Posted on 03/29/2014 6:33:04 PM PDT by marktwain
When Arizona passed legislation early last year to stop the irrational destruction of valuable property that had come into the hands of local governments, the state required that firearms turned in to government agencies be sold through normal commercial channels, thus insuring that the guns were taken "off the street".
Some local governments had been involved in what amounted to a modern Deodand ritual, where inanimate objects were "punished" by destruction as a way to sacrifice to the gods of political correctness. Even in medieval times, most deodand objects were sold, with the money going to the Church or Government. It was all political theater, and it wasted valuable resources. But then, modern "progressives" have never worried much about wasting other people's money.
Most Arizona communities take the easy route and auction off the firearms that police collect to a few local dealers. The dealers usually get a good deal and make a profit, and the local bureaucracy keeps the work added to its given chores to a minimum.
Jerome, Arizona, however, figured a way to maximize the value from items that end up in police possession.
They auction them off on the Internet.
To avoid legal hassles that have been created by the infringements of the second amendment known as the Brady act and the Gun Control Act of 1968, the Town requires that firearms won at auction be transferred to the buyer through a licensed dealer, just like new firearms.
Jerome has no auctions active at present, but you can look over the results of the last one at this site.
I have found that guns at auctions usually go for more than I want to spend, but I have picked up a few bargains when most did not know about obscure makes and models.
At this auction, I think the Sport King .22 pistol from High Standard for less than $200 might have been a good deal. Nothing else caught my eye, but Ruger Blackhawk revolvers in .30 carbine are not easy to come by, and one went for $330. It probably cost another $25 to have it transferred by a local dealer.
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch
Condition is the most important thing but I think I might have gone for the Star 9mm.
One of the best guns I ever had was a Smith & Wesson model 29. The dealer had bought it along with maybe 50 more guns at a police auction. About half of the rear sight blade had been broken off and that caused the price to be really good.
I actually had it repaired at a gun show. One guy was selling all kind of S&W parts and he had the blade. I asked if he could install it and he told me he could if I didn’t mind him using the concrete floor as an anvil. I told him to go ahead and when he finished I could not tell it had not been installed at the factory.
New Mexico is doing that too, there is an auction coming up soon in Las Cruces I think...if anyone is interested I can look up the info. I think the one in LC is an in person auction...but can find out for sure.
***I have found that guns at auctions usually go for more than I want to spend,***
I went to a police auction many years ago. It was dull.
Then something like an electric charge went through the crowd! Everyone surged toward the table! THEY WERE SELLING THE GUNS!
People were bidding extremely high on the guns! Almost worth their value new! People were bidding up junk guns past their price when new! It was a sight!
I talked to a pawn dealer I knew. He had just come from an auction at a pawn shop in another town. He said he hoped to pick up a few guns cheap. He didn’t.
He said he wished he had loaded up every gun he had in his store and taken those to the auction, as a form of madness goes over the crowd when guns are sold at auction and they will pay way more than they would normally pay.
I’ve told the wife that if I die, sell my guns AT AUCTION, not to a store.
I love the way the writer puts forth one of the anti-gunners' favorite lines...
I've always responded to idiots who put forth the above statement with, "the fastest way to get guns off the street is to disarm the police. Oh, you mean the guns being used by criminals. So how is taking honest citizens' guns any help in lessening criminal acts, other than making a criminals' job easier and safer for them?"
I once attended a gun auction in Garden City, Kansas. They were the collection of a deceased collector. I say collector tho most were just nice guns.
I noticed that for the first maybe 15 minutes prices were really low, then they got higher and higher, eventually getting to as much or maybe more than they were worth.
I have seen this exact thing occur at a Pennsylvania rural auction. I was astounded at the prices these fairly poor people bid on very ordinary guns, which consisted mostly of shotguns, a few rifles and no handguns.
IF?
:>)
“IF?”
LOL. I should have said “before her”.
The Colt auto .32 sounds like a 1903 Pocket Hammerless... a deal if it isn’t a beater.
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