Was at the LGS today in the workshop area. They had a Model 10-5 snubnose laying on the bench. Looked to be in very good condition until I looked at the topstrap. I had a 3/8's cut through it. It was a Sheriff's sale piece that had been demilled. Just broke my heart to see such a nice handgun cut up.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

About 25 years ago I was an elected official in a medium-sized city. The police department routinely destroyed guns used in crimes, or were taken from criminals, etc. After asking my fellow councilmembers if they would approve a similar policy for cash and automobiles confiscated in similar situations. After a short discussion, an ordinance was passed that ordered all confiscated guns to be sold at auction. The city made a pile of money :-)

Makes perfect sense, punish the gun.

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I told you not to use Lifebuoy

Yes, it does.

Lived in Monroeville, Pa. for several years.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

If you run for President ... You can count on my vote !
Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

It is sad to see items destroyed. Imagine all the cars from the 50s and 60s that were used in demo derbys.

Chopping up firearms makes for useable parts...and raises the value of survivors.

That is the only positive value I see in their destruction.

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My Daddy was a pistol..

I believe that's where a lot of spare parts come from. Some years ago we had a foundry in a nearby town and the office manager was a shooting club member. The MO state police would bring by a carload of guns to be dumped into tht pot and melted down. He claimed to have seen some vry nice handguns pitched into the melting pot.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

We have melted the junk and sold the decent stuff at auction in the past. I see no downside to it. The guns go to a licensed dealer and they are sold with all the mandated background checks performed

Some sell complete guns to dealers at an auction. Some cut them up and sell as scrap. At least the usable parts can be sold and reused. Better than melting.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Many years ago I lived in San Francisco. The Mayor started a gun turn in drive. The guns were to be melted down to cast some sort of statue to be cast in Italy. They made a pretty big deal out of it. After the statue was delivered it was discovered that it had been cast from some sort of cheaper metal. The guns had either been sold or their premium steel was kept and the cheap substitute returned. At the time I remember that there were stories going around that the Mayor had sent the guns to a relative in Italy who made a killing casting the the far cheaper statue.

The same thing happens with LE brass. Where I worked they had drums full of 9, 45, 40 and 5.56x45 brass. I asked if I could buy some and the answer was no, it all goes to the scrap metal dealer. Probably sold for < $2/lb. Oh well, I had to ask.

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That's just somebody talkin.

This cool little H&R Topper Model 88 12 gauge would be history if a local PD hadn't consigned it for sale decades ago - I have no idea how many different barrel lengths these came in but this is right down to the 18 inch minimum:

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Come and take it!!

Was doing some work at the Detroit Police headquarters that required a
chaperoned trek through the warehouse area that stored barrels and bins
of all sorts of guns. My colleague spotted a collectors items sticking out of a barrel and told the two officers we were with what it was and asked how he could go about saving it. We were told it was going to a local steel plant to be melted down and there was nothing they could do.
When we were escorted back through that area about an hour later, lo and behold, it had mysteriously disappeared. Hopefully to a good home.

In 1980 I started as a U.S. Customs Patrol officer in San Francisco. In early 1981, we were searching a suspicious shipment from Germany. We found eight brand new in the boxes Walther PPK .380's. They were banned from import due to the 1969 Gun Control Act. The smuggler decided to surrender the pistols instead of being prosecuted for illegal importation of the pistols.

We were all hoping to be able to get an issued PPK for a back up piece. Unfortunately some supervisor didn't like semi-autos, and ordered them destroyed. So we ended up throwing them in a steel works blast furnace. We cried.

Of course it makes sense
Dawn of the Dead was filmed at the Monroeville Mall

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Buy American
Vote Responsibly

This says Evans City: Night of the Living Dead - Wikipedia

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Dawn of the Dead, a sequel to the 1968 Night of the Living Dead, was filmed in Monroeville mall in 1978

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Buy American
Vote Responsibly

Sorry about the mistake: Dawn of the Dead (1978 film - Wikipedia)

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

That was an outstanding move on your part. Win win.

Wada ya know. A Washington politician with some brains and the ability to think outside the box.

Years ago there was a gun buy back story on the local news. While glowingly reporting on all the guns that were taken off the streets the showed a table of a lot of junk guns, single shots, Ravens, RGs etc. There amongst the junk looked like a Smith 38 or 49 Bodyguard! I hope that someone stole that gun before it went in the scrap heap.

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I told you not to use Lifebuoy

Back in 70’s good friend got many “ different” firearms he took off crooks. He got a 45 Colt derringer , came out to the farm to shoot it. Like the S&W 500, shoot it once and thats enough, lol.

Same here, it was not unusual for officers to keep guns that they found during traffic stops, etc.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

In Iowa all confiscated handguns have to be turned in to the state to be destroyed. The long guns are auctioned off by the DNR on an annual basis.

Apparently the Department of Criminal investigations has quite an extensive collection of handguns because they try and keep 1 copy of each model that comes through their doors. In 2012 the collection was up to 4000 different makes and models.

A few years ago one of the Sheriffs got in trouble because apparently they auctioned off a number of guns without turning them over to the state to be destroyed.

With the over whelming majority of the Iowa legislator being republican I would think they could get that silly law changed if wanted to.

If those crazy guns would just stop shooting people.

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No baby we aint

There is a business that goes to departments around the country and offers to destroy their evidence guns for free. They strip them down to the frame and cut that up and provide proof to the department that the firearm is destroyed. Then they sell the parts. I bet it is very profitable.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Talk about ignorance I was at Walmart looking for 303 Britt ammo for my back up rifle. The angry clerk at the counter said we don’t sell military calibers, the counter was full of 7.62x39 FMJ ammo not to draw more attention than I already had I turned and left. We went on vacation to Maine north of kittery the Walmart had everything I needed and a pretty gal with knowledge of guns. How could this be? I was in heaven.

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Plant garlic in the fall

Here's where all the leftover parts go:
WARNING: Smith & Wesson parts kits 30% off!
Gun parts kits. Home of EveryGunPart.com

Its like a guided tour of hell.

Search results for: 'Smith wesson'

Attached Images

39BB1D59-2B3F-4B6E-92F0-AC5EF35FD60A.jpg (39.1 KB, 50 views)

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

The local gun shop has to cut some up sometimes.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

In NYC, such guns are loaded onto a barge and dumped out in the ocean. (To be fair, I've seen photos of M-60 tanks also disposed of in this manner, but not by NYC.) Confiscated or surrendered guns are of no value to the powers-that-be. A late friend, an NYPD evidence tech, told me how the department would take calls from folks who wanted guns removed from their home, perhaps belonging to a deceased family member. The guns would simply be thrown roughly into a van, treasures or trash, Weatherbys or junkers, no matter.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

She is now a US Senator locally known by her initials D.F. Dumb F

I tried to do that for my city, back in the day. The courts ordered that the firearms would be destroyed and I suggested that they be stripped down and the parts sold, then the frames could be destroyed.

The chief looked at me like I had a third eye in the middle of my forehead and said no.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

One time in Wichita, there was a big deal made about the Saturday Night Specials that were run over by a steam roller, but included was a Colt Python, and various other quality guns. To add insult to injury, the local paper piously stated that these guns would never again threaten the lives of police officers.

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Let's be careful out there

...and as I posted above, those quality guns were simply tossed upon the pavement like cigarette butts as they were run over. Don't get me started!

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Over the years (25) I have seen,easily, over $1 million in firearms destroyed.

Some of the notable ones... An early Springfield trapdoor Cavalry Carbine in excellent condition. Better than any I had seen before or since. A 1950's Colt Python in as new condition. Colt 1911 military issue immaculate. Several Browning Citori O/U shotguns. Various Colt SAA one beautifully engraved.

I can understand not selling some items such as "Saturday Night Specials" and those mean "Assault Rifles", but the one of a kinds, the historically significant, the truly collectable items is IMO a tragedy.

Just found a 65-3 3" mislabeled as a semi auto kit. Thanks for the link! $249 on the way....

The police supply shop I hit gets seized guns. I get good deals on some nice ones. My wonderful 12ga Remington 1100 skeet model B was from McDowell county in a lot of 40 guns. I got it for $300.I also got a 12ga Remington sportsman 48 in new condition for $200. In the past years I have got many at I stole it prices.

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God save the SOUTH