A gunsmith who has a trainee might make use of that. They could practice bluing, putting a new bead on it etc.
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Disposal of inoperative shotgun
- Thread starter david58
- Start date
mokin
Member
Pictures or it doesn't count!
Highland Lofts
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I sold a few wall hangers that were not worth fixing.
Scooter22
Member
Make a lamp. You might need it someday.
Rubone
Member
I'm in Northern NM. I'd take it as barn art!
It is a little semi-auto about the size of a PPK
nativeoutdoors
Member
If you want to get rid of it, there are a few ways to go about it. If total disposal is the goal, cutting the receiver in half with a saw or crushing it with a sledgehammer before tossing it ensures it’s unusable. Some police departments accept unwanted firearms for destruction—just call ahead before showing up.
If you'd rather not destroy it, consider taking it to a gun show and giving it away—someone might want it for parts or a project. Some folks even save old guns for buyback programs if they happen in their area.
Another idea is repurposing it as a display piece or donating it to a hunter safety course for educational use. Even an old, inoperable firearm can still serve a purpose to the right person.
If you'd rather not destroy it, consider taking it to a gun show and giving it away—someone might want it for parts or a project. Some folks even save old guns for buyback programs if they happen in their area.
Another idea is repurposing it as a display piece or donating it to a hunter safety course for educational use. Even an old, inoperable firearm can still serve a purpose to the right person.
sgt127
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- 2,610
Turn in to local PD.
If it’s truly worthless to you. Strip the parts, label them in a bag. Sell to Gun parts Corp.
Sell the parts on EBay.
Throw the parts in the trash.
Beat the receiver, top and bottom, with a sledgehammer until the inside walls touch. “Crushed”.
Throw in trash. Bury in yard. Throw in a lake.
We used to have people turn in guns all the time. We crushed guns several times a year. A few more won’t matter.
If it’s truly worthless to you. Strip the parts, label them in a bag. Sell to Gun parts Corp.
Sell the parts on EBay.
Throw the parts in the trash.
Beat the receiver, top and bottom, with a sledgehammer until the inside walls touch. “Crushed”.
Throw in trash. Bury in yard. Throw in a lake.
We used to have people turn in guns all the time. We crushed guns several times a year. A few more won’t matter.
MachIVshooter
Member
This.
I'm sure there are at least some usable parts; selling or even giving it to Numrich makes those available to other owners, and helps hold costs down in the case of more scarce bits.
GooseGestapo
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- 6,603
Sounds like you have a Federal Employee!
It won’t shoot! It doesn’t work, and it can’t be Fired!
Contact Numrich Arms. They’ll pay you for it, and part it out.
It won’t shoot! It doesn’t work, and it can’t be Fired!
Contact Numrich Arms. They’ll pay you for it, and part it out.
tactikel
Member
I had the same problem with a 20 ga single shot I inherited. I used a circular saw cut off blade to cut the receiver in half, then cut thru the chamber. Total time 10 minute. I threw the pieces in the trash.
Elkins45
Member
Once the receiver is sawed in two it’s no longer a firearm. Problem solved!I wonder how this works with the rules about defacing the serial number?
Not according to the ATF. See post #9. Sawing it "in two" won't do it. The folks here who have mentioned sawing a gun in half and throwing it away threw away something that was still legally a firearm. Anyway. That's not really what I as getting at. If a person is sawing or attempting to crush/smash a receiver, at some point before getting there they have defaced the serial number but still have a firearm.
lightman
Member
My first thoughts were that this was a job for my chop saw. Then I saw the other post about giving it away to someone for parts.
Elkins45
Member
Has to be a torch cut, not a saw cut. I must have gotten that confused with how to destroy a bump stock. It sounds like the sledge hammer is the way for the average Joe to go, although they don’t really define how compacted it must be to be considered crushed.
FWIW you could have a completely crushed receiver and still have an intact SN depending on where it was located and the direction the crushing force was applied.
Miami_JBT
Member
Bad translation on a British Army joke.
"The SA80/L85 is like our civil service. You can't fire 'em and they don't work."
Carl N. Brown
Member
I had a P10 pistol which had a frame rail weld fail. I put all the parts (except the self destructed action frame and busted polymer grip frame) in a box and mailed the parts to Numrich. They sent me a check for the parts they could resale and my postage. The busted frame and grip parts I put in the trash on three separate trash pickup days.
Robbins290
Member
I am not the OP, But thanks for the answers here, I have a few broken AR15 lowers that are not salvageble, and was just researching how to legally dispose of it.
Should I take pics for my records? I live in a state that does not have registration
Should I take pics for my records? I live in a state that does not have registration
jmorris
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- 27,447
The BATFE wants as much destruction as possible. One cut doesn't do it. They want critical locations separated in hopes they don't make it back into usable locations etc. They want the kerf of the cut as large as possible for maximum movement from the weld too.
How to Properly Destroy Firearms | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
How to Properly Destroy Firearms What are ATF’s Acceptable Destruction Procedures? Use an oxy/acetylene torch (not band sawed) Must remove at least ¼ inch of metal per cut Must be made at angles and completely sever the receiver in at least 3 critical locations (specified by model) Acceptable...
They know there are people out there with the skills to put them back together, so they want to make it difficult enough they just start from scratch vs reassemble but it doesn't stop everyone, even with multiple cuts.
Then they go back and put the holes in their proper positions. So movement from welding is not an issue.
A tac weld over the firing pin hole will make a firearm inoperable, even if it is not considered destroyed.
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Jim Watson
Member
'Police Story' tv show had a gunsmith to the mob rewating Uzis. "All you have to do is heliarc the hole in the chamber."
Trivia Alert
This is the same tv show that had the veteran advising the rookie: "Only load 4 rounds in your service revolver. Of course you must not have one under the hammer, but there should be an empty chamber next up, too. That way if somebody grabs your gun, it won't go off the first try and you have time to draw your backup."
At a bank stakeout: "Here's a Hot Load in case they stick this one up." (One round.)
Of course the crooks did.
"BOOM!" Bankrobber bounces across the lobby.
They even had an OIS review, cop got reprimanded for nonstandard ammo.
Trivia Alert
This is the same tv show that had the veteran advising the rookie: "Only load 4 rounds in your service revolver. Of course you must not have one under the hammer, but there should be an empty chamber next up, too. That way if somebody grabs your gun, it won't go off the first try and you have time to draw your backup."
At a bank stakeout: "Here's a Hot Load in case they stick this one up." (One round.)
Of course the crooks did.
"BOOM!" Bankrobber bounces across the lobby.
They even had an OIS review, cop got reprimanded for nonstandard ammo.
Robbins290
Member
Maybe this might be a tread drift, but part of the original question. I destroyed a few AR15 lowers that disposed off. Would it be legal to keep the serial number part with model number as a key chain?
Something like this, but with serials and markings. https://badattitudedept.com/m16-keychain/
Something like this, but with serials and markings. https://badattitudedept.com/m16-keychain/
sgt127
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- Apr 29, 2003
- Messages
- 2,610
Who knows anymore. TSA would likely pop you for carrying a firearm on an airplane…
“But, it’s the serial numbered part! That IS a firearm!!”
I would be a bit reluctant to do that with an M16 lower receiver lest the claim be made that it could be used as a jig for installation of an auto sear. I cannot imagine a problem with a segment of an AR15 lower, however.
