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Wait Until You Hear the Clever Way Private Gun Buyers Invaded a Gun Buyback Program in Seattle

Jan. 28, 2013 2:21pm Jason Howerton

Private Buyers Spoil Seattle Gun Buyback Event by Offerring Cash for Firearms

Seattle Police officers log guns exchanged for gift cards under Interstate 5 in Seattle during a CIty of Seattle gun buy back program on Saturday, January 26, 2013. The city has collected donations totaling nearly $120,000 to pay for a series of gun buyback events. Participants have been asked to unload and secure their weapons in the trunk of their vehicle or in a locked container. Credit: AP

The Seattle Police Department held its first gun buyback event since the 1990s this weekend, offering people gift cards for their firearms. However, dozens of private buyers showed up in an effort to acquire the guns using the so-called gun show loophole, which allows guns to be sold without a background check.

Hundreds of people showed up Saturday morning to give their rifles and shotguns as well as semi-automatic rifles to police in exchange for gift cards worth $100 and $200 respectively, KING 5 reports. The police planned to destroy the guns and use them as rebar in local construction projects.

Meanwhile, a number of private buyers set up a makeshift gun show-style event and offered cold hard cash for guns and even lured customers with donuts.

“I pay cash, I don’t give Amazon gift cards,” one dealer told a gun seller.

“It’s a historical firearm, I would hate to see it get destroyed. I’ll give you $100 cash for it,” another buyer offered a gun owner.

Many held up signs that let gun owners know they would pay cash for unwanted firearms.

“I’d rather see it turned back into the gun community used to promote shooting sports,” one man told KING 5.

(KING 5)

Private buyer Mason Vranish reportedly purchased a rocket launcher from of a man who had come to exchange it for a gift card, but officers confiscated the weapon on the suspicion that it had been stolen from the U.S. military.

“Their reason was even though it was single time use item it is still military property concern that a soldier had stolen it from the base or whatever and it wasn’t theirs to own… so it somehow ended up in the civilian market illegally,” Vranish told KING 5.

(KING 5)

Seattle Police Sgt. Paul Gracy carries guns collected from people in a City of Seattle drive-thru gun exchange program under Interstate 5 in Seattle on Saturday, January 26, 2013. The city has collected donations totaling nearly $120,000 to pay for a series of gun buyback events. Participants have been asked to unload and secure their weapons in the trunk of their vehicle or in a locked container. Credit: AP

Seattle Police Chief John Diaz said he would “prefer” gun owners not sell their guns to private buyers at the gun buyback event.

“Some are looking at this as a money making operation,” he told KPLU-TV. “But I think that is very few of the people. Most people are here in the spirit of wanting to do something because of some of the tragedies that we’ve seen in our country and in our own city.”

The buyback program is funded by donations from Amazon of $30,000, the Seattle Police Foundation of $25,000 and local businesses of more than $118,000. In the first two hours of the event, police say they gave our $35,000 in gift cards for 160 guns.

In a separate gun buyback event, Mercer County officials say more than 2,500 weapons were turned in for cash during a two-day gun buyback program in Trenton, N.J.

The Trenton gun buyback surpassed one in Camden in December that netted more than 1,100 weapons.

Mercer County residents received $25 to $250 for each firearm depending on type, condition and legality.

About $100,000 was budgeted but because of the huge turnout, the amount spent is expected to be well over double that. Some participants were given vouchers after money ran out Saturday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

(H/T: Raw Story)

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

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Comments (335)

alex22892
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:19pm
My friend brought us one of the rocket launchers shown above home from the Marines, there intended for use against tanks. The one in the photograph is not field stripped, it still has the aiming and firing mechanism. So it still has the capability of being used again.

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- FlagWavingPatriot
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 4:28pm
  That’s a FIM-43 Redeye. It’s a short-range, low-altitude infrared surface-to-air missile system (used to attack aircraft). It’s a US system from the 1950s or 1960s. Very rudimentary by today’s standards.
  
  I suppose you might be able to attack a tank with it, given the right terrain, suitable IR signature and cooperative background, but that’s not what it’s made for.
  
  Report this comment
- JustMeHere_01
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 11:43pm
  @SendTheMeteors
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 10:20pm
  Yeah. “Clever.”
  
  I’m just wondering what you guys think. The people buying the guns could be drug dealers, convicted felons, convicted wife abusers, child molesters, rapists, suicidal people, or terrorists who are planning mass murders (or some wino they paid an extra $50 to to walk over at get them a couple of guns).
  
  The most dangerous person in Seattle could have walked up and bought as many weapons as he had cash for. No background check right? If you have the cash, you get the gun right?
  
  That’s “clever?” Do you seriously think that’s what the Founder’s meant when the wrote the 2nd Amendment?
  ————————
  What I think is that the founders wanted to assure me that I would be able to protect myself from all enemies foreign or domestic. Is that a concept that you are incapable of understanding.
  
  I understand that know one is as smart as “Send_the_meters” but some of us try.
  
  Report this comment
- FormerLib
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 11:53pm
  Judging by those pics, and doing the math, most of those guns are weapons the city paid an average of 218 dollars each for that wouldn’t fetch 50 bucks in a pawn shop and few if any of them would ever be used in the commission of a crime. Overpaying for junk that won’t make a bit of difference: Yep, that sounds about par for the course for government.
  
  Report this comment
- Robert Hawk
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 7:21am
  The MANPAD pictured is a FIM 43 US military issue (1968-95)
  The FIM-43 Redeye was produced for U.S. Army in the 70′s, 80′s and early 90′s before it was replaced with the FIM-92A Stinger. It had a weight of 18.3lbs and was just under 4′ long. It had an effective range of 14,800ft with an M222 Blast-fragmentation warhead. The warhead weighed 2.35lbs and detonated via an impact fuze. It had a top speed of Mach 1.7 and was guided via infrared homing.
  
  Report this comment
- @leftfighter
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 7:52am
  I am a veteran Marine.
  
  The shoulder fired missile systems developed for the military are intended for one-and-done use. While they can be reloaded & reused, one would only do so if one didn’t mind the system blowing up on their shoulder. The pressure of the first launch ruins the tube, and therefore the system becomes useless for a second.
  
  Further, field stripping this or any other shoulder fired launch system does nothing in terms of causing it (not) to be able to be fired again. All it does is take the sight off so it can’t be fired a 2nd time as accurately as the first, which, as I said, is entirely inadvisable.
  
  Now, as to my comment on the story:
  
  “Some are looking at this as a money making operation,” he told KPLU-TV. “But I think that is very few of the people. Most people are here in the spirit of wanting to do something because of some of the tragedies that we’ve seen in our country and in our own city.”
  
  1. It’s a shame that inly a few people are looking at this as a money making operation. It shows the piss poor state of American Capitalism when people can’t see this golden goose right in front of them.
  
  2. If legal gun owners are gullible enough to be willingly disarmed or irresponsible enough that they can’t trust themselves to go shooting people up, they shouldn’t have weapons in the first place. Prepare to be ruled, you sheeple!
  
  MOLON LABE
  
  Report this comment
- love the kids
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 7:57am
  To JustMeHere_01,
  I’m sure that the founding fathers didn’t have this in mind when writing this ammendment, however, they did have a person’s honesty, integrity, and respect of others in mind when writing it. They DID HAVE IN MIND that unarmed citizens will eventually becomes slaves of an out of control govt. Liberals, write this down and save it, they are having you volunteer to give up your rights now on things that you agree with, but sooner or later, they will take away something you don’t agree with, but then it will be too late to stop it and you will wonder what happened. It’s funny how the same Constution has freedom of speech, which you like to use to bash conservatives, but then hate another freedom it grants, If the right to bear arms can be deleted, that so can the freedom of speech.
  
  Report this comment
- dimart
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 8:34am
  JustMeHere_01:
  
  When you liberal people understand that the 2nd Ammendment had NOTHING to do with any of this nonsense maybe you’ll smarten up! The 2nd Ammendment is a way to protect the people from the government taking away our rights – LIKE NOW!
  
  Report this comment
- GhostOfJefferson
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 9:39am
  @Meteors
  
  You know what is even more “clever”? Gang bangers and hit men can turn in their firearms to be melted into ****, thus allowing them to commit murder for free and have no material evidence that can be tracked back to them.
  
  Isn’t your government clever?
  
  Report this comment
- dcatkin
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 9:40am
  No wonder I don’t live in Seattle, freakin *******. Just go hand your gums in to the cops, and when somebody breaks in to your house don’t go next door to find a gun owner to help when the cops don’t reapond fast enough.
  
  I know I’d be the first person to laugh out loud. So don’t worry while that cominal beats you and your family to death because you can no longer defend yourself against them.
  
  Right To Bare Arms
  
  Report this comment
- JohnofOregon
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 10:54am
  A lot of m16s with Granade launchers are used with blanks locally to disperse geese off farms. It’s easier than moving the canons around. Of course most isolated city folks don’t know that.
  
  I am extremely happy to see people buying these arms though. A lot of the drug guns a garbage at these buy backs, but most are stolen. The buy back programs don’t check the weapons so this creates a lot of unsolved crimes. As for the expensive firearms and antiques, it is good to see someone taking advantage of this, and getting some bargains.
  
  Maybe a smart group of people can create a new cable show on this?
  
  Report this comment
- I support God's Israel!
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 11:52am
  Incinom would love to tell you that ALL gun owners should be criminalized. YET, those people who are against guns, HAVE THEIR OWN GUNS, like chucky schumer, the lberal liar of the left and Reid and Nancy, and all the left – THEY ALL HAVE GUNS either on themselves, in their homes, or as security people. WHAT HYPOCRITES THEY ARE.
  
  The problem is that those who are anti-gin ARE SIMPLY LIARS who want to disarm WE, THE PEOPLE so they can RULE OVER US WITH AN IRON FIST.
  
  WHAT DOES THE IRON FIST REPRESENT? I think you all know.
  
  I WILL NOT COMPLY.
  
  Report this comment
- Cartman05
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 2:51pm
  And you get the ammo where?
  
  Report this comment
- pman5k
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 5:17pm
  No it cannot be reused.
  
  It requires the use of a Battery Coolant Unit, which is a one time use item, as well as has a VERY limited shelf life.
  
  Also the launch tube is disposable, and CANNOT be reused, and attempting to do so would rightly land someone a nomination for a darwin award in short order. It is also made for use against low flying helicopters and slower older generations of attack aircraft. It was the first MANPAD system deployed by the US military. It’s guidance system is so obsolete, one can’t even find the parts and components to construct one anymore. The sensor arrays, if it even was from a live unit at one time, is worn out and obsolete, and cannot be repaired or replaced. In the 1980′s we sent pretty much the rest we had in the US over to the Afghans, and some to the CONTRA movement in south and central america. It poses absolutely no threat to anyone, other than some idiot who tries to do anything with it.
  
  These empty launch tubes are generally demilled (probably has a hole or holes drilled into the rear section, like the one you can see on the empty M136 launch tube from the LA buyback) and then sold to the surplus market in effort to make some money back for the govt. The DRMO often sells items like this, that if you get on file, you could buy by the crate load and turn around and sell them for good profit.
  
  Report this comment
- RIDEMODELS
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 11:56pm
  I have watched the news for years and years…and I have yet to see a criminal use a Rocket Launcher to rob a store or a bank…..Besides most of these criminals are robbing for drugs and drugs have been illegal for as far as I can remember…Can we just leave long guns alone and prosecute people for smoking Crack, even if the Crack smokers are our Politicians..!!
  
  Report this comment
- mr.marine87
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:03am
  false,I wasn’t around in the 50′s but every tube rocket I have shot is one use, at least for the rocket. for instance the AT4 has a spotter round witch is just 55.6 tracer round so you can see were you will hit, that can be reloaded and reused. but the actual rocket isn’t like on the video games were you just put another rocket in the tube if the caps are off and pin is pulled that’s all the rocket you get out of that system. the JAVELIN system has tubes that attach to the aiming computer. so you can attach a new tube to your aiming systems but the tube is a paper wait.
  
  Report this comment
- smghvacr
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:12am
  “No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government”
  
  – Thomas Jefferson, 1 Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334
  
  George Washington on the 2nd Amendment
  ”A free people ought not only be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who would attempt to abuse them, which would include their own Government.”
  
  If you are too dangerous than you should be locked up,period…
  If you are a freeman than you can have a firearm,period..
  The second amendment says nothing else,period
  It was not put there for hunting,period
  It was not put there for skeet shooting,period
  IT WAS PUT THERE SO THAT WE THE PEOPLE COULD KEEP OUR GOVERMENT IN CHECK,PERIOD.
  
  Report this comment
fastfacts
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:16pm
Did you see the video of Obama in 2008 claiming the government has the right to limit our 2nd amendment rights: http://www.thedailycandidate.com/video/2013/jan/obama_gun_confiscation.html
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- 000degrees
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:49pm
  Love the video…..especially the part where he outlined what he and holder did in fast and furious….
  
  Report this comment
- RDavis49
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:53pm
  THANK YOU !!!! Proof positive this Socialist President and his “usefull idiot democrats” (and that’s exactly what they all are) is lying out both sides of their mouths. This man knows that, though deadly, hand guns are no match for semi-auto and automatic clip fed weapons, so hand guns are not his main focus of ban and confiscation. Has nothing to do with public safety and everything to with removing the ability of the America people to defend themselves against a tyrannical government. Most of the crimes committed in Chicago and other large populated city areas are committed by the use of HAND GUNS, not deer rifles, not rocket launchers, not hand gernades and not assualt rifles. So, the logical conclusion here it that he wants the assualt rifles because they pose the greater threat to his plans to impliment his, Bill Ayers, Frank Davis…. etc., socialist/communist agenda over America. Figure it out people, open your blindy trusting eyes and figure it out……..
  
  Report this comment
- mikem1969
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:55pm
  They know they can’t do that, but they are conditioning people to bring in their guns for something else of value. In doing so when food supplies run short they can say bring in your guns for food. It is coming, be ready.
  
  Report this comment
- redfish52
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:58pm
  Looking at the photo of the rifles in the bin…I think the police paid to much….suckers.
  
  Report this comment
- Anadara
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 4:04pm
  Yep, Fast and Furious flopped and wrecked their insideous scheme to scuttle the 2nd Amendment. So now they are trying the Sandy hook approach which is using kids as propaganda tools.
  
  If the only thing that comes from this crisis is ‘universal gun registration’ all gun owners are still screwed because the very next step (as seen time and time again) is to CONFISCATE them. We must compromise nothing!
  
  Report this comment
- Jaycen
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 4:12pm
  “Some are looking at this as a money making operation,” he told KPLU-TV. “But I think that is very few of the people. Most people are here in the spirit of wanting to do something because of some of the tragedies that we’ve seen in our country and in our own city.”
  
  Then why weren’t they trading guns for “good will”? He’s an idiot, and clearly shouldn’t be at the top of the law enforcement food chain.
  
  Report this comment
- RabidPatriot
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 5:14pm
  I am sure glad they got rid of all of those single shot and bolt action shotguns. Those 50 year old $10 .22 LR’s too. Squirrels everywhere feel safer already.
  
  Report this comment
- redfish52
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 5:44pm
  This story should read…Seattle police buy back old and broken firearms from people that where to lazy to take care of them. I wouldn’t have given $50 for all the guns that were on that blanket.
  
  Report this comment
- Gold Coin & Economic News
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 6:14pm
  They want your guns and the government will try any way they can to get them. I am proud of these collectors for being innovative, but never forget, Obama and Feinstein want your guns:
  http://www.isthatbaloney.com/if-you-dont-think-they-want-your-guns-just-read-senator-dianne-feinsteins-proposed-legislation/
  
  Report this comment
- turkey13
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 6:57pm
  Here in Oklahoma there was a gun show at Ok City Fairgrounds this last weekend and all semi-auto including ar-15′s were priced out of sight. Folks were buying as fast as the computers could do a background check on them. A Ruger AR-15 like the one I bought 2 years ago is up $600.00. Cheap 1911 -.45′s that are usually under $500.00 were pushing $700. One thing Obama & Holder have done is made the Gun & Ammo manufactors the hottost stock on wall street. The companys are running 24/7. It’s like those folks that bought condom stock 15 – 20 years ago when Aids was the news headline.
  
  Report this comment
- rickroland
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 6:59pm
  Hmm, Obama in that video “… shall not be infringed…” somehow doesn’t preclude state and local governments from — infringing — on that right. Simply amazing.
  
  Oh, and the whole “hunting” b-crap.
  
  Report this comment
- jeffersonian1776
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 7:20pm
  “Some are looking at this as a money making operation,” he told KPLU-TV. “But I think that is very few of the people. Most people are here in the spirit of wanting to do something because of some of the tragedies that we’ve seen in our country and in our own city.”
  
  Now, making money, or paying a much more fair and closer to market value price is looked at as being a bad, bad, bad thing. That is if it goes against their feel good policies and politics. He is actually saying, in other words, do not get a more fair price that is closer to market value for that gun, give it to us, and we will give you this $100.00 Amazon gift card. If you hand it in to us, we will see that it is destroyed, (or if it’s nice or historic, it may end up at the police chief’s home–you stupid idiot, handing in a gunworth $10,000 due to its historic signifigance, and accepting a $100.00 gift card because you have no idea the worth of this thing you found in your attic, real bright!!!) but yeah, we’ll mae sure that evil thing that was sitting in your attic will get crushed, for ya.
  I’ll tell you one thing, the state is very very very very good at squandering, and plundering, and DESTROYING VALUABLE RESOURCES, yes that is something they have down pat.
  Remember, any fool you hear say that we need more bipartisan cooperation in D.C., that we actually nothing of the sort–bipartisan=loss of liberty. We want a govt that is clumsy, tripping over their own feet, and discoordinated, that i
  
  Report this comment
- GuruMeditation
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 7:45pm
  Yeah. I saw it before I decided NOT to vote for him.
  
  Report this comment
- oxycontinxx
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 7:50pm
  how does one know when burrak is lying about gun control??
  
  HIS LIPS ARE MOVING !!!!!
  
  Report this comment
- FreedomPurveyor
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 8:18pm
  The concept of these gun buybacks is so ludicrous. The only people who are going to show up are the ones who don’t use the guns in the first place. It isn’t like criminals are showing up and turning in the handguns they use to commit crimes on a daily basis.
  
  “Look, we took 200 guns off the streets!!!” No, you took 200 guns out of people attics and garages.
  
  Report this comment
- SendTheMeteors
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 10:20pm
  Yeah. “Clever.”
  
  I’m just wondering what you guys think. The people buying the guns could be drug dealers, convicted felons, convicted wife abusers, child molesters, rapists, suicidal people, or terrorists who are planning mass murders (or some wino they paid an extra $50 to to walk over at get them a couple of guns).
  
  The most dangerous person in Seattle could have walked up and bought as many weapons as he had cash for. No background check right? If you have the cash, you get the gun right?
  
  That’s “clever?” Do you seriously think that’s what the Founder’s meant when the wrote the 2nd Amendment?
  
  Report this comment
- jeffersonian1776
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 11:20pm
  Sendmeteors, Uh, yes. That is exactly what the Founders intended. If they didn’t mean for the 2nd, that’s THE SECOND (right after the freedom of speech), Amendment to be non-infringable “but that’s only federally” then they would never have included it within the Constitution to begin with.
  Hey if you want registrations and confiscations then move to a state where they do such nonsense. As for us down here in Tennessee, we don’t register, we open carry, we are allowed to own fully automatic weapons too, along with tanks, mortars, and cannons–all three of the latter being artillery.
  I feel it to important for your types to realize the difference between specific terms such as the word “artillery,” especially pertaining to something I hear often when people say “well you know, then the 2nd Amendment could mean that I can own a tank or cannon.” It specifically says “arms” not artillery, not missiles, etc.
  Also maybe you can enlighten us all on where the president has acquired all of this unilateral power? I cannot find anything, anywhere, that allows this guy to make law according to the Bill of Rights nonetheless. And also, if the American people are on his side, then why not do it the legal way and get rid of the 2nd Amendment altogether. The people can do that, the Founder’s gave us actually two ways to approach this. All you need is 39 to call, and 34 to amend. And if called, the President, the Supr. Court, nor Congress can uphold or stop the process. I sa
  
  Report this comment
- jeffersonian1776
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 11:53pm
  Also, SendtheMeteors said,
  “Yeah. ‘Clever.’
  I’m just wondering what you guys think. The people buying the guns could be drug dealers, convicted felons, convicted wife abusers, child molesters, rapists, suicidal people, or terrorists who are planning mass murders (or some wino they paid an extra $50 to to walk over at get them a couple of guns).
  The most dangerous person in Seattle could have walked up and bought as many weapons as he had cash for. No background check right? If you have the cash, you get the gun right?”
  
  Meteors, What makes you think that someone who bought one of these old attic guns was “dangerous?” Can you read minds? Should the state be given authority to try and read minds so they could say “I know why you are really buying this gun[s].” Is not that a dangerous proposition in and of itself? What are the odds that one of the police will take one home, maybe he or she might be the dangerous sociopath, consider that? You do know that they did not take any guns out of the hands of a criminal here, don’t you? Most of these are very old guns, some could have high values in the thousands, yet the dupes taking them in for a $100 Amazon giftcard had no idea what they had. Better they get paid a more close to market price than not, All the police are going to do is either crush them which is a waste or keep them for themselves.
  
  Report this comment
- samurai2112
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 8:47am
  But he shoots skeet all the time. A friend of us gun owners if I ever saw one.
  
  Report this comment
- SendTheMeteors
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 11:16am
  jeffersonian1776 – hey, great username. Anyway, you say, “I cannot find anything, anywhere, that allows this guy [the President] to make law according to the Bill of Rights nonetheless. President Obama has unilaterally made any laws. What law did he make?
  
  That’s one of the problems with discussing this issue. You seem to think the President has “made” some gun control laws. He hasn’t.
  
  Also, how do you know these guns were old collector’s items. Did you read their minds?
  
  Why is it okay to sell guns to known terrorists, murders and rapists? Do you really think it’s “clever” to get around the law and sell guns to known felons and gang-bangers? What’s to clever and cool about that?
  
  And does the 2nd Amendment allow you to buy or sell chemical arms?
  
  Report this comment
- 3-Blue
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 2:50pm
  Hey MeteorHead:
  
  Do you know what the definition of a fool is? “A propagandist who thinks he is fooling anyone but himself.”
  
  Do you know what the definition of the biggest fool is? “A propagandist who knows he is a fool and yet continues to do the same thing day in and day out despite all indications that he is a fool to do it.”
  
  Have a nice day and happy foolish proselytizing… over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.
  
  Report this comment
- jeffersonian1776
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 4:09pm
  Meteors, he has repeatedly said that if Congress does not act he will write E.O.’s and proceed accordingly as if they are actua laws. This is something which they (Congress) have no power to do either, it is not one of the enumerated powers. It is supposed to not be touched, unless you go about it via due process, and is entirely up to the state governments. Look, if 39 states called a convention and 34 states agreed to amend the Constitution banning all guns then it would be a true law. If 39 called a convention and 34 agreed to outlaw abortions nationwide then every single abortion from then on would be illegal. Do you see how it is supposed to work. The Constitution may seem more like a list of suggestions, like George Bush treated it and Lincoln, and FDR and Obama, and even John Adams. But, that does not continue to give the federal govt the ability to run roughshod over our lives. I guess it is just politically expedient to pass laws more in tune to what a direct democracy looks like, which ultimately tyranny in the worst form, a truly evil system of govt. The problem is the federal govt, they cannot live within their means, they will never ever do something that guarantees their demise in the next election, if they know it would anyway. Freedom is on the descendancy, but this is how liberty dies: bread, circuses, and thundering applause.
  And no, you cannot own chemical weapos, unless your state govt allows you to within in your own state.
  
  Report this comment
- RIDEMODELS
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 11:59pm
  I have never watched the news and witnessed a Rocket Launcher Robbery…..or an AR robbery for that matter…..Maybe its the video games that are causing the problems here.
  
  Report this comment
WTFHappenedToTheUSA
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:16pm
Closing my,Amazon Prime account momentarily.

“The buyback program is funded by donations from Amazon of $30,000″

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- HLGarret
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 4:13pm
  Amazon also supports planned parenthood!
  
  Report this comment
- jteagle
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 5:19pm
  That’s why I purchase from them as often as possible!
  
  Report this comment
- jteagle
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 5:25pm
  Hey dummy. Your Amazon prime account is a year long membership. They already have your money but you just go ahead and “cancel”.
- GoodStuff
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 5:31pm
  “That’s why I purchase from them as often as possible!”
  
  You love the murder of children in the womb? How wonderful.
  
  Report this comment
- jteagle
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 6:09pm
  Here we go with that argument. Abortion is not murder. We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one. Besides planned parenthood does much more than abortion.
  
  Report this comment
- Baerlin
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 6:30pm
  Jteagle – Why would you support an organization that has killed 55,000,000 babies?
  
  Report this comment
- tomcat11767
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 6:39pm
  JT
  When I meet a human being that was not an embryo, then I will believe that abortion is not murder.
  
  Report this comment
- KrishnaDas
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 7:00pm
  They also sold customer data used for the obama campaign to target undecided voters, know well in advance what kind of person they were talking to, all based off of what they buy on amazon.
  
  Report this comment
- GuruMeditation
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 7:41pm
  I quit using amazon a long time ago.
  
  Report this comment
- zombieocracy
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 8:23pm
  Hope Amazon’s got good European support…
  
  Report this comment
- Fubared
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 8:30pm
  JTBeagle is a troll. Don’t feed it.
  
  Report this comment
- r3dbull4dd1kt
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 10:18pm
  Ebay and Amazon are Liberal-loving, Commie-loving D-bags…perpetuating the illegal importation and sale of Chinese knock-offs of Patented US Products…
  
  …only idiots shop on these POS, anti-American sites…
  
  Shopping on price alone is half the reason our Economy sucks, jobs keep getting exported and these @sshats are billionaires using their profits to ensure people like the Kenyan-in-Chief keep getting elected…
  
  Report this comment
Fanglorious1
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:15pm
Ok wait…. In exchange for gift cards worth $100-$200… Police say they’ve given out $35,000 for 160 guns… 35,000 divided by 160 is 218.75 last time I checked…. Is this some kind of new math I’m unaware of?????

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:21pm
  FANGLORIOUS1, Its the usual left wing school board school math. 2+2=5 1/2.
  
  Report this comment
- Oregon Web Foot
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:48pm
  I was actually rolling around on the floor laughing as I read this and the response from RRJINGADSON.
  
  Report this comment
- Truthbomb
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 4:37pm
  Hopefully some of the better guns somehow wound up in the homes of the police officers. Stockpiling for the when the civil war starts.
  
  Report this comment
- 19RANDY59
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 8:29pm
  It’s not their money. Why would you think they would keep an accurate accounting? Typical libs, always using other peoples money.
  
  Report this comment
- Lt_Scrounge
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 10:40pm
  No, it’s the math wherein they gave out $35,000 worth of cards, but only turned in 160 guns. The other ones were just too nice to throw away, or just cheap enough to use for throw downs.
  
  Patrol officer “Seriously Sergeant, I thought it was a gun in his hand.”
  Corrupt Sergeant “Don’t worry kid, I’ve got you covered.” (as he puts a handgun with the serial numbers filed off into the dead perp’s hand.)
  
  Honestly, I hated having to type that but with the level of corruption in some of the larger police departments, it has to happen occasionally.
  
  Report this comment
normalmom
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:14pm
These idiots that do this must have forgot how much they paid for those guns. Of course it could be buddies of criminals who have used those weapons, getting money for them, and wow the criminal gets rid of the evidence.

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- GoodStuff
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 5:33pm
  You’re talking about the Amazon executives right?
  
  Report this comment
- American Soldier (Separated)
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 10:41pm
  Talk about a good way to get rid of a murder weapon. I’m sure Criminals wish they could have these buy backs more often. They’ll just go steal another gun, commit more crimes with it then sell that gun to the police for money. BRILLIANT!
  
  Report this comment
- FormerLib
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 12:19am
  I wonder how many of those guns were stolen the night before, and how many of those gift cards will be traded for crack or weed?
  
  Report this comment
An_American_Thinker
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:10pm
Now those that have turned in their weapons are sitting ducks for robbers and thieves wielding knives, hammers, clubs, etc. Real smart.

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- urnokid
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 7:24pm
  Not really, they will just go break in more houses to get more guns. Then when they have another buy back they will do it all over again.
  
  Report this comment
- ldonnell
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 7:30pm
  somehow i think these were not the owners that were turning in the guns.
  
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momrules
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:01pm
I wonder……..do the police really destroy these weapons?

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- ChuckJ
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:11pm
  Someone correct me if I am wrong. But after check serial numbers and ballistics some departments sell them back to gun manufactures to help pay for gun costs for their departments.
  
  Report this comment
- progressiveslayer
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:17pm
  They probably sell some to make a profit,every little bit helps in these artificially created tough times.
  
  Report this comment
- Leavon
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 5:14pm
  No they use them to seed crime scenes where a Police Raid goes bad like when they go to the wrong address and kill an entire family because the wife stepped into the room with a **** dryer or a guy answers the front door carrying the T.V. remote and they gun him down. The miltarization of our police has turned them into heavily armed thugs that are no longer content to wait out a barracade incident and instead go in guns blazing. Scary times ahead friend.
  
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- CatB
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 10:26pm
  @MOM .. this was just posted from my old hometown .. look who was running for Sheriff as a DEMOCRAT ..
  
  http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2013/01/lance_laird_former_candidate_f.html
  
  “Former candidate for Jackson County sheriff, among those arrested after large cocaine bust”
  
  Always heard cops had the best weed .. doubt all those guns get destroyed .. especially those that are worth $$. Good for the CITIZENS who bought them out from under them.
  
  Report this comment
grimmster
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:56pm
This is purely show,the lefts way of saying “look, we’re making you safe from guns”,when in reality, all these f-n morons are buying, is junk, weapons the are broken and of no use to anyone,noting but a waste of tax payers money………

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powedj
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:54pm
How much could I get for a pink KITTY bubble gun or a L shaped piece of paper made to look like a gun???.

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- Anonymous T. Irrelevant
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:11pm
  The schools seem to think they are real, perhaps the pinko police would, too.
  
  Report this comment
- Truthbomb
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 4:40pm
  LOL! Maybe you could get a gift card just for saying the word gun. The liberals are so scared of them.
  
  Report this comment
- IWISHIWASINTEXAS
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 6:18pm
  You’d get more money for your guns if you painted them black first :)
  
  Report this comment
mjs6029
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:52pm
I really love these gun buy back programs! All it means is that these weak minded liberals will be the only ones without guns for protection. When it’s all said and done, only real patriots will have “personal Defense Weapons” and these liberals will not be a threat.

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- Rowgue
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:02pm
  Actually what happens with gun buyback programs is that criminals go on sprees to steal as many guns as possible from law abiding citizens and then sell them back to the government.
  
  So it accomplishes the dual task of disarming decent people againt their will and rewarding criminals both financially and by making the community as a whole an easier target.
  
  Report this comment
- RANGER1965
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:06pm
  I never thought about it that way, but you’re right.
  
  Report this comment
- TheCalmOne
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:36pm
  There has not been a single mass shooting in Australia since the national gun buy back in 1996.
  
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- Truthbomb
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 4:44pm
  True that. I can see the law suit now when someone breaks into their home and they have no gun to protect themselves. “I sold it to the police because I thought they could protect me from everything.”
  
  Report this comment
- slonlo
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 5:01pm
  @THECALMONE
  Re: “There has not been a single mass shooting in Australia since the national gun buy back in 1996.”
  
  False. In 2002 Xu Hui “William” Wu killed 2 and injured 5 in a shooting at Monash University in Melbourne. A mass shooting is “defined” as one where more than 4 people are shot, right? That’s 7. And the mass KILLINGS didn’t stop either. In 2000 Robert Paul Long lit a hostel on fire, killing 15. It’s clear… only people with 3 names kill. BAN HIGH CAPACITY NAMES!!
  
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- RightThinking1
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 6:52pm
  TheCalmOne,
  You are cherry picking…., let’s get to the real point. How did the MURDER RATE change in Australia after the confiscation? You look it up, but as far as I know, it changed not at all.
  The analogy might be, banning all buses, then crowing that since the ban no bus passengers have died in crashes. Would that reduce the death rate? Yes…, but not discernibly. Analogies, by their very nature are flawed, but I do not see much difference here .
  
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barber2
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:52pm
Love it ! A guy brought in a rocket launcher ?!

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:25pm
  Yeah, really. Its a Redeye launcher. Like he can get it reloaded anyhow. But, it will be the media darling in their local news for some time to come.
  http://www.militaryfactory.com/imageviewer/sa/pic-detail.asp?smallarms_id=195&sCurrentPic=pic1
  
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- Fubared
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:46pm
  Bet WangDang is holding on to his ******** launchers.
  
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- Fubared
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 4:19pm
  B r o w n e y e….that got censored?
  
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- neidermeyer
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 5:34pm
  A worthless fiberglass tube ,, you could get them at surplus stores for about $25 ,, the fedgov is required to sell/auction almost anything that it can recover costs on by law. Once they’re fired they’re done .. The one thing I would like is one of the USPS small vans … mechanically they’re a Chevy S-10 , very cheap to operate and extremely practical.
  
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- Xiccarph
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 5:52pm
  Just like the “authorities”….abusing their power of ultimate force and ‘declare’ it “must be military property”. He had no right to seize it, or make up an excuse to seize it, but he’s got a badge and gun, so can do what he wants. Stasi.
  Probably will end up in the Chief’s private collection.
  
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- 700P
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 8:20pm
  Sorry,
  That looks like some sort of training aid that came from TASC..I was expecting an expended LAWS tube (which you can find in landfills)…the libs in LA were cheesing themselves over the expended M136 tubes a few weeks back. It was pathetic and ridiculous.
  
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00100111
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:51pm
Suck it, antis. Suck it down good. You like that? Yeah I bet you do, ya little fairies.

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progressiveslayer
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:50pm
At least people are buying them before the state destroys them,of course the state’s using our tax dollars to buy them back. Clearly what’s needed are more gun laws, that will fix everything.

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RightUnite
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:45pm
Good! The stupid people who didn’t want the legal gun buyers to have access to “their” guns will be the first eliminated…. The sheep being led to slaughter….. I won’t lose sleep of their loss. The strong will survive.

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- barber2
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:56pm
  Right: I think its the strong ones with common sense who will survive. Which, thankfully, means our arrogant Lefties won’t…
  
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- jcldwl
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:08pm
  You are correct Rightunite. Those people are the sheep that will go where the government tells them to when the government tells them to. It is sad.
  
  Report this comment
- TreeTrimmerJim
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:56pm
  “What good fortune for governments that the people do not think.” ~ Adolf Hitler
  
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- ldonnell
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 7:42pm
  i wish they would have a buyback around here,i’ve got some junk i would like to get rid of.
  
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cemerius
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:44pm
I saw too many guns in Iraq destroyed by tank treads…..many of these still had the museum stamps on them too!! Bolt action and single shot in prestine condition! Enough to make a grown man weep…..they did let me bring back a couple bayonets that I am sure will be made illegal in a couple months…..

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Landon410
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:41pm
I’ve got some old 22′s that the pawn shop won’t give me $25 for, maybe I could get some idiot cop to give me $100 for it

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- Fubared
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:44pm
  Keep them, every safe needs props for when the man comes…
  
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rvsample
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:41pm
The police officer holding a SA-7 launch tube is playing to the ignorant. The launch tube is a one time use item and whoever had it probably got it from a surplus store. It does make good pictures if you don’t know the real story.

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- grimmster
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:53pm
  @Rvsample.
  If im not mistaken,thats not the russian made sa-7,but an American madeFIM-43.Either way, without the missle, its totally useless, unless you make a lamp stand out of it, idiot f-n cops.
  
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- FlagWavingPatriot
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:47pm
  You are correct, that’s a Redeye (FIM-43), US produced. I believe that was one step back from the Stinger.
  
  As harmless as a **** on a rabbit’s **** without the missile (more specifically, the warhead).
  
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- r3dbull4dd1kt
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 10:26pm
  they claim that Redeye was still live–they mentioned it in the real article–in that case 1) the dumb@ss who bought it shoulda hauled arse outta dodge the moment money changed hands 2)the guy who sold it was a genius if he got that outta the base without gettin caught!
  
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pavepaws
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:40pm
Need better advertising.

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Cavallo
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:39pm
Wow, look at the horrid condition some of those firearms are in that picture. The fascists got robbed, but hey.. its only tax money, right?

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Thundergod
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:38pm
I Love America

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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:35pm
These are definitely not the kind of police I would want protecting me. They probably show up hours late. Why would they have a problem with citizens owning and buying guns, especially those with historical value? Go**amn communists.

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- toto
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:26pm
  It’s looking more and more like the sheriff’s are the good guys and the police chiefs are not.
  
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- 700P
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 8:37pm
  Because one’s Elected and the other’s Selected (for increasingly PC criteria).
  
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- MDECKER
  Posted on January 29, 2013 at 12:12am
  Seattle Police Chief Diaz is a disgrace to the Uniform! He demonstrates disdain for our Constitution and Capitalistic system.
  
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Cavallo
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:32pm
So.. wait.. “Most people are here in the spirit of wanting to do something because of some of the tragedies that we’ve seen in our country and in our own city.”

Does that mean the people who are turning in their firearms are worried they might shoot a bunch of people with them? His claim doesn’t make a lot of sense. He’s delusional.

However, I am glad to see dealers making sure that some of those firearms aren’t destroyed and will increase the supply as quality firearms are reintroduced into the system. Bravo to them!

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- TheMightyZeus
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:57pm
  That’s what I don’t get about these buyback programs. They must be worried their guns will run off and commit mass murder of their own accord. After all, guns kill people.
  
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Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:30pm
How much for a potato gun?

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- DougHuffman
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:38pm
  A lot of fun.
  
  We’ve PWC jet-skiiers that ignore ‘Swimmers – No Wake Zones’ until the spud guns come out. A good spud gun will take the rider off a PWC.
  
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- sillyfreshness
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:40pm
  Frickin hilarious! Beat the cops at their own game. I know of a guy that would do that stuff for antiques/jewerly. When an antique buyers would come to our city, they’d rent a hotel and advertise in the paper. This guy I knew would wait in front of the hotel and buy stuff before going into the hotel that advertised or he’d buy stuff that the buy didn’t buy. Too funny.
  
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- 13th Imam
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:46pm
  Can I turn in a torn piece of paper gun?
  
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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 3:28pm
  13TH IMAM, LOL, that’s exactly what I was thinking when I opened this story. But, I see that you beat me to it.
  
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DougHuffman
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:29pm
Why aren’t government agencies acting as gun brokers required to have Federal Firearms Licenses and execute Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473?

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- Cavallo
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:38pm
  Some animals are more equal than others.
  
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- Bonnieblue2A
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:46pm
  Seattle LE were buying, not selling. One does not have to have an FFL in order to purchase. Thus, the private buyers, as long as not otherwise prohibited to be in possesion of firearms by law, had the equal standing as purchasers as did the LEOs and their agency.
  
  AG Fast’n Furious Holder and his minions at BATFE, Breuer, Melson & Co., forced licensed FFL’s to complete sales to straw purchasers and known felons even when rejected by NICs checks.
  
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- SovereignSoul
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:46pm
  Do you want the long legal answer or the short answer you already know?
  Que tenga un buen día
  
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- Joe_The_Patriot
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:46pm
  Yeah How do we kow what is actually being done with these guns… I bet the cops are picking out the best ones for themselves…. or perhaps to sell themselves for real market value….
  
  Report this comment
- DougHuffman
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 4:09pm
  The legal requirement for an FFL is doing business.
  
  I note that no one is citing chapter and verse of the statute that I can, for instance, for my state laws.
  
  Report this comment
- Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 4:26pm
  Only Pigs can wear clothes.
  
  Report this comment
- DougHuffman
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 6:07pm
  Real men don’ need no stinkin’ badges hung on their clothes, they hang ‘em on their scrota.
  
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EPROM
Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:28pm
Capitalism goes hand-in-hand with the 2nd Amendment!

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- obamasacommie
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 2:44pm
  The article says they are buying back semi-auto’s funny though I did’nt see a single semi-auto in the pile of junk weapons. Truth be told i doubt there was a wepon that i would give you fifty dollars for. Thank god for these dumb liberals providing a profitable dump for our garbage.
  
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- Pontiaku
  Posted on January 28, 2013 at 5:15pm
  Yeah I got a few things ready to dump on those idiots at gun buy backs.
  Hell I would set up there and buy good guns from people before the police did but if I bought something that was stolen they’ll take it from me and charge me with receiving stolen property. Though if they buy something that is stolen they’ll just melt it down without returning it to the rightful owner…
  
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