People will throw anything away...

[pineappleshooter]

Pretty good pickings when they are building a new housing development also. My BIL's house was being built and the builder got the wrong color range hood. They were going to throw it away so I took it instead. It is still providing faithful service at my Dad's house some 15 years later.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

I have offered to buy what much of what my in laws throw away, but they won't let me have it. They have it carried off by others who they pay to take it to the dump and who instead end up keeping it. Families are great.

 

[amazingflapjack]

I had a small biz back in the 90's, and had a client who managed apx 150 rental props-mostly houses. There are evidently quite a few witness protection folks in Fl. Makes sense given the transient state of affairs here. They would call me to clear it out, and you could tell that the occupant's just walked out the door and left everything-amazing.

 

[BC38]

While it may not be "the garbage", I love looking through the used holster bins at my LGS. Stuff in there is priced practically free. Even if I don't find something that I want or need, I am always amused by what I find in there.

Me too! I got a basketweave forward-canted black leather LE holster for my 4" model 15 and a hard, formed nylon covered LE holster for my model 59 - for $5 each!

Somebody had to have basically thrown them away.

 

[Aden67]

Shortly after I got divorced and moved into my current complex, I went to drop the trash off and found someone had put a box out by the bin with Lodge cast iron in it. Got a 8" and 10" skillet and a 5 quart dutch oven. I was shocked and very happy to find it. I cleaned the pieces up and re-seasoned them.

 

[Retired LTC USAR]

My nephew is a used car salesman and you would be surprised what people leave in their car when they trade it in. Money, GPS's, CD's.......don't think he has ever found a firearm though.

 

[Mickey D]

So if you want to get rid of something just put a price on it and someone will think they are stealing it!

Sad but true.

 

[Arik]

My nephew is a used car salesman and you would be surprised what people leave in their car when they trade it in. Money, GPS's, CD's.......don't think he has ever found a firearm though.

I deal with used police cars. I find ammo, radios, mags, drivers licenses, batons, drugs, drug testing kits, shotgun once or twice, shotgun shells, stop sticks that get thrown under tires, flares, yellow caution tape, evidence stickers, even male and female sex toys! [emoji15] [emoji54]

 

[Big Cholla]

College Throw Aways

The best dumpster pickings are said to be had at and around apartments filled with college students when it is time to go home for the summer.

My roommate and I lived in one side of a duplex in Reno our graduate year. The three college coeds next door moved out a few days before we did at the end of the year. I went to our garbage can and saw their can open. On top was a wood counter block of kitchen carving knives complete. The knives were of quality manufacture but were carbon steel not stainless. The coeds couldn't be bothered to take care of carbon steel knives and pitched them. I have one of those butcher knives yet today. ...............

And a related story: Here in the West anyway the best time to buy a Jeep Wrangler with just paved street miles on it is right around college graduation. The number of coed driven Wranglers being sold at bargain basement prices has always astounded me. ....................

 

[the ringo kid]

I had a small biz back in the 90's, and had a client who managed apx 150 rental props-mostly houses. There are evidently quite a few witness protection folks in Fl. Makes sense given the transient state of affairs here. They would call me to clear it out, and you could tell that the occupant's just walked out the door and left everything-amazing.

Ive seen that too back when I had my own little business-as well as my dad--had some rental houses. During one of my jobs--I found a brass lock box with Marine Corps insignia on the lid. I opened the box since it wasnt locked--it had a treasure trove of US military insignia in it.This guy was a USMC fighter pilot who was station at NAS Kingsville.Anyway,he had money as all his insignia--the Lt, Capt. rank bars/tracks--and his Lt.Col leaves--were solid silver.Other insignia was gold--like his Majors Oaks and such. I could have easily kept it--and worth whatever in their metals but--I took the box to one of the bases main gates--and spoke with the officer in chare of the Shore Patrol.

I ws taken to his office and thought Imight actually be in trouble.I was there for about minutes waiting and not being told anything. All of a sudden,some guy comes in wearing his flight uniform and came in with a grin and was told what I did--shook my hand and asked if I wanted a reward? I said nope and that all I wanted----since I was big time"into" Baseball at that time---was to be able to get in and watch all the gaes they played there. I saw dozens of games over the next few yearsand never had any trouble getting on base. Anyway,the guy who came in--these things belonged to him and he never knew he accidentally left them ehind at his old address. Also,he was soon to be trasferred and figured his things were lost or stolen.

This was cira nineteen eighty four or so????

 

[the ringo kid]

I deal with used police cars. I find ammo, radios, mags, drivers licenses, batons, drugs, drug testing kits, shotgun once or twice, shotgun shells, stop sticks that get thrown under tires, flares, yellow caution tape, evidence stickers, even male and female sex toys! [emoji15] [emoji54]

Wellat least you didnt say if they left any un or partially eaten twinkies or doughnuts.

 

[zzzippper]

The best dumpster diving was in Iraq when a unit would rotate home.

 

[tbgunner88]

My aunt once found a pair of Rocky boots at our local trash dump, still in the box with the plastic on them and the paper still inside the boots, and with the $200 price tag attached. Since I was the only one in the family with a foot big enough to come close to fitting them, (they were a size 14 ) I was the lucky recipient.