'Good' gun buyback - help me brainstorm this ...

J

Jeff Thomas

New member
I want to help a new charitable organization - Mothers Arms - www.mothersarms.org . Here is one idea:

We hold a gun 'buyback' ... for the honest folks.

A local business, like a grocery store or ???? contributes gift certificates for $25 or $50, to be used in exchange for firearms. We advertise the buyback, perhaps get a local radio station (especially talk radio) to do a remote broadcast or at least PSA's. Newspaper coverage, perhaps some ads, etc. We enlist the help of an FFL for the transfers. The FFL gets the guns that are worth selling, and we split some agreed profit - perhaps the difference between rough blue book and retail.

Mothers Arms distributes literature, safety information, etc. - our focus is on getting guns into the hands of responsible folks, getting unneeded guns into hands that need them, education and so on.

True 'junk' guns could be given to the local PD for destruction.

Kooky idea, or do you think this has promise? Suggestions?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Regards from AZ

[This message has been edited by Jeff Thomas (edited April 15, 2000).]
 
Jeff,

I respect you highly, sir. I hope to meet and hunt with you some day. (to be clear about my personal opinion of you) I think even associating the word "buyback" with a decent cause would cheapen our worthy cause, and dignify the idiocy the proviolence people propagate. OTOH, we could reasonably hold a donation, and proceed as you propose.

Best Regards!
 
Spectre, thank you very much for those kind words. I assure you, the respect is mutual.

I considered that downside, and you have a point. OTOH, co-opting 'their' phrase might have some advantages. Wouldn't it be interesting if the anti-self defense movement had to begin wondering what 'kind' of 'buyback' was occurring? Was it (from their perspective) a 'good' buyback that gets those nasty guns off the street, or would it be a 'bad' buyback that discusses firearms safety, benefits a pro-self defense group, recycles working firearms into the hands of honest folks (like battered women), etc.?

I'm not decided myself on this one. But, I do like the idea of placing decent firearms, and training, into the hands of women who need to be able to defend themselves. Legal liabilities would need to be considered, because of our current 'extortion' legal climate.

Spectre, thanks for the ideas. I hope to meet you someday as well. Like many on this forum, you have been one of my mentors. Take care.

Regards from AZ
 
Jeff,

It's a great idea- the free training, etc. Maybe we could spearhead it under some type of "Protection" banner. Take the REAL high ground, both verbally and in action.

I think free training (very basic, of course), along with awareness and other training would be super.

Thanks for the kind words!
 
BTT - OK, friends, I need your help here. I know ... I have more than my share of goofy ideas. But, I think this has promise.

Example goals:

1. Get unused guns into the hands of good people, especially women, that might not otherwise be able to afford them.
2. Raise money and exposure for Mothers Arms.
3. Raise awareness re: the RKBA.
4. Incorporate training and education into the event.
5. Perhaps subsidize training and gun 'vaults' for safe use and storage of firearms.
6. Tweak the noses of anti-self defense gun bigots.

And, so on.

What would be some other goals of such an event? If we don't call it a 'buyback', what else could we call it? How do we make this work economically? Etc., etc.

Thanks. Regards from AZ
 
You could say that you were "recycling" the guns and at the same time "removing bad guns" and "providing protection alternatives to minorities".

------------------
Better days to be,

Ed
 
Jeff - Thats indeed a grand idea...
The trick is to get the folks lined up that you need. Local retailers willing to donate certificates, an FFL willing to do some real paperwork, and permissive Sheriff, etc.
You have some work to do...
I think it would be worth it. You need to snare some good items - get a retailer to put up some TOMMY Jeans or DOC MARTIN boots - and you'll get in some good guns...
Use this also as a small media event and get your local station and paper to cover it... Tell the vendors you'll make sure they get coverage too... This will promote them, and MA in a positive light. Good higher end guns could be raffled with proceedes going to both battered women, victems of violence, MA, and to pay for training for women wanting it. (But in Utah I got an Instructor willing to teach for free - and I would donate my time as well)
Grand Ambitious Idea...
God Speed!
 
I know I could find local instructors for free, at least for a day or two. Hell, I'd pay 'em myself, for something this worthy.

I think the twin package of training and tools will be a hard-to-beat combination. Maybe get a known speaker like Paxton Quigley (did I get that name right?) or other empowered female. I could probably find some folk who could teach the philosophy of defense from a more "easternized" stance of fitting in with the universe, as well as those who can deliver a good, old-fashioned, "God says it's right" type speech...
smile.gif
 
Perhaps the "adopt a gun" program whereby you do give that unwanted fierarm a very good & safe home/environment.

Perhaps safety training as certficates would be counter-productive in that any who would participate would want to then hold onto their firearm.

& perhaps, too, Cabellas', etc. (other nation-level pro-shooter-types) may jump on the bandwagon with the proper presentation.

As a general concept, I like the idea, but do believe that you'd need the proper (good) spin on it to allow it some air under its wings.

Don't forget the firearm raffle angle. A chance for some excellent publicity (the newsies couldn't pass it up in their outrage
wink.gif
& would "advertise" for free), I'd think you would get a great response (with attendant $s) and what better way to tweak them noses?
wink.gif
Perhaps a SAS/AIMM custom-engraved commemorative edition (whoops - not a LadySmith
frown.gif
) ....
 
I'm originally from Australia, and really don't appreciate the term "Buyback".

Is the person who's "buying back" the person you bought the gun from?

It's a very VERY subtle thing in there that implies that they ultimately all belong to the collective or something.

Battler.
 
Yeah, that was my initial objection. I think perhaps we can agree to not use the term for the sensitive-like me- among us.
 
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