Cleveland Turn In (buyback) will Destroy Valuable Guns

Cleveland held its annual gun turn in "buy back" today, 6 September.   People turned in 270 firearms.  The term "buy back" is a pure propaganda term, because the guns never belonged to the people who are buying them.   From 19actionnews.com:

The Cleveland Police Department's eighth annual buyback seemed successful, taking in 270 weapons during the event, including seven shotguns, 10 rifles and 253 handguns.

Some of the guns were much more valuable than the $100 gift card given for handguns, or the $200 gift card given for semi-automatic long guns.   Some of the guns, such as the older double barrel shotgun, the 870 pump shotgun (lower right), and the bolt action centerfire rifle (second from right, standing, in back),  were turned in for free.

The Hi-Standard Sentinel snub-nose .22, with the fake ivory grips, would be more than a $100 gun generally.  The Ruger P89 or P90, just to its right, is about a $400 or $500 gun.   I am not certain that the semi-auto just above the 870 barrel is a Makarov, but if it is, it is about a $300 pistol.  A couple of pistols that are pointing toward the AK clone stock may be 1911s or clones.   If they are, they would be in the $500 or above range.

The AK clone and both the SKS rifles are worth well more than $200 each.  Just the folding stock on the center SKS is worth $100.  The AR clone could easily be work $700.

Last year the public turned in 352 firearms to the police.  The numbers turned in this year may be down because of competition from private buyers.  The reporting from 19actionnews.com barely mentions it, but there were private buyers at the event, attempting to prevent the blatant waste of resources that will occur with the unnecessary destruction of these guns.

Not everyone was in full support of the event, however. Although police accomplished their goal, there was competition across the street.

Academics have repeatedly found that these events do not have an impact on crime.

Sources informed me that there would be private buyers at the event.   I hope to report on their results in a later post.

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