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Mill finds new use for guns
By Ty McMahan
The Oklahoman
Thousands of weapons seized by law enforcement agencies in Oklahoma are converted each year from firearms to fence posts.
The process takes place in Sand Springs, home of the state's only steel mill, where the guns are dumped into an 82-ton furnace and melted down to liquid steel. The steel from the guns is used for fence posts and reinforcing bar.
Oklahoma City police delivered a load of about 1,700 guns Friday to be destroyed.
"We heat it up to about 3,100 degrees," said Mike Grayson, general foreman at Sheffield Steel. "Those guns turn to molten metal that pours like water."
Grayson said Sheffield Steel has provided the service to law enforcement agencies, free of charge, for more than 35 years.
"It's thousands of guns," Grayson said. "There has been a pile out there as tall as my head."
Guns are not the only contraband that meets its fiery end in Sheffield Steel's furnaces.
Grayson said the steel company burns knives, brass knuckles, drugs and pornography, among other items.
"I remember when I was a kid, we burned a lot of slot machines they got during a raid," Grayson said. "They found them at some country club."
Guns, however, are more common than any other item brought in by law enforcement agencies, Grayson said.
Oklahoma City police Sgt. Gary Knight said the department destroys nearly 2,000 guns every year.
"That's after we've gone through all the steps to track down the owner," Knight said.
Knight said the department returns about 500 guns to their rightful owners every year.
Destroying all the guns is a decision Oklahoma City police think will help keep the streets safe. Knight said every destroyed gun is one less that can find its way into the hands of a criminal.
"We don't want to start supplying guns to the public," Knight said.
Grayson said it pains him sometimes to see quality guns go up in flames -- eventually becoming a post to hang barbed wire in someone's cattle pasture.
"I hate doing this, because I see a lot of good guns that go to waste," Grayson said.
Most departments agree with Grayson.
Jim Cox, executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Police Chiefs, said many departments, especially those with smaller budgets, rely on the resale of seized guns to help pay for equipment.
"Just because it comes in the hands of the police does not mean it shouldn't be turned back to someone for legitimate use," Cox said.
Cox said many long rifles and shotguns used for sporting purposes are resold to the public. He said there is a detailed system of background checks and safeguards to ensure weapons are sold to people who intend to use them for legitimate purposes.
Tom Shaffer, president of the Oklahoma Sheriff's Association, said his department in Major County earned about $6,000 from the sale of guns at the last county auction. He said some of the guns are traded to dealers for other equipment needed by the department. Most guns that can't be used for sporting purposes are destroyed.
"It does a lot for us," Shaffer said. "Since our budget is so short, it does a lot for buying equipment and training."
Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz said he has received criticism for reselling the guns.
"They try to jump on me for selling hunting weapons, but I agree with the Second Amendment -- that people have a right to have those guns in their homes," Glanz said.
"Guns are part of the American tradition. No matter how many laws you have, you're not going to get rid of guns in America."
http://www.newsok.com/
By Ty McMahan
The Oklahoman
Thousands of weapons seized by law enforcement agencies in Oklahoma are converted each year from firearms to fence posts.
The process takes place in Sand Springs, home of the state's only steel mill, where the guns are dumped into an 82-ton furnace and melted down to liquid steel. The steel from the guns is used for fence posts and reinforcing bar.
Oklahoma City police delivered a load of about 1,700 guns Friday to be destroyed.
"We heat it up to about 3,100 degrees," said Mike Grayson, general foreman at Sheffield Steel. "Those guns turn to molten metal that pours like water."
Grayson said Sheffield Steel has provided the service to law enforcement agencies, free of charge, for more than 35 years.
"It's thousands of guns," Grayson said. "There has been a pile out there as tall as my head."
Guns are not the only contraband that meets its fiery end in Sheffield Steel's furnaces.
Grayson said the steel company burns knives, brass knuckles, drugs and pornography, among other items.
"I remember when I was a kid, we burned a lot of slot machines they got during a raid," Grayson said. "They found them at some country club."
Guns, however, are more common than any other item brought in by law enforcement agencies, Grayson said.
Oklahoma City police Sgt. Gary Knight said the department destroys nearly 2,000 guns every year.
"That's after we've gone through all the steps to track down the owner," Knight said.
Knight said the department returns about 500 guns to their rightful owners every year.
Destroying all the guns is a decision Oklahoma City police think will help keep the streets safe. Knight said every destroyed gun is one less that can find its way into the hands of a criminal.
"We don't want to start supplying guns to the public," Knight said.
Grayson said it pains him sometimes to see quality guns go up in flames -- eventually becoming a post to hang barbed wire in someone's cattle pasture.
"I hate doing this, because I see a lot of good guns that go to waste," Grayson said.
Most departments agree with Grayson.
Jim Cox, executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Police Chiefs, said many departments, especially those with smaller budgets, rely on the resale of seized guns to help pay for equipment.
"Just because it comes in the hands of the police does not mean it shouldn't be turned back to someone for legitimate use," Cox said.
Cox said many long rifles and shotguns used for sporting purposes are resold to the public. He said there is a detailed system of background checks and safeguards to ensure weapons are sold to people who intend to use them for legitimate purposes.
Tom Shaffer, president of the Oklahoma Sheriff's Association, said his department in Major County earned about $6,000 from the sale of guns at the last county auction. He said some of the guns are traded to dealers for other equipment needed by the department. Most guns that can't be used for sporting purposes are destroyed.
"It does a lot for us," Shaffer said. "Since our budget is so short, it does a lot for buying equipment and training."
Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz said he has received criticism for reselling the guns.
"They try to jump on me for selling hunting weapons, but I agree with the Second Amendment -- that people have a right to have those guns in their homes," Glanz said.
"Guns are part of the American tradition. No matter how many laws you have, you're not going to get rid of guns in America."
http://www.newsok.com/
