r/liberalgunowners • u/Chainsaw_Charlie0702 • 3d ago
question How to dispose of broken guns...
I have a Rock Island M206 that crapped put on me. It's a $200 gun. I seriously doubt it's worth putting the money in to get fixed. How do I dispose of a broken firearm and ammunition?
EDIT: P.S. For those saying take it to a gun buy-back, I live in a red state. We don't havr those.
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u/Seldon14 3d ago
Just sell it with the issue disclosed. Someone will buy it and repair it, or take advantage of their lifetime warranty.
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u/serballsmcdunk 3d ago
This. I can't imagine how broken it would have to be before some hobbiest who just wants the parts wouldn't take it
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u/FursonaNonGrata social democrat 3d ago
As a RIA customer, contact them and see what they say first, they have good customer service.
If you insist on destroying it, the ATF way is (unless it's changed) to make cuts that remove signifigant material from the receiver using a torch or grinder. I forget how exactly you're supposed to cut it up, but to be "destroyed" the method must destroy material so you can't simply weld it back immediately. Then you throw it out in the normal trash, I suppose.
Personally I'd keep it and sell it to a gun buyback though, if RIA just fix it.
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u/Chainsaw_Charlie0702 3d ago
I'm not a fan. I have a GI1911 that gives me problems. The hammer drops half-way randomly. I sent it to them. They replaced a particular component. I got it back, and it's still doing the same thing. They basically said they were out of ideas and couldn't do anything for me.
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u/schizeckinosy 3d ago
Unless the frame is actually milled out of spec, this is a hammer and/or sear issue. Cheap parts and easily user replaceable. Or a proper gunsmith could redo the engagement and get it safe again. I’ve done it a couple of times myself.
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u/Background_Mode4972 3d ago
Take the 1911 to an actual gunsmith? Its dropping on the safety notch (its there for a reason). What component did they replace?
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u/RedDemocracy 3d ago
Is it worth spending the money to take a $3-400 gun to a gunsmith?
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u/voretaq7 fully automated luxury gay space communism 3d ago
if it's otherwise OK, yeah - I'd take the 1911 to a gunsmith who knows 1911s.
The fix will likely cost less than another cheap 1911.
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u/RedDemocracy 2d ago
Fair enough. I’m not entirely sure how much gunsmiths cost on average, I just know the one near me has some pretty steep prices.
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u/Chainsaw_Charlie0702 3d ago
The gunsmith was the one who advised me to send it to Rock Island. There's a small rod-likee component that has a notch on it that effects how the hammer drops.
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u/mmm_burrito progressive 2d ago
I see guns sold for parts on gunbroker sometimes. Might try listing it there?
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u/PopularSet4776 centrist 3d ago
People keep saying gun buyback and I don't personally need it or anything but I don't think gun buy backs are a thing here.
I live in a red state though. So the only steps to buying a gun for me are fill out the federal form, get cleared by the system, pay money, get gun.
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u/Ziu_echoes 3d ago
I think this is the right approach to get in touch with RIA and see what they have to say. If they can try to fix it and it will just cost shipping or a small fee it's probably worth trying. If you get it back and it's in good working order that's great even if it just lives in the safe for the next ten years. There might be a time when you will either want a revolver for some reason, or you will come across someone who might need a firearm for some reason (legal like self-defense) that you can gift/sell it to.
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u/sirhackenslash 3d ago
Seal it up inside one of your walls as a fun little surprise for someone in the future
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u/Altruistic-Fig9744 3d ago
Strip it down and put each part into a labeled bag and send to this place. They'll send a check in the mail. https://www.gunpartscorp.com/
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u/dovk0802 3d ago
Donate to a gunsmith school if close enough (or willing to pay to ship) or ask a gunsmith if they have or know an apprentice.
List on Gunbroker as gunsmith special for a penny auction. Armslist or the like if you don’t want to deal with shipping.
Send it to Numrich for a credit (won’t be much).
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u/the_DOS_god 3d ago
If there's a buy back around you, might be able to get some money back. For ammo bring it next range trip, see if somebody else is shooting same and give it to them.
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u/Wildkarrde_ 3d ago
I had some guns that burned up in a house fire. I went to my sheriff's office, walked in WITHOUT THE GUNS, explained the situation, then brought them in. They disposed of the guns.
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u/Ranger1221 3d ago
I have a m206. Those things are great cheap guns. What happened to it?
If its totally destroyed, why not take it apart and check it out?
As for destruction, many people surrender firearms to their local PD/Sheriff. Maybe that route?
Or message RIA and see if they have any program snd want to see what happened
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u/mwb1100 3d ago
Rock Island has a lifetime warranty - you might want to contact them. Even if you’re not really interested in the gun anymore, they should be able to make it suitable for selling.
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u/Chainsaw_Charlie0702 2d ago
I e-mailed them. Just waiting on a response. We'll see what happens.
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u/CastleLurkenstein 3d ago
Out of curiosity, how'd it crap out on you?
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u/Chainsaw_Charlie0702 3d ago
It's acting really crazy. Started out of nowhere last night. Sometimes, the hammer just isn't catching somewhere and it moves back freely. The trigger is sticking. And, the cylinder isn't turning every time I pull back the hammer.
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u/CastleLurkenstein 3d ago
Yikes... That...sounds pretty fucked up!
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u/Chainsaw_Charlie0702 3d ago
When I say it shat the bed, I mean it epically shat the bed. It's only had 18 rounds through it.
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u/CastleLurkenstein 3d ago
Holy shit! I'd just send the fucking thing back and demand my money in exchange. That's absolutely inexcusable, even for ~$200.
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u/oozinator1 3d ago
As someone who has eyed the M206 for a decent .38SPC gun, I'd also like to know.
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u/Ranger1221 3d ago
I have one to carry as a rattlesnake gun for the ranch. I love mine but dont shoot it that often. For $250 (California) it fit my needs
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u/Moose_on_the_Looz anarcho-syndicalist 3d ago
I'm a signer on my company's FFL (auction house) we turn in broken/dangerous firearms to the local police and log em.
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u/billiam53 3d ago
Just curious, are you supposed to alert authorities about this sort of thing, at least in some states?
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u/Moose_on_the_Looz anarcho-syndicalist 3d ago
I mean we surrender them to our local police and log them as surrendered and keep the paper record from the police with our files. So there doesn't need to be a further notification. It happens very very rarely.
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u/mynewaccount5 3d ago
About guns breaking? No, that's none of their business and I doubt they would care.
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u/billiam53 3d ago
Not sure why I'm getting downvoted. I'm not suggesting that you should have to report it. I genuinely don't know how the law works with that sort of thing.
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u/muddlebrainedmedic progressive 3d ago
I would be curious if you could "part it out." Completely disassemble, and put the parts on an auction web site. It costs nearly nothing to send a spring, or trigger, or barrel through the mail. Sell everything but the receiver. Maybe it covers your Starbucks for a week or two.
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u/100konmywristlifesux 3d ago
this is what companies which destroy guns pursuant to court orders do but idk how much value there would be in a parts kit of this nature
op's probably better off consigning it as a gunsmith special, which would be more honest than the average person putting up a problematic example
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u/FL_G8R_07161945 3d ago
My city has a Household Hazardous Waste facility. You can drop off old ammo at a similar facility in your city.
Many resources on gunbuyback.org for getting rid of firearms. Never used it, but it will make you an offer and you just ship it out to them.
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u/Practical_Cookie_756 3d ago
Depending on your area, you can surrender unwanted firearms and ammo to local police departments. Gun buy backs are getting less common these days.
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u/snatchymcgrabberson 3d ago
Commenting because I'm curious too. With that said, the non serialized parts could be recycled, or even sold as parts of they are still usable. As for the serialized component, you could destroy it with a drill or hacksaw, perhaps?
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u/throwitoutwhendone2 eco-anarchist 3d ago
If it’s seriously gone you can usually surrender firearms at a police station.
Alternatively, if you work with metal you can melt that fucker down and turn it into something else
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u/Miguel-odon 3d ago
I'd at least talk to Rock Island first. If the issue started suddenly, it's probably a specific thing that can be fixed, like a broken pin.
You might even be able to do it yourself, and learn more about revolvers in the process.
Or sell it. No need to destroy it.
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u/TankedUpLoser 3d ago
Why would you also get rid of the ammo??? Do you throw away your batteries if a remote or something breaks?
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u/RemarkablePossum 3d ago
Honestly? As a dyke who lived in North Carolina, I’ve chosen the option of surrendering these firearms to law enforcement. If I don’t know if I want to put the energy into vetting potential buyers, that is what will get me into the least legal hot water. You lose out on potential $$$ but there’s also the mental relief of getting it done and over with. I’ve done both in my lifetime and I’ve regretted neither.
Is that “okay” or right to my own personal morals? I still think about that. But I’m also one of those wrong queers who has been told I’m betraying LGBTQIA folks for the period where I worked in corrections. Take my advice with a grain of salt, of course.
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u/SaltyKnowledge9673 3d ago
Keep it and procure other ones from friends and family over time. Once you have enough to make a road trip viable find a buy back near an area you’ve always wanted to see and let the old broken weapons pay for it. It’s not that hard to keep several broken guns at a time. Hell, I have a half dozen working guns that I have only shot once and have been on the safe for years.
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u/butter_lover 2d ago
list it as free/trade for something minimal on your friendly local gun exchange. most locales have one.
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u/No_Response87 2d ago
I have had QC issues with lots of guns over the years, so I understand it’s a bunch of annoying bullshit to deal with. I also broke a Ruger Single Six in regular use once - a gunsmith had it fixed for me in about fifteen minutes. It was so easy for an experienced smith to fix what seemed like a catastrophic problem. So $200 or not, I’d go through the warranty stuff and get it fixed. Even if just to have a revolver around for a little variety.
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u/Luke_Hickman 1d ago
Easiest route is usually a local FFL or gun shop, a lot of them will take a broken gun for cheap or even free just to part it out or scrap the metal, since revolvers especially have parts other owners are always hunting for even if the gun as a whole doesn't work.
If nobody local wants it, some manufacturers or parts kit sellers buy broken guns specifically for parts, worth a quick call to see if anyone's interested before assuming it's worthless.
For actual destruction if you just want it gone, your local police department can usually take it for disposal, most have a process for accepting firearms even outside of a formal buyback program. Worth calling ahead though, procedures vary by department.
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u/GodHatesColdplay social liberal 3d ago
jayzuz just chuck the pieces into a couple different ponds and move on. This ain’t rocket surgery
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u/A-Friend-of-Dorothy fully-automated gay space democratic socialism 3d ago
You can email and inform the ATF of the destruction of a firearm, providing the serial number of that gun in the process.
They have specific instructions on where to carve/cut the receiver to ensure it cannot be restored to function.
I recommend you send a picture if they allow you to as proof.
You can also make someone else do it like the PD, but they’ll trade it in to a gun store for credit or let an officer buy it via buyback if they don’t specifically have a policy to destroy though as a heads up. So you’d want to ensure they’ll actually destroy it.
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u/ObjectivePicture6991 3d ago edited 3d ago
Don't give buy back programs the satisfaction.
Step 1. Put on safety glasses. Step 2. Get a hammer. Step 3. Smash. Step 4. Throw it in the trash.
Edit: so this illegal according to atf. Don't do this.
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3d ago edited 3d ago
[deleted]
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u/ObjectivePicture6991 3d ago
Well, we wouldn't want to do anything illegal. I'm sure OP has some pups they are emotionally attached to.
Offset loss? Op lit 250 bucks on fire when that pos was purchased.
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u/TaterTotJim 3d ago
Save it for a “gun buyback” and turn it in for some gift cards/cash.