Ever bought a firearm formerly used in the commission of a crime?

[BigG-n-Tn]

I was at my dealer's place today. He had told me about some confiscated firearms he had bid on at the Sheriff's Dept. the other day. Turns out that he ended up trading some new ARs to the department for the cache of firearms. He was showing me the pics on his computer (they are not in his possession yet). All of them were used during the commission of a crime. At least 40% of them had biohazard material on them (blood, etc.) that was clearly visible in the photos and they were tagged "BIO". Anyone ever bought a firearm that you knew was possibly used to murder or wound someone during a crime?

 

[MTS Cop]

Maybe I'm just superstitious, but I would think there's some bad karma attached to that gun. It's kind of irrational but I wouldn't want it. And I don't think I'm the only one who feels this way. I know a guy who's brother commited suicide using his off duty gun. When the investigation was done and he got it back he immediately tried to sell it and had a real hard time getting rid of it. I think he wound up basically giving it away.

Granted I also own a M1 Garand, M1 Carbine and Walther P-38 that are all World War 2 vintage. There's a real good chance each of those weapons has a body count. But they weren't used in to commit crimes and I don't know for sure that they were even fired in anger. For all I know they banged around in a truck at Fort Dix or were kept in some German Colonel's desk drawer.

So, no, I personally would not want a criminal's old gun. I'm amazed that they actually resell them. I thought that a gun used in a crime would be destroyed after it was no longer needed for evidence.

 

[Vegetaman]

Granted I also own a M1 Garand, M1 Carbine and Walther P-38 that are all World War 2 vintage. There's a real good chance each of those weapons has a body count. But they weren't used in to commit crimes and I don't know for sure that they were even fired in anger. For all I know they banged around in a truck at Fort Dix or were kept in some German Colonel's desk drawer.

I concur, I wouldn't feel right owning a gun that I thought was previously used in some horribly malicious manner, however my feelings on war vintage guns are different. A P-38, K98, P08, M1, M1911, etc. all have historical value, and it seems different than a gun confiscated because it definitely was used to commit a crime.

 

[Zilmo]

Had the opportunity to purchase a Colt Trooper around 35 years ago that had been used in a suicide. I declined then, and would do the same today.

 

[RLingo]

I wouldn't have any problem at all as long as it wasn't used to harm a family member or friend. As far as the bio-hazard, I might wear rubber gloves when I cleaned it the first time. The previous owner of the first house I purchased years ago commited suicide in the garage, it never bothered me but my wife gave me nothing but grief once she found out. We sold it when we were transferred to another post. Never looked back.

 

[BigG-n-Tn]

I thought that a gun used in a crime would be destroyed after it was no longer needed for evidence.

It varies from state to state and county to county. I have to admit that it was a little "freaky" to see the pics with dried blood on them. Apparently the cleaning is his responsibility. I must not have been freaked out too bad because I asked to have a "first shot" at looking them over when he got them. There were some very nice pistols along with some cheap stuff and a few nice long guns. There was even the mechanical action (just the guts) of a lever gun in the lot along with ammo. Alot of the pistol mags were still loaded with ammo.He had already picked one out that was going to be his "baby". Of course that is until the right offer comes along.

 

[Duke426]

I haven't purchased anything with such a history. However, in certain circumstances I wouldn't be against it.

I would not care to own anything like the Hillside Strangler .357 and gunbelt that is currently offered on Gunbroker (Item # 138493801).

 

[whitecoyote]

Have you ever seen what blood will do to a blued gun? Blood will eat the bluing right off down to the metal.
As for owning a firearm used in a crime, depends? I think I would buy a firearm that was used by Bonnie & Clyde, or some other famous character (with documentation of course).

 

[BigG-n-Tn]

Have you ever seen what blood will do to a blued gun? Blood will eat the bluing right off down to the metal.

Of course, the only visible blood in the pics was on the stainless or nickel ones. I guess he'll get to see what he traded all of those ARs for when they get there. He's pretty shrewd. I can't see him being on the short end of the stick on this deal. What surprised me was to see how current some of the dates were on the evidence tags. As recent as '05. They must have been really "cut and dried" cases.

 

[chillypepper]

have had two used in suicides, and a couple of police auction guns. and no, it simply doesn't bother me.

 

[Steave]

Have you ever seen what blood will do to a blued gun? Blood will eat the bluing right off down to the metal.
As for owning a firearm used in a crime, depends? I think I would buy a firearm that was used by Bonnie & Clyde, or some other famous character (with documentation of course).

I've got a bring back German MP40 that has obvious blood damage to to the finish.

 

[whitecoyote]

I've got a bring back German MP40 that has obvious blood damage to to the finish.

That's a must see! Any pictures?

 

[whitecoyote]

Here is a old S&W model 36 I bought from a Police supplier. It was a Police trade in from the Montcalm Sheriff's Dept. (MI). I don't know if it was Police service revolver, or if it was confiscated, but it has what appears to be "blood stains" on the cylinder.

 

[Sven]

I bought my 2 1/2" Python from my local gunsmith that he had in on consignment from an insurance company. It had been stolen and recovered. It had a couple of bad places on the finish, but it looked more like maybe it was dropped or something. Not quite a pretty as it once was, but it sure shoots like a Python, and the price was right! Don't know any more history than that.

 

[ect1222t]

I think we've done this thread once before. I have my dad's old Victory Model .38, was his duty gun. Don't know if it ever shot any bad guys, but it was used to kill my mother. Doesn't bother me. It wasn't the gun's fault. It was dad's.

 

[Aussie44]

It wouldn't worry me,I mean it's not the guns fault....But the idiot using it.Guns don't kill people do.


Ken

 

[ohiobuckeye]

The same line of reasoning could be applied to other things besides guns. How many of us worry about our used car purchase being a hit and run killer? Inanimate objects carry no responsibilty...only the people using them.

 

[km5wu]

I have posted this picture before. I bought this M10-7 from an older gentleman who's father bought it in the early eighties. The seller's son, who had become addicted to drugs, had stolen it from him. He had it when arrested for various misdeeds. He drove directly from the court house to me to sell it. It was even still in the evidence box. On the outside of the box there is a handwritten note: "Caution - Blood stain on gun. (Collected)" There were a couple of very small spots on the right side of the gun that looked like blood damage. I touched them up with some cold blue. I'm not sure what the son was charged with, other than felon in possession, but he got about 20 years.

Paul

 

[Alpo]

The shop I used to practically live at had a bunch of used guns once. Traded the local Sheriff's Office three Glocks for several confiscated guns. I don't know all of what he got, but I know he got a Rossi 12 gauge SxS, a Remington 1100 12 gauge and a Colt Junior 25. I know he got them because I bought them.

I did wonder, kinda casually, what they had been confiscated for. I can see a 20" double barrel or a .25 pocket auto being used to knock over a liquor store, but a 26" barreled woods gun? But, whatever they were used for in the past does not bother me. Is somebody murdered somebody else with one of 'em - the gun didn't do it.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Yes I have.
I bought an old WInchester 1200 from a guy who couldn't hunt any more cause he got his liscense taken away for life for repeated game violations. Apparently the 1200 was the weapon of choice for the slaughters over the years. When you see this old boy's record, that gun had BLOOD on it
Gave him $50 for it and got exaclty what I paid for - Swapped it to a Boudreaux (what we call our Bubba's down gere) for three crab traps and moved on.