Value on a 15-4 suicide gun.

[USBP SW]

My only advice is that you inspect it very thoroughly, inside and out, blood can deeply pit metal. I would be very surprised if the revolver is 98% after that much exposure to blood. Additionally, police evidence storage is notoriously harmful to fine firearms. Good luck in any event.

Steve

 

[Sportsterguy]

Would'nt take it if it was free

Count me in on that. Very creepy and hits close to home. Especially this time of year.

 

[Duke426]

My only advice is that you inspect it very thoroughly, inside and out, blood can deeply pit metal. I would be very surprised if the revolver is 98% after that much exposure to blood. Additionally, police evidence storage is notoriously harmful to fine firearms. Good luck in any event.

Steve

+1

If the gun is "all bloody" I doubt it will clean up to any level of presentable, much less 98%.

As far as owning the thing I wouldn't have a problem with it's past. It is an inanimate object. It posesses no thoughts, feelings or powers on its own - contrary to what the anti-gun crowd would have you believe.

I'd be more concerned with the condition and function of the gun.

 

[michael thornton]

all the ones i have seen or owned were pitted pretty bad, i guess they dont clean them up? but the price on the ones i got was great! had a 21/2 686 and a 2 inch mod 10, did make me want to wash my hands after i used them.

 

[JohnAC]

An M1A came into a local shop the other day. I asked what the story was. It came in from a family who gave up 6 or so firearms because the man who owned them popped himself in the head.

I put the gun back on the rack.

I can't explain it. I don't know which gun he used, but I wanted no part of any of them. It just gave me the creeps.

A weapon used in battle is a whole different story. You look at an old M1 Garand and you wonder what stories it could tell. Maybe it ended lives, maybe not. Who knows? It's not as personal I guess.

 

[Frizzman]

I don't have any thoughts about the history of the revolver. I bought a 15-3 2" blued in very close to new condition with box, papers and tools for right at $400 last year. They are pretty scarce around these parts and I was lucky to spot it right after the dealer put it in the case for display. The one I have has a very nice trigger out of the box and is very accurate.

 

[REVCHARLIE]

30 or so years ago I bought a High Standard Pump Shotgun that a gentleman placed under his chin and pulled the trigger. I paid $30 for it.

Numerous "gentlemen" knew the guy and what he had done with that shotgun. I eventually traded it for a 1974 Ford Pinto that I drove for 6 or 7 years.

Best $30 I ever spent!!!

I'd be willing to bet you there are more collectors of "Confirmed Death Guns" out there than anyone would imagine!

 

[Gamecock]

I would expect blood to remove the bluing wherever it touched it.

Joe

 

[Sebago Son]

PINTO?

".. I eventually traded it for a 1974 Ford Pinto that I drove for 6 or 7 years...."

Lord Rev. A PINTO? Drove it for 7 years? ..... Now THAT would give me the creeps.....

Not at all uncommon for suicide guns to have ringed barrels and/or bite marks in the bluing... this would seriously effect my interest level....

 

[bravastar1]

At least you know that they work.

Now that's funny,I don't care who you are.

 

[sheriffoconee]

Engine49guy,
You wrote
"I seem to recall some commotion about a converted Victory K frame snub that was up for auction that belonged to Lee Harvey Oswald.

Of course it didnt kill anyone but it was his and the seller put a slight premium on the gun, Slight enough to start a bidding war on it."

The converted 2" Victory Model was used to murder Dallas police officer J.D. Tippet (Serial Number V510210)
It is my understanding that this revolver is still in possession of the National Archives.

 

[EvenStephen]

My client used to own Jack Ruby's gun. He made up some of these and gave me one. There's a bullet that was fired thru the gun. The photo was signed by Earl Ruby, L.C. Graves and James R. Lavelle. The latter two are escorting Oswald and Graves signed the evidence tag for Cobra #2744

 

[4011]

Supposed to put a marker where Officer Tippet was slain. Took them long enough.

 

[David LaPell]

Personally I would have no issue with it, having owned several military guns which I am sure one might have been used to end a life. This is no different, just that the life ended was the guy holding it. I would be more concerned with any pitting, a bulge in the barrel etc. That would be my only concern.

 

[Gunsandguitars]

I would expect blood to remove the bluing wherever it touched it.

Joe

And you would be correct. I'm an investigator with our sheriff's office. I've seen numerous blued handguns taken into evidence (usually suicides) and blood eats through bluing like acid.

It's always suprised me how many people want the gun with which their loved one killed themselves. Most are not expensive or desirable handguns or long guns. I personally wouldn't want the gun someone I loved used to kill themselves.

Oh, and more than a few wanted US to clean them. They're informed politely that the Sehriff's Office doesn't provide that service.

 

[Knightrider03m]

Its just a gun. If someone want to use that gun to turn off their lights then that is on them. It kind of goes on the same lines as, people kill people, guns don't kill people.

 

[Art Doc]

Now added as #103:
----------------------------------

Would you buy a suicide gun?

103. Why not? We always say that guns are tools with no will of their own when debating the gun control issue, don't we? I happen to believe in that concept. I have one gun that I know for a fact was used to take a human life and many others (police and military arms) that certainly could have been so used. This doesn't bother me a wit. BTW- Quite frequently "suicide guns" are ruined by blood stains that severely corrode the metal surfaces.

 

[kbm6893]

I wouldn't buy it. The suicide thing would bother me. And why even consider it when there are so many non-suicide used gun out there? is it such a good deal?

 

[Texas Star]

Thanks for all the responses guys!

The area I live in is Florida if that helps narrow down what the price should be. Just for the record the story doesn't bother me at all. Don't really care either way. I just thought it be interesting to throw that in there as when I saw the pistol last time it was still in a biohazard evidence bag and all bloody. 98% condition was the guess the store gave me that they thought it will be after cleanup.

That gun is probably not worth buying. Apart from pathogens, the blood will pit it.

 

[jagd1305]

re:

I have a Jap Nambu my late father traded a pint of whiskey for on Iwo Jima when his B29 had to do an emergency landing in 1945. The marine he got it from told dad he would have to overlook the metal pitting and the smell of the wood grips due to blood and decomposition of its previous owner. It still shoots fine to this day.