What Happens to Guns Turned in to Police?

[tommy610]

What happens to all the guns that are turned in to police, either voluntarily or those that are confiscated from criminals ( or OC'ers )

Do they ever sell them to the public? Wouldn't that make for some good deals?

[sttaffy]

My bet is they scrap them

[knight0334]

99% of those, or at least the ones not stolen back from the police, get scrapped or buried at sea.

Sheriff/police/game warden sales of guns is a rare thing these days.

[biggs88]

The guns get passed to higher chain of commands for them to be scraped.

But in passing, the good stuff usally ends up unacounted for.

[TXDMERC73]

oh they get destroyed, maybe a few get stripped for parts for practice guns for the police, but all the guns parts with the serial numbers get cut up and scrapped.

[PAfarmboy]

The guns get passed to higher chain of commands for them to be scraped.

But in passing, the good stuff usally ends up unacounted for.

Really? This happens? If they got caught with it wouldnt that be a real mess? I watched a show on Discovery (I think) that showed the ATF taking guns to Maryland Metals in Hagerstown, MD. Bins, and I mean bins of guns went up the conveyor and came out in 1" pieces. I shed a tear!!!! They never took their eyes off them until they were scrap metal.

Local PD around here decided to fold, and the boro auctioned off the duty weapons. Two Colt Pythons, a brand new Colt 6920 and an old Ithaca police shotgun. I tried to put a bid in, but the Boro hall was never open. I never did find out what they went for.

[mikepro8]

Most get scrapped, some do get re-sold.
I know for a fact that a dept. to remain unnamed in Schuylkill County sold the guns to an FFL, who then was able to sell them to eligible buyers.
A department in Northumberland County is looking into doing the same thing.

I am sure depts. across the state do it, because East Coast Gun Sales offered to re-sell some of the guns my dept. confiscated from people who were on probation/parole and were not eligible to get them back when they were off supervision.

[novice]

I know at least sometimes seized firearms are returned to their rightful owner.

[mikepro8]

I know at least sometimes seized firearms are returned to their rightful owner.

Agreed, if they are not prohibited from owning said firearms.

[biggs88]

Really? This happens? If they got caught with it wouldnt that be a real mess? I watched a show on Discovery (I think) that showed the ATF taking guns to Maryland Metals in Hagerstown, MD. Bins, and I mean bins of guns went up the conveyor and came out in 1" pieces. I shed a tear!!!! They never took their eyes off them until they were scrap metal.

Local PD around here decided to fold, and the boro auctioned off the duty weapons. Two Colt Pythons, a brand new Colt 6920 and an old Ithaca police shotgun. I tried to put a bid in, but the Boro hall was never open. I never did find out what they went for.

I do not want to say how I know, but I know for sure this happens. It's not like police go to one cops trunk and pick and choose from this weeks take!! But the few people that are responsible for the guns are the ones that say what was there and what was not. If they never account for a gun, that gun is not missing. . . There are many guns accross the country sitting in the bottom of LEOs safes that are were "not accounted for".