At the recent Cleveland gun buy back turn in event, the public handed over 270 guns to the police. But Second Amendment supporters were there in force to snag some of the best of the bunch. They purchased about 100 guns, some of the most valuable of those brought to the event, for cash. There were at least two local groups of gun rights supporters present — Ohio Carry, and OhioCCW.org, which paid for the billboard truck shown in the photograph above . . .

Some local news organizations downplayed the private purchasers. In some instances, impromptu auctions took place as there were several buyers bidding for the best guns offered for sale.

From OFCC, Crosswire3:

It was all fairly well organized and most every buyer had a change to approach any vehicle. If it was something they really wanted, nobody was there keeping them from paying a fair price for it. Many sellers received well over their expected $100/$200 in value, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. If people want to be completely “fair” about things they should hold an open auction for every item that shows up instead of handing out numbers to take advantage of the sellers. All in all it was a very good showing from well-meaning and respectably dressed firearms rights supporters. Many innocent firearms were saved from a fiery demise.

At least one firearm, a Ruger Redhawk, was bid up from $100 to $400.

©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Gun Watch

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36 COMMENTS

  3. Well it is good to see that some of the well cared for firearms are headed to forever homes. I am saddened by the loss and destruction of those which were just to sickly to survive.

    • Like the phoenix, they will rise from the ashes to serve again as barrels, receivers, slides magazines and reactive targets.

  4. I suggested to a friend that we do the same at a buyback in Dallas a week or two ago… but alas, I didn’t have the cash to pull the trigger on that plan.

  5. Regarding the “to be fair” comment, I don’t see how it’s taking advantage of the “sellers” at all. They are there to GIVE AWAY their property, when they still have every right to go and sell it someone else (online, gun store, yard sale, whatever). If they wanted to stand in front of the buyers and go “Hey, I got this 1913 Colt. Who wants to pay the most?”, they certainly could do that. But if they’re happy to take $100, I don’t see how it’s “unfair”.

    At the same time, what’s the goal here? To give a handful of people a reasonable deal on the guns they don’t know about (and clearly don’t value)? If so, then yeah, auction away, then close up early because none of the private buyers has any money left.

    If the goal is to save guns, or even to give a bunch of people an easy alternative to getting a better deal than the turn-in people were offering, then auctions – while interesting – aren’t really the best tactic from the buyer’s point of view.

  8. You sick and disturbed gun nuts disgust me. People who care about the community poured their heart and soul into this and you just come along and ruin it with your NRA brainwashed “buy every gun in sight” greed. Now instead of being properly destroyed, these dangerous weapons will live to kill again, and you couldn’t care one bit! Disgusting! What has this country has come to?

    I bet all you KKK members think that Obama is a bad president too? He just wanted to help the country after Sandy Hook but you RACISTS didn’t know what was good for you.

    Just kidding!!! Great job guys, enjoy your new discount toys! I missed the Seattle buyback last year and still regret it.

      • I knew it had to be a troll post or a joke from the get go. He was too expertly pushing every button possible lol

      • Not to embarrass you in front of the gang, nor to fish for compliments, but I have to say that’s one of the things I kind of dig about you, man. You wear their scorn like a badge of honor. I do it, too, and it P’s them off to no end.

        They’ll say “Guns are dangerous, you shouldn’t have them!”
        I’ll say “Guns are dangerous, that’s *why* I have them.”

        They’ll say “I don’t believe in guns.”
        I’ll say “You should, guns are very real.”

        They’ll say “Obama Nation!”
        I’ll say “Abomination!”

  9. Is there not a danger that you could be buying a gun that has been used in a crime and has a ballistic match sitting in a dis computer? Could this not bite you if all you can say is I bought it from some dude outside the political theatre? Or it might be a stolen gun that when you go to sell it turns up on a hot list at the pawn shop… How can a buyer outside one of these events protect themselves from this sort of thing. Since they advertise these events as no questions asked it looks like a problem to me… Also I have been botherd that the police in these events do not check the turned in guns against the lists of stolen guns and return them to their rightful owners… Meaning they are in control of the stolen property and destroying same with no attempt to restore them to their owners… Perhaps someone with knowledge of the law on this could explain?

  10. We talk a lot about the destroying evidence of a crime aspect of these turn ins. Makes me kind of leery to buy a gun from a person on the street heading to an evidence destruction event. What if the gun you buy and take home is hot or worse?

    Edit: seems like larry ^^ had the same idea.

    • Why would a criminal with a murder/stolen weapon go turn it in to the police, particularly without compensation, rather than just destroy it themselves, or toss it in a deep dark place, or sell it to some other hood for actual cash?

      • That’s the line we hear every time TTAG does a post about one of these evidence destruction events. That and since it’s been at least 15 minutes, “Oh noes, MRAPS!”

        • Perhaps TTAG should host a Police Demilitarization event – turn in your MRAPs and Grenade Launchers, no questions asked?

      • He either stole in order to resell to a thug buddy or to use in the commission of another crime. He is going to do so. And again and again

  11. Some of these take advantage of the stupid take down i.d. info & run the serials. SC State police make us run every gun taken in by turn-in, siezed or found through NCIC, state lab & criminal reports. Then turn-ins can. be given too the person after advertising in paper. The others can be transferred to dept or destroyed on court order.

  12. +1 Ralph. I deal in antiques and fine art. I am not required to give you a free appraisal for whatever you are se lling. Anyone turning in their guns for a gift card should expect to be fleeced. As mentioned auctions are a great way to dispose of personal property. But if some gangbanger does not have good title how the heck does that work??? Whatever it beats getting a $50 gift card and having your dad’s WW2 1911 melted down…

  13. This is one of the many reason I support this organization with my hard earned cash.

    Keep up the good work and I will be passing on a bit more of my ammo money your way.

  14. My one real problem with these no questions asked buy backs is, aren’t they possibly destroying evidence used in actual crimes? Is that something the police/ law enforcement should be involved with?

    You kill somebody with a crappy stolen gun, then give it to your friend to turn in to a no questions asked buy back, where it will then be destroyed? Am I missing something?

    • It’s not impossible that some of the guns turned in at these events have been used in a crime, and the criminal is using it as a way to get rid of evidence, but I’ll bet the percentage is extremely small.

      If you want to destroy evidence, why not just pitch the thing into the nearest body of water? Or bash the barrel flat with a hammer and drop it in a dumpster. Is a $50 gift card worth taking the chance that they really will not ask any questions and destroy the gun for you?

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