How to legally turn in a valueless, broken pistol

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chrisp0410

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Thanks in advance for your attention to this question. In my collection, I have two firearms that I need to dispose of in a legal way. One is an inexpensive Smith & Wesson .22lr that that was originally purchased used for less than $100.00, has been shot to death and has a cracked frame. The other is a pistol I ended up with while I was in the Army, a Jennings J22 that was given to me by another soldier who didn't want to deal with transporting it back to his hometown in New York State. That pistol has a huge dimple in the chamber from the previous owners dry-firing and there is no magazine. The pistol, even if it were functional, isn't worth the cost of a replacement magazine.

So, what to do? Both have been sitting in the back corner of my gunsafe for years and I just want to dispose of them legally. Thanks again.

Chrisp0410
 
Chris, i would offer the S&W for sale as parts to someone... But I do not turn in guns. Just take a 3 pound hammer to it and make it junk metal and wrap in dirty news paper or diaper if available and dispose in the trash...
Brent
 
I think I saw that Numrich occasionally buys worn out guns just for parts, but that or a local smith are the only real ways to get any kind of value out of it (short of a gun buyback, which you said you're reluctant to do). You could just saw the frame into several pieces and offload it as scrap as well.
 
I understand your situation and the last two that I got rid of, like this, was to a local gun dealer/parts guy. I just gave them to him as I had no use for them. He takes them apart and sells replacement parts, including stocks. You might try and locate one of these guys, in your area. What about Egunparts or Numeric? They might pay the shipping. That gun buy back program idea, sounds good to me.



Be Safe !!!
 
I agree with the buy-back suggestion. Most of the buy-backs around here are only for $50 Walmart gift cards. If they ever started giving $100 Walmart cards, I've got two POS .22 pistols that I'd give them too. Then, I'd take my gift cards into Walmart and buy ammo.
 
I had one that was totally beyond redemption. Not even worth parts.

I beat it flat with a sledge hammer and threw it in the Susquehanna River.
 
Jennings = buyback and take the $50 or $100 and smile on your way to the store to buy some shooting supplies.

S&W = there is no such thing as a S&W revolver with no value. You can sell it as a parts gun on Gunbroker. Or you can break it down and sell the parts individually yourself. The frame might be cracked but the barrel, cylinder, trigger, hammer, crane, etc. all have value. Are you sure the frame cannot be repaired with a weld?
 
if you really rally want to get rid of it, you could always go to Department of public safety and place it for SAFEKEEPING, no charge to you.
 
Wait until they do one of those "turn in a gun & get $100 food voucher* deals
Click to expand...

NYC just ran a "no questions asked" one where I think it was $200. Talk about a sweet deal!

I will always hold dear in my heart the photo I once saw of a gun dealer with a butt load of old, worthless, firearms standing on line to claim a load of cash!
 
I used to know a gunsmith who'd pay $5 or so for Jennings, Lorcins et cetera and nail them to his wall with 16 penny nails. He had a good collection of them. If this one was beaten out flat and nailed to a board it might make interesting wall art.
 
Thanks folks

Thank you all for the quick responses. Wuchak, unfortunately, it isn't a revolver, I know better not to sell them in any condition. This is an earlier version of a Model 22A that was severely used and abused in its lifetime before coming into my possession. I bought it as a tacklebox gun and it worked well until an idiot buddy of mine used it as an improvised hammer.

I'l wait until I hear of a buy-back program. I am against it in principle as I look as them as a political means for gun control. But that's just my opinion.

Thanks again.

Chrisp0410
 
With parts I don't need I just give to my gunsmith. he's a good friend and if I see something in the back of his shop he doesn't need he will give it to me. He had about a dozen guns in horrible shape after Katrina abandoned by their owners when they heard the repair costs. I was in there bs'ing with him one day and went and looked at them for the thousandth time. I picked up a savage 24 and decided I would go over to his workbench and try to get it working just as a challenge. After about 30 minutes I had the badly pitted rusting mess mechanically functional. I put it back in the corner and informed him of my conquest. He gave it to me, I almost have all the rust pits sanded out and it works fine. I would give them to your local gunsmith, good way to make friends.
 
I agree with Mike Irwin's post. I once had an old POS Davis Industries 32 auto. The worst gun I ever owned. I would have been too embarrased to sell it to anyone. I think I only paid about $60 for it. I wound up throwing it in a river.
 
late to chime in but, you could always take it to a gunsmith for demolition, just make sure that they "buy" it from you and that they will report it to the feds (ATF) as a demolished weapon. working part time ish at a local gunsmith i got to do that a few times with a bunch of rifle receivers that were not made to spec (poor metal) when we had some made for us by a company. it was cheaper than sending them back to have them destroy 'em.

i know i dredged up the past, but the destruction of any fire arm really should be reported to the ATF so they can take the serial number off the books. (course you need to provide proof of said destruction usually by sending the mutilated frame/ receiver into them or the next time they come knocking thats why i suggest a gunsmith)
 
I've never heard of any law that prevents someone from destroying their firearm and throwing it in the trash.

Maybe I'm wrong on this though?
 
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