How does one get rid of a gun?

[Skittl1321]

My husband owns a hunting rifle. He no longer hunts.

How do you get rid of a gun? I mean, you can't list it on craigslist or give it to goodwill. You probably shouldn't throw it away...

I HATE owning a gun. Seriously- I wasn't even allowed water guns as a child. I despise having a gun in my house (though it is about as useful as a baseball bat, since we have never had ammunition in the house.)

Any idea how to get rid of it? Is there a legal way to get money for it?

Because laws probably vary- we live in Iowa.

[TheGirlCanSkate]

Contact a local gun dealer. They will walk you through the process.

[Badams]

Sometimes the police will hold a gun buy back day. At least around here they do. You could also contact the police and ask them how to get rid of it.

[PRlady]

Unfortunately, as a private seller, you can sell that gun to anyone without a background check. At a gun show or even through the classified. And you can certainly ask a gun shop if they would take it off your hands for a nominal sum of money.

[Skittl1321]

Unfortunately, as a private seller, you can sell that gun to anyone without a background check. At a gun show or even through the classified. And you can certainly ask a gun shop if they would take it off your hands for a nominal sum of money.

Seriously? This is legal? That is sickening...I'm not doing that.

I think I'm going to have to tell DH to start researching if we have gun shops. I've never seen one, and I'm not really interested in going to one. I know sporting goods stores sell guns, but I don't think they buy them used.

Wish our police would do a buy-back. I think they only do those in high crime areas. There are parts of our city where I would be the police wish there were fewer guns, but I live in a pretty small city, so I think most guns around here are for hunting, or the kind that sit in a drawer never used.

[ArtisticFan]

I opened this thread expecting much more excitement.

[Wyliefan]

I opened this thread expecting much more excitement.

Yeah, really.

[Skittl1321]

I opened this thread expecting much more excitement.

Sorry, I want the gun out of my house because I really hate guns. No need to quickly hide it and get rid of evidence here. If I started threads about that, I'd be the worst criminal ever. Surely the police would figure out to go look wherever you all suggested...

Just to evidence why I really hate guns:
Growing up, I wasn't allowed ANY guns at all. Not even bright pink water guns. Nothing.
When I was 17, I was invited to go paintballing. I really wanted to go, but my mother was firmly "no guns". She finally relented, saying "okay, you are old enough to make your own decisions" and let me go.
That was when I broke my neck (laying in a bunker, someone jumped on me).
So the lessons learned: no guns, and listen to your mother.

[Wyliefan]

That sounds utterly horrible, and I'm so sorry you had to go through that. But I think I'm missing something here, because I'm not quite sure what someone jumping on you during paintball has to do with a hunting rifle. If the person had actually shot you or pistol-whipped you or something, then I'd definitely understand the aversion. But someone could just as easily have jumped on you while playing hide-and-seek or something else unrelated to guns.

[MacMadame]

I am pretty sure if you called your local police station and told them you had a gun in your house you wanted to get rid of, they would take it off your hands no matter whether they had any official programs in the offing. They don't want any loose guns running around their community any more than you do.

[DFJ]

Why don't you just go down to your local police station and hand it over. You won't get any $$ for it but it'll be out of your house and I'm sure the police will be more than happy to see one less gun in the public domain.

ETA: I see that MacMadame and I had the same brilliant idea.

[Wiery]

Why don't you just go down to your local police station and hand it over. You won't get any $$ for it but it'll be out of your house and I'm sure the police will be more than happy to see one less gun in the public domain.

ETA: I see that MacMadame and I had the same brilliant idea.

You might call first; I'm not sure that walking into the police station with a hunting rifle is a wonderful idea.

[Skittl1321]

But I think I'm missing something here, because I'm not quite sure what someone jumping on you during paintball has to do with a hunting rifle.

Just a gun story- the game is played with guns. It has nothing to do with the rifle, but a lot to do with playing games with guns. But yes, I totally realize it was just as likely* to happen sprawled on the living room floor playing Nintendo.


*well, maybe- the ambulance did tell the person elected to ride up front "if I had a dime everytime we came out here, I'd retire a rich man"- I just think generally the injuries are much more minor. And also, before that sounds REALLY insensitive, until my MRIs came back- everyone thought I was just in shock (I guess that explains the temporary paraylsis?) and had a broken wrist (because I was complaining how much it hurt- nerve damage).

[Rob]

Go by the police station and ask to talk to an officer. They will tell you what they can do and what you can do. They came and picked up guns from a friend of mine (her dads, she didn't want to touch them, turned out they were loaded). The police have them locked up atnthe station until she decides what to do with them.

[KCC]

I will have the same problem if I outlive my husband, since he has several guns. And then there is the bullets, powder and reloading equipment and camo coats and pants. Idahoans and their toys.

[Meredith]

Do you have a pawn shop in your area? The shop may (don't know for certain) be required to conduct background checks given its volume of sales and purchases of firearms.

If it were me, I'd contact police departments until I found one that willing to destroy the weapon.

[Skittl1321]

Thanks for the advice. DH is a bit on the idea of getting rid of it without making money. Grrr- he doesn't use the thing! And owning it really stresses me out. (He doesn't use his skis either, but I don't care that they are taking up room.)

He's now decided he can take it back with us to Texas and he can give it to his Dad or our BIL. I really don't want it going to either of those people- our BIL has two young kids, and his parents house is where their main childcare takes place. They don't need guns in their homes either. (To my knowledge, there are not any right now.) I also don't want it in the car for a 17 hour drive to Texas. Guns make me nervous, even when they aren't loaded. I'm not sure why...

[zaphyre14]

I turned my father's police pistol in to the police department he retired from. They were happy to get it and it's now mounted in a display case inside the station as a tribute to the officers who served in the past. I also turn over any stray bullets I find around around the house. God knows what my father used them for but every so often I find a couple in a drawer or a box around his old workbench in the basement. I just want them out of the house.

[Susan1]

I am pretty sure if you called your local police station and told them you had a gun in your house you wanted to get rid of, they would take it off your hands no matter whether they had any official programs in the offing. They don't want any loose guns running around their community any more than you do.

That's what I did when I found an old gun my dad had here when I inherited the house. It was wrapped in a towel in the back of the linen closet, so it's not like he was keeping it around for protection or anything. I actually remember that he bought it from a guy he worked with back in the 70's and he shot it off into the air on New Year's Eve once. I explained this to the police. He said I should take it to a gun dealer or pawn shop and sell it. It was not even registered or anything. Uh, this was back in 2008 so maybe things weren't as strict back then. But I said I was not going to drive anywhere with an unregistered gun in my car!!!! He checked that it was not loaded and took it with him (along with a full box of bullets - minus one). I got his name and everything and told other people about it at the time in case the gun turned up related to a crime and they came for me. ha ha

[Wyliefan]

Thanks for the advice. DH is a bit on the idea of getting rid of it without making money. Grrr- he doesn't use the thing! And owning it really stresses me out. (He doesn't use his skis either, but I don't care that they are taking up room.)

He's now decided he can take it back with us to Texas and he can give it to his Dad or our BIL. I really don't want it going to either of those people- our BIL has two young kids, and his parents house is where their main childcare takes place. They don't need guns in their homes either. (To my knowledge, there are not any right now.) I also don't want it in the car for a 17 hour drive to Texas. Guns make me nervous, even when they aren't loaded. I'm not sure why...

Hon, it's not going to go off if you look at it funny. Especially if it's unloaded. I promise.