There was a hilarious example when the Mill Valley sheriffs had their gun buyback weekend at the same time one of the major sporting goods store was clearing out their gun inventory. People were allegedly buying guns for $125 and turning them in for $200.
Almost every buyback program is gamed to some extent.
Of the more veteran gun collectors in my list of acquaintances, the most popular use for buybacks is to get paid for the destruction of a junk (old, non-working) firearm that they would otherwise have to pay to have destroyed.
Among my friends that are cops, of the functional and/or desirable guns they receive, they suspect that they are likely using the buyback programs to get the government to destroy weapons they've used in crimes.
Beyond just those bits of gaming, a very popular strategy among both gun collectors and gang members, is to set up a buyback program on the way to the real buyback program and offer slightly better prices, and/or cash (as often, bought-back guns are redeemed for gift certificates, or vouchers).
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I was reminded of this NY Times article describing how someone cleverly gamed a gun buyback program by making and returning homemade $5 zip guns: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/02/the-very-brief-...
There was a hilarious example when the Mill Valley sheriffs had their gun buyback weekend at the same time one of the major sporting goods store was clearing out their gun inventory. People were allegedly buying guns for $125 and turning them in for $200.
Almost every buyback program is gamed to some extent.
Of the more veteran gun collectors in my list of acquaintances, the most popular use for buybacks is to get paid for the destruction of a junk (old, non-working) firearm that they would otherwise have to pay to have destroyed.
Among my friends that are cops, of the functional and/or desirable guns they receive, they suspect that they are likely using the buyback programs to get the government to destroy weapons they've used in crimes.
Beyond just those bits of gaming, a very popular strategy among both gun collectors and gang members, is to set up a buyback program on the way to the real buyback program and offer slightly better prices, and/or cash (as often, bought-back guns are redeemed for gift certificates, or vouchers).