Firearms are no longer a hobby of mine

[onehandle]

Last edited Thu Oct 15, 2015, 04:57 PM - Edit history (7)

(FYI: I did not write this. I am not that person. -onehandle )

Today I went to my local police station and asked for them to take my guns and have them destroyed.

The task was fairly simple. I explained I had guns I wanted to get rid of at the front desk. They made a copy of my driver’s license and then walked out to my car with me to retrieve them. We went into the station to an interview room where we looked at the guns and they wrote down the serial numbers. They looked up the serial numbers to check for any issues, found none, and I left, no longer a gun owner.

[img][/img]

Last week, I sat in a hotel room and watched the President talk about the latest mass shooting and how they had become routine and the concern that nothing would change. I started to shrug it off and pretend in my mind that there was nothing I could do. But the idea that gun culture doesn’t bear some responsibility for these killings didn’t make sense to me. I didn’t want to be a part of gun culture anymore.

I was never going to use these guns for self-defense, they were safely locked and out of reach. I don’t hunt. I don’t shoot clays. There are no dangerous animals where I live. There are no zombies. I’m not a police officer or soldier. I am not part of a well regulated militia. There’s no reason for me to have them.

So I got rid of them. Firearms are no longer a hobby of mine.

http://bit.ly/1L3LaQi

[snooper2]

1. cool story, now he can take up pruning

LOL

[yeoman6987]

30. Well at least we don't have to worry about him.

[mwrguy]

2. Doesn't sound like it was much of a hobby in the first place.

[Eleanors38]

3. I'd increase my shooting activities if the area ranges weren't so packed, and getting there...

were not so difficult due to traffic. As it is, I have to wait for a spot at the noisy, poorly-lit indoor ranges just to sight in my deer rifle.

[DocPain]

4. Did you wear that outfit?

[Human101948]

16. I once visited a gun range in my mountainbike outfit...

You should of seen the looks I got from all the camo swathed gunners! I was violating their manliness for sure!

(I was competing in a nearby race and wanted to check out the possibility of skeet shooting there.)

[safeinOhio]

45. I wore an Obama tee shirt

no one talked to me. I made my point.

[Human101948]

79. A tip of the hat to you!

A profile in courage.

[murielm99]

89. I would worry.

I mean, there is no doubt that everyone else there is armed.

[MADem]

26. This is an essay by someone else that the OP posted. nt

[Brickbat]

5. The personal essay has really gone downhill in the age of the Internet.

This editor would send it back with some suggestions about adding what his take on "gun culture" is and whether simply owning "a gun" makes you a part of it, and why he didn't feel a part of whatever it was anymore. Keep digging!

[villager]

6. Holy crap -- a gun owner with a profound sense of the greater good? Unicorns are more common.

n/t

[pablo_marmol]

76. A profound sense of the greater good?

So are you suggesting that the guy was a possible threat to society, or that he's too stupid to safely secure his guns -- because it has to be one or the other.

Which is it? How has he served the public in any way with his action? Be specific.

[TipTok]

82. In what way are you suggesting that he served the greater good?

Were his weapons, locked in their safe, putting out an aura of wickedness or something?

[Kang Colby]

7. Hopefully the PD sells them for a fair price.

Depending on the state and locality, police departments do sell firearms they receive from a number of sources. I remember when the New Orleans mayor tried to launch frivolous legal attacks against the firearms industry back in the 90s...only to realize his PD was one of the biggest used Glock resellers in the state.

[Darb]

11. They should be dismantled and recycled,

unless they are antiques. Average, every day firearms of which there are many? Melt them down and use the metal for something more useful. One less loose gun.

[Kang Colby]

15. Many police departments sell their used

firearms or trade them in and also sell confiscated firearms. I know a few FFLs that specialize in law enforcement trade-ins. You can find a good deal looking at LE trade-ins, but you need to exercise caution as a lot of the firearms are in poor condition.

[Human101948]

18. Good to know...

I will make my Ruger inoperable before I turn it in.

[Kang Colby]

20. Depending on what you have, it may be worth hundreds of dollars.

I would check the used going rate on GunBroker and see what its going for. Then I would figure out the best way to legally sell it in your state so that:

A) The sale goes through an FFL with a background check, regardless of whether or not your state requires a background check on private sales
B) You get to keep most of the money*

Going through consignment, you usually end up losing a sizable portion of the proceeds. Its often easier to post an online ad, meet the perspective buyer at the sheriffs office (some offices will do this depending on locality) or gun store, have them run the background check and transfer the firearm via the 4473 and any other state paperwork required.

You could donate the proceeds to your favorite charity.

If you really want to destroy it, make sure the police department is actually going to destroy it. Making a firearm inoperable is more difficult than you would expect since the BATFE considers the frame or receiver the gun.

[Kang Colby]

21. Some of those every day firearms ...

may be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.

[Darb]

80. I made a caveat for antiques. Are there others that

are worth thousands that are not antiques? I suppose, but I'll compromise, they must be sold to a registered collector. No such thing? Then there should be such a thing and it should be cumbersome and expensive to acquire the designation and the allowances that it provides.

Otherwise, break them down and melt them. Another one out of circulation that some kook will never get his hands on and kill his wife with. Or ten strangers. Or 5 co-workers. Or..................

[Kang Colby]

94. Yes.

This is a complex subject but "antique" firearm has a specific definition.

A true antique firearm means that the gun was made before 1899.

A registered collector could be considered someone with a Federal Firearms License (FFL) 03 - Collector of Curios & Relics (C&R). C&Rs are firearms over fifty years old. By possessing such a license they can purchase guns such guns without as much red tape. This requires fingerprints and an application to the ATF and notification to the Chief Law Enforcement Officer in the person's local area. It's a pretty neat program, but a lot of FFLs won't do business with FFL 03s, and instead make them follow the regular process as if they didn't have a license. There are FFL 03 friendly FFLs who specialize in doing business with FFL 03s. The license costs $30.00. FFL 03s are required to keep records of the firearms they obtain using the FFL 03.

There are plenty of guns newer than fifty years old that sell to collectors for thousands of dollars.

[hack89]

28. Gun makers hate used guns

Cuts into their sales. They would agree with you

[onehandle]

22. It says he took them to be destroyed in the first sentence.

As they should be. The writer doesn't seem like the type to 'mince words.'

[jeff47]

8. To make the link clickable, change the @ to %40 (nt)

[onehandle]

24. Doesn't work.

medium.com is such a piece of crap. They code it to mess up links, keep you from copying things, or saving web pages.

I wish the article was somewhere else.

I created a bit.ly link.

[TexasBushwhacker]

9. Wow, I just saw a flying pig!

Congratulations! I heard that Charlize Theron got Sean Penn to have all his guns melted down and made into a sculpture. Too bad they broke up.

[Travis_0004]

10. He should have waited for a gun buyback

Get a few hundred bucks for the guns instead.

[Human101948]

19. Not everyone is as venal as you are...

and stop trying to pass off those airsoft pistols as real guns.

[flamin lib]

12. It wasn't that easy for me to get rid of the semi-auto pistols I had.

Called the city police and said I wanted some guns destroyed. They passed me from desk to desk until I got a dial tone.

Called the county Sheriff's office and they said they never had this happen before and didn't know how to help me.

Finally called the BATF&E who directed me to a program out of a Sheriff's office four counties away who would have the guns cut into three pieces as per the Federal requirement and then melted down to use in such things as manhole covers.

I still own the WWI infantry rifles but the semi auto with interchangeable magazines that are only limited in leathality by the ability to carry ammunition just had no place in my life after 12/14/12.

[Snobblevitch]

71. You could have taken your guns to a local machine shop and paid them to cut them in half.

There might have been tears shed as they did what you asked.

[Throd]

13. His choice. I'll keep mine.

[moondust]

14. Tennis and golf don't kill people.

Just a suggestion for anybody with too much time on their hands after they get rid of their death tools.

K/R

[trumad]

17. Be prepared for the attack from the usual suspects.

DU..such a Progressive place.

[hack89]

29. Civil rights of all kinds are supported here

Which is what one would expect on a progressive site.

[Duckhunter935]

38. I agree

[pablo_marmol]

77. Well......all kinds except for one.

The real world vs the preferred world.

[Duckhunter935]

32. Why he can do what he wants

I leave that choice to him. I will keep my firearms, that is my choice.

[ileus]

23. Wonder what model bike he rides???

Shame about the guns, he could have rehomed them by selling to co-workers or family he trusted.

The least he could have do was wait for one of those goofy buybacks.

[LittleBlue]

25. Does he realize we can just make more?

All he's done is harm himself financially and generate another sale of a new gun for a gun manufacturer. For every gun he destroys rather than sells, that demand will be satisfied by a new gun that is manufactured instead.

[stone space]

27. Define "we".

Does he realize we can just make more?

I don't make deadly weapons.

[LittleBlue]

34. Not really relevant to my point, is it?

I'd rather not turn this personal. My point is that the same number of guns will be present regardless of what he chooses to do with his guns. He could have just sold them and donated the proceeds to a worthy cause. Instead the proceeds have gone to a gun manufacturer in the form of profit.

[stone space]

40. His guns won't kill anybody, ever. The manufacturers you are speaking of...

...will hopefully have to face their victims in court some day.

[GGJohn]

53. The manufactures don't have victims,

they don't sell directly to the public, by federal law, they can only sell to the Govt. or FFL dealers.
And just in case you missed this:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/chapter-105

(a) Findings Congress finds the following:
(1) The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

(2) The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the rights of individuals, including those who are not members of a militia or engaged in military service or training, to keep and bear arms.

(3) Lawsuits have been commenced against manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and importers of firearms that operate as designed and intended, which seek money damages and other relief for the harm caused by the misuse of firearms by third parties, including criminals.

(4) The manufacture, importation, possession, sale, and use of firearms and ammunition in the United States are heavily regulated by Federal, State, and local laws. Such Federal laws include the Gun Control Act of 1968, the National Firearms Act [26 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.], and the Arms Export Control Act [22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.].

(5) Businesses in the United States that are engaged in interstate and foreign commerce through the lawful design, manufacture, marketing, distribution, importation, or sale to the public of firearms or ammunition products that have been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce are not, and should not, be liable for the harm caused by those who criminally or unlawfully misuse firearm products or ammunition products that function as designed and intended.

(6) The possibility of imposing liability on an entire industry for harm that is solely caused by others is an abuse of the legal system, erodes public confidence in our Nation’s laws, threatens the diminution of a basic constitutional right and civil liberty, invites the disassembly and destabilization of other industries and economic sectors lawfully competing in the free enterprise system of the United States, and constitutes an unreasonable burden on interstate and foreign commerce of the United States.

(7) The liability actions commenced or contemplated by the Federal Government, States, municipalities, and private interest groups and others are based on theories without foundation in hundreds of years of the common law and jurisprudence of the United States and do not represent a bona fide expansion of the common law. The possible sustaining of these actions by a maverick judicial officer or petit jury would expand civil liability in a manner never contemplated by the framers of the Constitution, by Congress, or by the legislatures of the several States. Such an expansion of liability would constitute a deprivation of the rights, privileges, and immunities guaranteed to a citizen of the United States under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

(8) The liability actions commenced or contemplated by the Federal Government, States, municipalities, private interest groups and others attempt to use the judicial branch to circumvent the Legislative branch of government to regulate interstate and foreign commerce through judgments and judicial decrees thereby threatening the Separation of Powers doctrine and weakening and undermining important principles of federalism, State sovereignty and comity between the sister States.

(b) Purposes The purposes of this chapter are as follows:
(1) To prohibit causes of action against manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and importers of firearms or ammunition products, and their trade associations, for the harm solely caused by the criminal or unlawful misuse of firearm products or ammunition products by others when the product functioned as designed and intended.

(2) To preserve a citizen’s access to a supply of firearms and ammunition for all lawful purposes, including hunting, self-defense, collecting, and competitive or recreational shooting.

(3) To guarantee a citizen’s rights, privileges, and immunities, as applied to the States, under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, pursuant to section 5 of that Amendment.

(4) To prevent the use of such lawsuits to impose unreasonable burdens on interstate and foreign commerce.

(5) To protect the right, under the First Amendment to the Constitution, of manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and importers of firearms or ammunition products, and trade associations, to speak freely, to assemble peaceably, and to petition the Government for a redress of their grievances.

(6) To preserve and protect the Separation of Powers doctrine and important principles of federalism, State sovereignty and comity between sister States.

(7) To exercise congressional power under article IV, section 1 (the Full Faith and Credit Clause) of the United States Constitution.

(a) In general

A qualified civil liability action may not be brought in any Federal or State court.

(b) Dismissal of pending actions

A qualified civil liability action that is pending on October 26, 2005, shall be immediately dismissed by the court in which the action was brought or is currently pending.

(1) Engaged in the business

The term “engaged in the business” has the meaning given that term in section 921(a)(21) of title 18, and, as applied to a seller of ammunition, means a person who devotes time, attention, and labor to the sale of ammunition as a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of livelihood and profit through the sale or distribution of ammunition.

(2) Manufacturer

The term “manufacturer” means, with respect to a qualified product, a person who is engaged in the business of manufacturing the product in interstate or foreign commerce and who is licensed to engage in business as such a manufacturer under chapter 44 of title 18.

(3) Person

The term “person” means any individual, corporation, company, association, firm, partnership, society, joint stock company, or any other entity, including any governmental entity.

(4) Qualified product

The term “qualified product” means a firearm (as defined in subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 921(a)(3) of title 18), including any antique firearm (as defined in section 921(a)(16) of such title), or ammunition (as defined in section 921(a)(17)(A) of such title), or a component part of a firearm or ammunition, that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.

(5) Qualified civil liability action
(A) In general The term “qualified civil liability action” means a civil action or proceeding or an administrative proceeding brought by any person against a manufacturer or seller of a qualified product, or a trade association, for damages, punitive damages, injunctive or declaratory relief, abatement, restitution, fines, or penalties, or other relief, resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of a qualified product by the person or a third party, but shall not include—
(i) an action brought against a transferor convicted under section 924(h) of title 18, or a comparable or identical State felony law, by a party directly harmed by the conduct of which the transferee is so convicted;

(ii) an action brought against a seller for negligent entrustment or negligence per se;

(iii) an action in which a manufacturer or seller of a qualified product knowingly violated a State or Federal statute applicable to the sale or marketing of the product, and the violation was a proximate cause of the harm for which relief is sought, including—
(I) any case in which the manufacturer or seller knowingly made any false entry in, or failed to make appropriate entry in, any record required to be kept under Federal or State law with respect to the qualified product, or aided, abetted, or conspired with any person in making any false or fictitious oral or written statement with respect to any fact material to the lawfulness of the sale or other disposition of a qualified product; or

(II) any case in which the manufacturer or seller aided, abetted, or conspired with any other person to sell or otherwise dispose of a qualified product, knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe, that the actual buyer of the qualified product was prohibited from possessing or receiving a firearm or ammunition under subsection (g) or (n) of section 922 of title 18;

(iv) an action for breach of contract or warranty in connection with the purchase of the product;

(v) an action for death, physical injuries or property damage resulting directly from a defect in design or manufacture of the product, when used as intended or in a reasonably foreseeable manner, except that where the discharge of the product was caused by a volitional act that constituted a criminal offense, then such act shall be considered the sole proximate cause of any resulting death, personal injuries or property damage; or

(vi) an action or proceeding commenced by the Attorney General to enforce the provisions of chapter 44 of title 18 orchapter 53 of title 26.

(B) Negligent entrustment

As used in subparagraph (A)(ii), the term “negligent entrustment” means the supplying of a qualified product by a seller for use by another person when the seller knows, or reasonably should know, the person to whom the product is supplied is likely to, and does, use the product in a manner involving unreasonable risk of physical injury to the person or others.

(C) Rule of construction

The exceptions enumerated under clauses (i) through (v) of subparagraph (A) shall be construed so as not to be in conflict, and no provision of this chapter shall be construed to create a public or private cause of action or remedy.

(D) Minor child exception

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit the right of a person under 17 years of age to recover damages authorized under Federal or State law in a civil action that meets 1 of the requirements under clauses (i) through (v) of subparagraph (A).

(6) Seller The term “seller” means, with respect to a qualified product—
(A) an importer (as defined in section 921(a)(9) of title 18) who is engaged in the business as such an importer in interstate or foreign commerce and who is licensed to engage in business as such an importer under chapter 44 of title 18;

(B) a dealer (as defined in section 921(a)(11) of title 18) who is engaged in the business as such a dealer in interstate or foreign commerce and who is licensed to engage in business as such a dealer under chapter 44 of title 18; or

(C) a person engaged in the business of selling ammunition (as defined in section 921(a)(17)(A) of title 18) in interstate or foreign commerce at the wholesale or retail level.

(7) State

The term “State” includes each of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States, and any political subdivision of any such place.

(8) Trade association The term “trade association” means—
(A) any corporation, unincorporated association, federation, business league, professional or business organization not organized or operated for profit and no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual;

(B) that is an organization described in section 501(c)(6) of title 26 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such title; and

(C) 2 or more members of which are manufacturers or sellers of a qualified product.

(9) Unlawful misuse

The term “unlawful misuse” means conduct that violates a statute, ordinance, or regulation as it relates to the use of a qualified product.

[stone space]

57. Arms manufacturers have many, many victims.

The manufactures don't have victims,

[GGJohn]

58. Just because you say they do,

doesn't make it so.
Besides, the PLCAA protects them from frivolous lawsuits that blame them for the criminal of negligent misuse of their perfectly legal product.

[stone space]

74. You defend the indefensible (nt)

[GGJohn]

83. Again,

just because you say so, doesn't make it so.

[Darb]

81. Sure they do, regardless of how

obtuse you would like to be.

[GGJohn]

84. Again, just because you say so,

doesn't make it so.

[LanternWaste]

90. You should apply that response to yourself, too.

You should apply that bumper-sticker response to yourself, too.

[Duckhunter935]

37. I wish you would pay that close attention to

other threads

[hunter]

31. I see the usual complaints here from people who think he violated their most sacred icons...

... guns and money.

[Duckhunter935]

33. show me one

I do not see any here

[hunter]

35. Of course you don't, dear.

Yes, I am mocking you.

[Duckhunter935]

36. nice and civil of you

and people wonder why.......................

[hunter]

39. I've got nothing against hunters.

People with gun fetishes annoy me.

[Duckhunter935]

41. I don't hunt

But I do own some firearms. Several are antiques.

[Logical]

62. Why call yourself Duck Hunter? Weird. nt

[Duckhunter935]

63. Not really

Air Defense Artillery Branch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Defense_Artillery_Branch_%28United_States%29

an air defender is nicknamed a duckhunter

I worked HAWK, Patriot and now THAAD

[GGJohn]

65. As I said before, your counterparts were the ones that I feared,

and sometimes our own "Duckhunters".

[Duckhunter935]

68. I am so glad they were bad shots

and once again, welcome home

[GGJohn]

70. Thank you. eom.

[Logical]

67. OK, sorry, my bad. I had no idea. Learned something today, thanks!! nt

[Duckhunter935]

69. no harm

always good to learn a new thing

[snooper2]

66. real humans hunt using their bare hands...and teeth

OLD SCHOOL!

[muriel_volestrangler]

98. In #23, someone wishes they had been "rehomed", as if they were living creatures

that have 'homes'.

[Hoyt]

42. I applaud him. Some gunners here have a bunch of guns, tote, and even need one riding a bike.

[patsimp]

43. Good for you.

The gun epidemic is caused by the association of the visible display of the gun and the flag - as if guns are patriotic. They are not. Nothing of he kind. Having them glorified like that is making us drown in the gun lovers (as opposed to gun owners) stupidity.

[Omaha Steve]

44. K&R!

[barbtries]

46. applause

[Kaleva]

47. I don't need them either

I have a couple of Mosin Nagants of which I've never fired or bought ammo for. I haven't hunted in decades, don't target shoot and I don't need them or any gun for home/self defense either.

[Codeine]

49. I have one of those myself.

Bought it, cleaned off a spectacular amount of packing grease, made it look as pretty as a slapdash Soviet rifle could, and never once bothered to buy a round of ammunition for it. I just like owning something that might have fought the fascists. I'll never fire a single shot with it, ever.

[Duckhunter935]

50. Have two, enjoy shootout

Them at paper plates. Do have a nice kick.

[Kaleva]

86. I had a Mosin Nagant M44 carbine once

Lost it in a house fire. It kicked like a mule and after I shot a few rounds with it, I cleaned it and never fired it again.

[Kaleva]

85. The only reason I bought them was 'cause of my interest in military history

and they are about the cheapest war era rifles one can buy in good to very good condition.

Both of mine are still coated in cosmoline. One of these days I'll clean them up and maybe buy a few rounds and actually fire them.

[milestogo]

48. Thank you.

May others follow where you lead.

[sarisataka]

51. Hobbies change over time

I tend to do less shooting over the cold months and work more on my trains.

With luck I will have something similar to this before the end of winter

[Duckhunter935]

52. Looks great

[sarisataka]

54. I wish that one was mine...

I took apart my last layout to start over. I am going for the same prairie town look.

[Duckhunter935]

59. you will get there

[Codeine]

55. I love model trains but I've never wanted to commit

to the hobby, so I paint miniature soldiers and make terrain for wargaming with them; lots of similarities to model railroading.

[sarisataka]

56. My friend does that

with War hammer and WW2 figures. We find we can exchange our extras and scraps for the other to use.

[Duckhunter935]

60. Same here

Some amazing layouts on youtube

[cherokeeprogressive]

61. Glad to live in a country where there is a choice to keep or not to keep.

[Duckhunter935]

64. Choice is always a good thing

[LanternWaste]

91. Rather shameful that the sentiment is applied much more to inanimate objects

Rather shameful that the sentiment is applied much more to inanimate objects than it is to women's health services.

[cherokeeprogressive]

92. I'm not ashamed. I believe in a woman's absolute right to health services.

[Initech]

72. Excellent!!

[hunter]

73. Many artists make sculptures from guns...

http://victorhugozayas.net/2012/11/06/violence-transformed-into-art-l-a-p-d-gun-sculpture-series-2011-2012

[stone space]

75. La Escopetarra

[pablo_marmol]

78. And we're all supposed to care because................... (NT)

[Tommy_Carcetti]

95. Because we're not all you. nt

[vkkv]

87. All I can say is THANK GOD!

Because, yes sir, you look like one scary neighbor in that pic.

[cadaverdog]

88. Thank you

For your well reason decision. A few more like you and we might have the beginnings of a movement.

[krispos42]

93. So this person just took an expensive loss...

...that will make the gun makers happy because they get to make replacement guns.


Well, I guess making an empty gesture is more valuable than, say, selling the guns and donating to money to a good cause.

[ellisonz]

96. Thank you for making a safer world!

[Gonzalo]

97. Thank you but not the answer for the problem

Prevention and education are the weapons we really need.