OH: Cheap gun/profit Opportunity in Cleveland, 4 December 2016

 

There will be a gun turn in event in Cleveland, Ohio on Sunday, 4 December,  2016.  While these events are commonly labeled with the propaganda term "buyback" the guns were never owned by the people attempting to buy them.
Private sales of firearms in Ohio are legal, and Cleveland cannot override state law.  The location has changed from 2014. That year, the location was on Payne Avenue. This year it will be on Chester Avenue.  From patch.com:

CLEVELAND, OH — Mayor Frank G. Jackson and Chief of Police Calvin D. Williams proudly announce that the 2016 City of Cleveland Gun Buy-Back will be held on Sunday, December 4, 2016, at the Third District Headquarters at 4501 Chester Avenue. In exchange for operable handguns or semi-automatic weapons, citizens will be given a either a $100 (handguns) or $200 (semi-automatic weapons) gas or food gift card.

The event is scheduled for only four hours, from noon to 4 p.m., according to cleveland.com. The short notice given for the event may reduce the number of respondents.

Here are the guidelines for people who wish to turn in a firearm at the "buy back".  From clevelandpolicefoundation.org:

1. Bring a working handgun or semi-automatic rifle to the Third District Headquarters located at 4501 Chester Avenue on Sunday, December 4, 2016, between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
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.
4. Pack ammunition separately. Non semi-automatic rifles and shotguns can be turned in but NO incentive will be given.
5. Cleveland Police Officers will inspect the weapon to ensure that it is operable.
6. After the officers determine that the weapon is operable a $100 gift card will be given to those who turn in a handgun and a $200 gift card to those who turn in a semi-automatic rifle.

There are many semi-automatic rifles that cost considerably less than $200 at retail.  A Marlin model 60 today can be had, brand new, for $150.   A Savage model 64 can be had for $116, and the Mossberg semi-auto for $109.

It is unknown if Cleveland police will honor the terms shown at the Cleveland Police Foundation website.

In 2014, there were plenty of private buyers.

From ohioccwforums.org:

You are spot on. I was there and never heard any "choice words" or saw any frenzied buyers. It was all fairly well organized and most every buyer had a change to approach any vehicle. If it was something they really wanted, nobody was there keeping them from paying a fair price for it. Many sellers received well over their expected $100/$200 in value, and I wouldn't have it any other way. If people want to be completely "fair" about things they should hold an open auction for every item that shows up instead of handing out numbers to take advantage of the sellers. All in all it was a very good showing from well-meaning and respectably dressed firearms rights supporters. Many innocent firearms were saved from a fiery demise

 In 2013 some private buyers were very 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 in 2013, 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. 

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

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch