however, influence the public opinion of firearms, which indirectly impact that Amendment. It influences how lawmakers treat the gun control issue, and it influences how judges will rule on issues brought up for Constitutional consideration in their courts. In my book, a successful gun buyback program is one in which no one turns in a firearm at all.

OK, so that's my $0.02, and worth every penny.

This pretty much sums up how I feel.

[Gramps]

Can't wait to see what kind of "Govt answers" that should come back on this one.

Reality just won't ever add up to the reasons stated for this kind of action.

I'm watching this from a third party point of view. Tagged for wanting to see some answers.

[Buck]

I have a few questions regarding the gun buy back program.

Ok Shoot...

How is it legal to accept these guns without an FFL present to transfer ownership from the person turning them in, and then to the PD?

Not needed... Surrendering your interest in a firearm to a Law Enforcement agency does not require an FFL to do a transfer...

How are PD's above the law and able to accept these guns without proper transfer?

PD are not above the law, they abide by it...

Aren't the PD's that do this in fact breaking Federal Firearms and state transfer Laws? They are when they do it in my state.

No the are not... Unless you have a specific section of state code you know of from your state preventing the surrender of a firearm to a Law Enforcement agency...

How do you know no laws are being broken transporting these guns to the buy back location? And if transportation laws are being broken - is it ok to turn a blind eye? You know, Johny gang banger gets caught with a gun - but tells the PD that he was on the way to the buy back program.

During the advertisement for the program ,specific instructions on how to legally transport the firearms to be surrendered, "unloaded in a locked container in the trunk of your vehicle" were included...

How do you know the person turning these guns in didn't use them in a crime?

We don't...

If they were used in a crime how do you track them back to the person that turned them in if it is "anonymous"?

Again we don't...

How do you know that convicted felons (that shouldn't have guns) aren't there giving back guns?

If prohibited person is in possession of a firearm, I truly hope that they would surrender it during our program...

Do you do ballistic testing on them to see if they match any murders?

Yes...

Where did that $125K budget come from? Tax payers?

No tax payer $$$ were used to fund this project... All funds came from donors...

If these guns were truly just un wanted - why wouldn't the owners sell them to a gun shop for money? Is it because they are stolen or used in crimes and couldn't properly / legally be transferred? Or because the person in possession is prohibited from owning them in the first place?

For many non gun people, selling a firearm can be a daunting task, it is far easier to just drive up, hand it off, get your gift card, and drive away in under 30 seconds... If they are crime guns or illegally possessed by a crook, better to get them out of circulation than have them continue to be misused by irresponsible persons...

I'm sorry, but I think these programs are more "Feel Good" than anything else and the PD's that do them are in fact breaking laws by taking them without proper paperwork and without any way to track them back to the people turning them in and on top of that, they are wasting tax payers money.

They are not a fix all, but they do help remove unwanted firearms for people who do not wish to own them, the PD is not breaking the law by taking them, and no tax payers $$$ were used to fund the program...

[Buck]

Why is it called a "buyback" ? Doesn't that mean the people
doing the buy, at one time, were the original owners ? More accurate
would be to call it "tax payer money, buying pieces of unwanted junk
firearms."

No tax payer funds were used and truly some were junk guns, some were common quality made firearms, and a few were unbelievable, like the mint condition Franchi SPAS - 12...

[Buck]

Buck, and anyone else who might be interested:

The problem with a so-called gun buyback program is that it fosters and promotes the public belief that they are doing something about crime. Taking weapons out of the hands of law-abiding citizens does not one thing to reduce crime. Or did I miss where you had a special section receiving firearms from criminals and those wearing gang colors?

As I stated earlier we are not rounding up people and taking guns from law-abiding citizens… We are simply offering an outlet to dispose, recycle if you will, an unwanted firearm…

I am not even sure that I accept your statement that participation in the program removes firearms from irresponsible holders/owners. If they are so irresponsible, why are they bringing in the firearms to the program? Seems to me that it is the responsible thing to do to turn in an unwanted firearm, not irresponsible. I won't even get into the collectibles issue, as I look at a firearm as a tool to be used, not a museum piece.

Also as stated, a source, not the only source, but one that I have seen more than once, is when a elderly responsible gun owner dies, and the firearms he possessed get stolen or inherited by a knucklehead in the family… The program we ran lets that responsible gun owner decide for him or herself if he no longer wishes to own a firearm, and if he wishes to no longer own it, it ensures a safe, easy, and legal method to dispose of it…

It is a band-aid measure. It is designed to look good on the evening news, and nothing more.

No it is a simple way of recycling a Federally controlled item that someone no longer wishes to own…

Oh, and turning in a weapon that has been used in a crime is not better than dumping it off the pier--and far more risky for the perpetrator. I doubt that someone who has participated in a drive-by is going to show up and say, "here you go. No questions asked."

There are not any piers in South Los Angeles to dump it off, more often than not they end up in an alley or a dumpster, and are “found” by someone else…

So, yeah, it doesn't directly impact the Second Amendment. It does, however, influence the public opinion of firearms, which indirectly impact that Amendment. It influences how lawmakers treat the gun control issue, and it influences how judges will rule on issues brought up for Constitutional consideration in their courts. In my book, a successful gun buyback program is one in which no one turns in a firearm at all.

In my book it may prevent a tragedy, and demonstrate responsible firearm ownership, and that will do far more to sway public and judicial opinions that keeping our heads in the sand…

[Gramps]

Out of curiosity, have ANY of these guns been linked to any major crimes? If so has this ever helped solve the crime and bring justice?

Could the $125,000 been better spent on GOOD weapons/training for that dept?

Inquiring minds like mine wonder.

Buck: Your keeping your cool pretty good on your answers. Keep it up.

[Dunderway]

You made some good points which I have never heard about the situation. I think some people (myself included) are a bit paranoid about the perceived intention of limiting the amount of civilian owned firearms at any cost. I also hate to see any good thing go to waste. Do these programs ever sell firearms to local dealers, so that they may be transferred to legal, responsible owners instead of being destroyed? Couldn't you then use those funds for subsequent buyback programs?

On the funding note. Who does fund these things? What are their intentions and political positions?

[Buck]

Out of curiosity, have ANY of these guns been linked to any major crimes? If so has this ever helped solve the crime and bring justice?

This program is really designed more as a preventive recycling program, than catch the bad guy and bring justice program… Again it is not the only answer, but it did achieve its goals of helping to reduce the number of unwanted firearms that may of been half forgotten by their owners and are more likely to fall into the wrong hands…

Could the $125,000 been better spent on GOOD weapons/training for that dept?

All in all the level of training and equipment fielded by the Agency in question is the finest in the world and although anything can be improved, they are far superior to most… (slightly biased opinion)

Inquiring minds like mine wonder.

Keep wondering, that is what makes our country strong… Education goes both ways, and we as responsible firearms owners need to recognize that the key to preserving our freedoms is the education of all parties, on both sides of this debate…

B

[Buck]

You made some good points which I have never heard about the situation. I think some people (myself included) are a bit paranoid about the perceived intention of limiting the amount of civilian owned firearms at any cost.

This is why I think we need more reasonable debate on this subject… Some crazy politician is going to say that “We destroyed thousands of evil guns and put an end to gang violence which supports our call for a new assault weapon ban, Vote for me“, then some other crazy politician will say “They are rounding up gun owners and disarming them so the UN can set up death camps in Iowa, Vote for me”…

I also hate to see any good thing go to waste. Do these programs ever sell firearms to local dealers, so that they may be transferred to legal, responsible owners instead of being destroyed? Couldn't you then use those funds for subsequent buyback programs?

Everything gets recycled eventually, and the firearms collected in this project are taken out of circulation permanently, either by being added to the law enforcement agencies inventory, preserved in the firearms library, or being melted down into rebar, but the lawful owners of the firearms, want it that way, and they are willing surrendering them to a Law Enforcement agency to that end…

On the funding note. Who does fund these things? What are their intentions and political positions?

Several private and corporate donors coughed up the $$$… Maybe Ill hit up the NRA for a donation for the next one to help promote responsible firearms ownership…