Update: Cheap Gun Opportunity in Cleveland Saturday, Details

Here are the details for the gun turn in event in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday, 6 September,  2014.  While these events are commonly labeled with the propaganda term "buyback" the guns were never owned by the people attempting to buy them.

The event will be held at the same location that it was last year, Public Safety Central, 2001 Payne Avenue.  It will run from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.  From newsnet5.com:

In exchange for the working handgun or semi-automatic weapon, people will get either a $100 or $200 Target gift card or a gift card for gas or food, as well as two tickets to an upcoming Cleveland Cavaliers and Lake Erie Monsters game.

There is no hint of objectivity by Newsnet5.com.  They are actively promoting the event.  There would not be a problem with this if the event were politically neutral.   The event obviously is not.   It promotes the idea that guns are bad and should be destroyed.

 The rules for turning in a firearm are rather specific:

2. The weapon must be unloaded in a clear plastic bag inside a second container (gym bag, backpack, etc.

3. Transport the unloaded and properly bagged weapon locked in the trunk of your vehicle.

It is not clear what is considered an "assault rifle" by the program.   The only definition given is a "semi-automatic rifle (Assault Rifle)".

4. Pack ammunition separately. Non semi-automatic rifles and shotguns can be turned in but NO incentive will be given.

My experience at other events is that the officers at the scene are given little guidance and considerable discretion to determine what is an "assault weapon" and what is not.   It will be interesting to see what happens at this event.

Private sales of firearms in Ohio are legal, and Cleveland cannot override state law.  Last year some private buyers were successful.   From the ohioccwforums.org, :

I bought a Colt Agent revolver last year in almost new condition. I believe a Python was purchased also.

After some initial friction last year, the police recognized the right of private buyers to be there.

Yup, a bit of an interaction in the morning as they got their crap together, then we were free to operate. One of the officers was actually reassuring citizens bringing in guns that they could sell to us without issue.

Last year, the location was the same as for this year.  311 handguns and 41 long guns were turned in.

A correspondent, Wireless.Phil, gives some local information:

This is across from Cleveland State University on 21st and Payne. Address is 2100 Payne Ave.

Shouldnt be any problems there, I worked many years on 17th & Euclid a few blocks away.

The location is not that far from Downtown Cleveland and in the same area on 2100 Payne, Japanese, Chinese and Asian grocery stores not far away.

You might want to read the insider story by private buyers in Jacksonville Florida to see how things were handled there.

Be prepared for a percentage of people who refuse to talk to anyone but police. All the private buyers that I saw at gun turn ins were polite and let ideologically driven people turn in their guns for a fraction of what they would be worth on the open market.

Signs are helpful, as are good grooming, cash, and a friendly attitude. Dale Carnegie's advise for dealing with people works very well. Risks of purchasing stolen guns are small. You can read about them at this article.

Across the country, communities, police departments and churches are sponsoring gun turn-ins to get "guns off the street". At many of these events, private buyers are showing up, offering cash for the more valuable guns. These private additions to the public turn-in are effective, no doubt, in getting more guns off the street, because they add to the resources that are available to those who want to get rid of guns for something of value, be it a grocery card or a number of twenty dollar bills.

You can help make the turn-in in your area more effective by standing on the curb with your "Cash for Guns" sign, or at a folding table, willing to offer more than the gift card for firearms that are more valuable. It would be best if numerous private parties were available, as more good guns could then be transferred into responsible hands.

This action serves many useful purposes. It stretches the turn-in budget so that more guns can be taken off the street. It helps keep fearful widows from being defrauded of most of the market value of the gun they are turning in. It prevents valuable assets from being destroyed by bureaucratic inflexibility. It is a win-win-win situation. The ideal situation for those organizing the turn in would be to allow private buyers to purchase the valuable guns, while having the organizers take the cheap guns "off the streets". As these events are ideologically driven, that seems unlikely, but it might be worth an attempt at outreach. All parties would benefit.

Private buyers dispel the pernicious message that guns are bad and should be destroyed.

Link to potential legal risk of buying a gun at one of these events

Link to article with numerous examples of private sales at gun turn in events

Link to an article about private buyers at Detroit event

Link to Phoenix Article: pictures of private buyers

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