What do you do with an unwanted gun?

[dev_null]

What do you do when you have something that you don't want, but the value of which is so low it's really not worth the effort to sell it? (And no, I don't really have anyone to give it to.) I have an older NEF single-shot 12-ga., the NEF version of the H&R Topper. It cost about $60-70 new, and has just been sitting since I bought it (it was my HD gun for years... hey, it was all I could afford at the time!). I can't see my local store giving me more than ten or twenty bucks on it as a trade-in. I don't know anyone that wants it. It's not worth spending the time and money to ship it to a buyer from Gunbroker.Com. And it's taking up a slot in my safe that I could put to better use.

What would you do?

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[Bobster]

Let me help you with dilemma. I have space in my safe. And I'm sure I could make it into a nice conversation piece with my Dremmel.

 

[ExtremeDooty]

Save it for one of those no questions asked gun turn in drives.

I think you can get 50 or 60 bucks worth of food stamps.

 

[Dot_mdb]

Keep it. How can you just cast it aside after it protected you all of those years?

I've never owned one, but I have heard that they are great guns. Simple, inexpensive but also very reliable. It is a neat example of a whole series of long guns which have interchangeable barrels.

Bill

 

[OEF_VET]

You can also ship the stock, receiver and forearm off to NEF and for a small fee, they'll make barrels in other gauges to fit it. For instance, you can have one shotgun with barrels in 12, 16, 20 and .410.

Or, post your city and state and I'm fairly certain some local High Roader would be more than happy to take it off your hands. Heck, they might even be willing to give you as much as $40 -50 for it.

 

[griz]

I'll second the advice to keep it, but if you just want the cash how about selling it locally? Most places have a for sale sheet or use the newspaper's classified section. You will not get your $70 back, but 40-50 is possible.

 

[SUE ROVR]

If you are in SE PA I will take it.

 

[Trebor]

If you are in Michigan, I'll take it.

I don't actually own a shotgun (gasp!) and could use if for rabbit and squirrel hunting. I'm not having much luck with my old Winchester '06 .22 in that role.

 

[Ex-MA Hole]

Where are you?

If local, I may be interested.

 

[dev_null]

Sorry, I'm in Northern Virginia. (And no, I don't carry it in the Starbucks.)

Thanks for the suggestions, I guess I'll take it by the store and see if they want to give me anything on it. If nothing else, I might get a couple boxes of ammo out of it.

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[Cosmoline]

As I recently discovered during my own economic downturn, that beat-up old shotgun you disdain my some day become your best and only firearm. A single shot H&R is extremely versitile. There was a great write-up on them in the recent "Backwoodsman" magazine. Many an old timer fed his family with such a shotgun.

 

[Sam Adams]

Given my tendencies, I'd store that acorn. I've got a house full of stuff that I can't (or I'm too lazy and/or busy, depending on when) sell.

I'd also echo what someone said about not discarding something that defended you. That's almost as bad as putting a faithful old dog to sleep just because he's old. Besides, you can never have too many guns - what harm is done by keeping the old fellow in the back of the safe?

You can probably sell it to some fellow THR'er (is that the correct term?) who'd be very interested in having a non-papered firearm. If I were near you, I'd make you an offer for at least $50, assuming that the thing works.

 

[Atticus]

Teach a newbie to shoot and/or hunt. Give it to them as a graduation gift.

 

[simon]

pack it in grease and bury it w/50 rounds out it the woods..

 

[Ian]

an unwanted gun?

A what? Sorry, I don't follow...

 

[Preacherman]

Convert it into a Tactical Ninja Evil Black Assault Shotgun with these accessories!

 

[Standing Wolf]

Chop it up and toss it into your next batch of meat loaf. Who will ever know?

 

[WAGCEVP]

?!?!?!?!?!

There is NO such thing as an unwanted gun around this house! NE1 have such a gun in their possession please feel free to send it to me, I promise to give it a good home with lotsa love and care

 

[Sgt Stevo]

I have the same gun in ten. And i love it. I own more then ten guns and tis one is the one everybody talks about shooting. Keep it...

 

[Hutch]

Gee, Preach', a shotgun with a bipod? I'm struggling with that logic....

 

[Soap]

Teach a newbie, give them the gun as Atticus said "as a graduation gift".

 

[pauli]

dev_null, if you've still got it, i'll take it off your hands... pm or email me if you're interested.

 

[Navy joe]

Mail it to Clark along with a pound of whatever smokeless powder you don't want either. Neither one will be around long...

 

[dance varmint]

You can always use a car/truck/houseboat gun, and one for each SHTF cache you have buried here and there.

 

[TrapperReady]

You may want to check with any local Boy Scout troops. Some still haven't gone all PC and still offer firearms instruction. If that's the case in your locale, perhaps you could arrange a donation which would benefit new shooters.

BTW, I've got a good friend who is an NRA-certified instructor and worked with his son's scout troop for rifle and shotgun instruction. He said that a 12ga single shot using Li'l Skeeter sub-gauge adapters and 28ga shells was ideal for even the small-statured kids.