Fresno's 'cash for guns' hits its target

Doesn't surprise me one bit that this is what happened with the economy the way it is and people doing everything they can to make it month to month. I live in Modesto just up the road a bit from Fresno and i have a few friends and family who live in some not so good neighborhoods around Modesto and guns are a very very common commodity especially since money is scarce. Programs like this may seem like people get away but the main thing is getting them off the street there are many drive bys and miscellaneous shootings around the central valley California all the time innocent people get caught all the time weather its wearing the wrong color or being in the wrong place wrong time i think they should do more of this all over the country to help these types of crimes go down and get guns off the streets also it helps families some what with the certificates they receive in return. Also i feel as a taxpayer that this is a good thing for communities as long as there off the streets there not killing people.

"Getting these guns off the streets " The implication being we now have 447 weapons that would most certainly have been utilized to commit a crime. Politics as usual, of course dragging out the poor kid that got shot is just ghoulish. I believe the anti-gun nuts relish every tragic gun crime. I am absolutely certain the crime rate will plummet. My goodness, if they would do this every day, crimes committed with guns would vanish.
They could then move on to; knives bats rocks sticks and people with exceptionally large muscle mass. I will never understand this massive, cerebral hemorrhage of common sense.

Originally posted by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi
I honestly can't believe people would even consider giving their guns for gift certificates. Where I come from, guns are a way of life and we would rather trust ourselves with them than our own socialist government.

Right there with ya, except it's not where I come from, (unfortunately) but from my upbringing, we use guns to eat. lol why would I give away a tool and a recreational enjoyment for a gift card from this government... I can't defend my family with a gift card. BUT thank you OP for bringing this article up, very informative and I haven't seen anything on this yet. ha well I guess their not forcing people.....

reply to post by dazbog


It's funny, because a lot of those guns in the picture look like old world war 2 russian left overs of Mosin nagants. Their price tag today? 90 dollars, but usually much less. Seems like some people made money.

I hate the way that it says they were successfully able to get 447 guns off of the streets. As if every gun owned in the country is used to commit a crime with. They give the impression that citizens should not be allowed to bear arms. I, for one, am an avid defender of the Second Amendment, and hate the stereotype that citizens who own firearms are dangerous. But, that statement was just politics, and the police force and politicians trying to make themselves look good.

This type of program is fine by me, as long as all of the weapons are given up voluntarily. Especially since it looks like a lot of people made off with some great deals. Most of those guns look like they were used to hunt dinosaurs

However, in the video, I saw an AR-15 on the table. I'm not exactly sure what would convince somebody to give up one of those babies, since they run for well over a thousand bucks The article also mentions several sawn-off shotguns and 2 machine guns. Those are considered Class III Weapons, and are very heavily regulated. On top of the regular gun laws, obtaining one of those requires an additional 200 dollar tax on top of the price of the firearm, a full set of fingerprints and such submitted to the FBI, and a list of hoops you need to jump through and signatures needed from high up people (who DO NOT readily and willingly sign for you). Additionally, automatic weapons had to have been manufactured p rior to May of 1986, meaning there is a limited amount to go around, and the number isn't getting bigger. So, supply and demand causes the prices of these firearms to escalate sky-high. You'd be hard-pressed to find a machine gun for less than 10 to 15 grand. I don't know what could have possessed these individuals to voluntarily turn in their firearms! If I was them, then I know that I sure as hell would not!

Not to mention this is in California, a state with some of the most strict gun laws in the nation. So there are local and state laws on top of the federal ones governing these Class III Weapons, making them even harder and more frustrating to obtain.

[edit on 10-8-2009 by LetTheTruthBeTold]

Originally posted by JIMC5499
I bought 4 black powder gun kits, assembled them, and turned them in for $175 each. I paid $30 per kit for a net profit of $145 per kit. No questions asked. I took my $700 and bought a really nice Glock.

Wow, that is genius. Bravo man...

reply to post by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi


Those may be the gangs you know where you are but where I am they are not smart and just bored. I too know gang members and I just dont understand how they can do the things they do and feel good about themselves or even look themselves in the mirror. I am in FL and there a few gangs where I live here that are very ruthless, I know some members from friends but I dont really associate with them. Its their life and if they want to be criminals then fine but dont expect people to like you or sympathize with you. They CHOSE to be in a gang.

reply to post by infolurker



I would agree about the stolen guns but the fact is, no one and I mean No one in Kalifornia or here in my state, ever get their stolen guns back. I have been witness to our State Police putting valuable classic and custom guns through a shear to destroy them rather than return them to their rightful owners. When I asked why, they said that insurance paid for them so they don't get them back. How in hell do they know for sure that insurance paid the loss? It's truly criminal the way our elected officials and our LEO's regard the citizens!

Zindo

Originally posted by JIMC5499
I bought 4 black powder gun kits, assembled them, and turned them in for $175 each. I paid $30 per kit for a net profit of $145 per kit. No questions asked. I took my $700 and bought a really nice Glock.

BRILLIANT!

Originally posted by LetTheTruthBeTold
However, in the video, I saw an AR-15 on the table. I'm not exactly sure what would convince somebody to give up one of those babies, since they run for well over a thousand bucks

The article also mentions several sawn-off shotguns and 2 machine guns. Those are considered Class III Weapons, and are very heavily regulated. On top of the regular gun laws, obtaining one of those requires an additional 200 dollar tax on top of the price of the firearm, a full set of fingerprints and such submitted to the FBI, and a list of hoops you need to jump through and signatures needed from high up people (who DO NOT readily and willingly sign for you). Additionally, automatic weapons had to have been manufactured p rior to May of 1986, meaning there is a limited amount to go around, and the number isn't getting bigger. So, supply and demand causes the prices of these firearms to escalate sky-high. You'd be hard-pressed to find a machine gun for less than 10 to 15 grand. I don't know what could have possessed these individuals to voluntarily turn in their firearms! If I was them, then I know that I sure as hell would not!

Not to mention this is in California, a state with some of the most strict gun laws in the nation. So there are local and state laws on top of the federal ones governing these Class III Weapons, making them even harder and more frustrating to obtain.

[edit on 10-8-2009 by LetTheTruthBeTold]

Uhhhh! They were stolen?

These "X" for guns drives are funny things. Obviously anyone with any sense wouldnt turn a gun in unless it was a gun of value less than what is being offered.

For those without sense this is a quick and risk-free way to unload some stolen firearms. A burglar may not be ready to cross the line into firearms offenses or deal with petty thugs to unload some stolen merchandise but never fear because an ignorant public will be your fence all at no risk to you.

Great way to get the old guns from elderly widows, yuppie kids who inherited their fathers arms, broken damaged and worthless arms from people who couldnt sell them for $10 let alone $100 etc...

I recall a story where a guy who owned a gun shop went down to one of these with his trunk full of inoperable arms and parts. He made bank that day for trading what are essentially useless hunks of steel for cash.

If you honestly think some gangbanging crack slinger is at home preparing to turn in his illegally had TEC-9 for any amount of money you're seriously deluding yourslef.

Some studies actually suggest these "buybacks" put more guns on the street by encouraging home theft and through crooked cops and "missing" inventory.

This just occurred to me.....

Even if the only weapons turned in were not working.......

The police can display the weapons as what weapons they have removed from the streets (making them safer).

The fact they don't work is secondary in the "for public" display.

Just my 2 cents.

Originally posted by JIMC5499
I bought 4 black powder gun kits, assembled them, and turned them in for $175 each. I paid $30 per kit for a net profit of $145 per kit. No questions asked. I took my $700 and bought a really nice Glock.

god, I love capitalism.

1. Buy low priced item
2. Create marketable product
3. ???? (in this case, gun buyback program which doesn't take item value into account)
4. PROFIT


well played, sir.

They did something similar in Australia after the Port Arthur scam

The majority of the population is no longer permitted to possess a firearm

Public was assured all the guns were destroyed

Interestingly, some years later a murder was committed. Police traced the gun back to the owner

except the owner (totally innocent of the crime, as was proved) had handed the gun in to authorities years earlier .. it had supposedly been destroyed by the authorities

reply to post by JIMC5499


Since you mentioed this, I do also wonder how many confiscated weapons like these might have also been turned in by various law enforcment themselves. These guys have to eat too.