Kansas: "Gun enthusiasts say seized weapons shouldn't be destroyed "

[cuchulainn]

from the Dodge Globe

http://www.dodgeglobe.com/stories/102403/sta_1024030038.shtml

Story last updated at 10:01 a.m. Friday, October 24, 2003

Gun enthusiasts say seized weapons shouldn't be destroyed
WICHITA (AP) -- Gun enthusiasts say the government shouldn't destroy several valuable World War II-era firearms that were among the weapons seized from a Mulvane man.
Phillip Ball, 40, of Mulvane, was sentenced Monday to three years probation after a search of his home in January netted more than 300 firearms, including 66 machine guns. U.S. District Judge Wesley E. Brown also ordered Ball to pay a $7,500 fine.

Ball, who described himself as only a gun collector, did not have a dealer's license or have the guns registered.

Gun enthusiasts say it would be a shame for the government to destroy the weapons, as happens in such cases.

Don Albert, a Wichita gun enthusiast, said he saw what appeared to be two original Thompson machine guns in a picture that accompanied a story in The Wichita Eagle about the seizure. Each would fetch $7,500 to $8,500 at a gun show, Albert said.

"Those were extremely reliable weapons in World War II and Korea," he said.

"I'm all for gun control and for keeping them out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them." But, he added, "they're destroying pieces of history, and that's not right."

In the hands of criminals and law enforcement officers, the Thompson machine gun was the weapon "that made the '20s roar," said Larry Booker, a 67-year-old former gun dealer who lives in Wichita. He said the Eisenhower Museum in Abilene would be a fitting place for the guns because of their military role.

But Tom Atteberry, agent in charge of the local office of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said the agency is destroying the guns so they will not fall into the wrong hands.

"We don't make it a practice to donate guns to museums after seizures," Atteberry said.

Copyright 2003

 

[Black Snowman]

As long as their origins were known why wouldn't you want to put the weapons INTO the hands of good law-abiding citizens and recoup some money for law enforcement?

Translation . . . SELL THE DAMN THINGS. I personally woudn't want a firearm used in a violent crime but something confiscated due to illegal possesion? Come-on? How far would that go tward paying government expenses?

Of course then you might have agencies just looking for excuses to confiscate things just to get their department more funds . . .

OK, maybe the donation thing makes more sense.

 

[geekWithA.45]

In the name of the false virtue of "keeping guns off the streets", it appears that the official policy is to destroy as many firearms as they can, and thus reduce the numbers of firearms that exist "off books".

 

[Standing Wolf]

"I'm all for gun control and for keeping them out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them." But, he added, "they're destroying pieces of history, and that's not right."

Guns for me, but not for thee.

 

[No4Mk1*]

I'm glad they caught this guy before he bought his 67th machine gun. The next one was probably the one that would have made him a crazed gunman shooting up the town.

Since he had 300 firearms and 66 machineguns, what becomes of his 233 other firearms?

 

[greyhound]

, said the agency is destroying the guns so they will not fall into the wrong hands.

Be interesting to see his definition of what the "wrong hands" are....

 

[Sisco]

Saw the coverage of the "bust" on TV, this guy had one hellofa collection. Vickers, Browning, all kinds of stuff. Too bad he didn't go to all the trouble of making the collection legal.

 

[Hatchett]

But Tom Atteberry, agent in charge of the local office of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said the agency is destroying the guns so they will not fall into the wrong hands.

Yeah, who knows what vile things those fiends at the Eisenhower Museum might do with them!

 

[semf]

Around here if some ratty decrepid old house has any historical value somebody can go to court and get an injunction to prevent the owner from destroying it. Maybe that can be done here. He would sign them over in place of the the fines. Hell that could be his entire sentance although it violate cruel and unusual punishment laws.
Either that or make sure the officials in charge know that this is an issue that could help them lose their jobs.

 

[furetto7]

Back in the thirties the local sheriff seized a Thompson 1928A1 from some traveling bad guys, the gun sat in the vault of the sheriffs department until 1990 when the current sheriff decieded that it would make a nice exhibit at the local museum, so he pulled most of the internals and loaned it to the museum. While Kanas state law does not permit selling seized guns to the general public there is nothing to prevent them from deactivating the guns and loaning them to a museum. Sounds to me like the people in Wichita working this are just following the liberal party line.

 

[Hazwaste]

As an amateur historian and firearms enthusiast, this story breaks my heart. As a taxpaying American, this story makes me furious.

 

[Dorian]

I'm all for gun control and for keeping them out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them

Which is it? Gun "Control" keeps guns out of the hands of people who SHOULD have them.

I'm all for keeping guns out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them, but those people are usually either already in jail or have nice criminal records.