At the Columbus, Ohio, gun turn-in/”buyback” event on Saturday, September 14, 2024, at least two private buyers were seen looking for deals. In the event’s coverage, this correspondent did not find any mention of the private buyers. The cameraman could not resist their compelling image. The image of private buyers destroys the “guns are bad, turn them in” message. In an event where city officials are deliberately paying “more than market value” in gift cards, it is difficult to find bargains. Once the gift cards run out, the dynamic reverses. Cash in hand is better than no gift cards. From cwcolumbus.com:

The Columbus Office of Violence Prevention says they ran out of gift cards early, and they are thanking everyone for coming out and participating.

Most programs have highlighted the guns collected with pictures of them on tables. This correspondent was unable to find images showing the guns in the coverage of the 2024 event. Numbers have been released. From myfox28columbus.com:

Authorities said 234 firearms were collected in total at the event on Saturday, including:

• 96 AR weapons
• 44 pistols
• 38 rifles
• 33 shotguns
• 23 revolvers

This comes to $453 per firearm, on average, which is more than the 2023 average, which was $397 per firearm.  If all the “AR” firearms received $750, the rest would average $246 per firearm.

In 2023, the numbers were: 201 pistols, 75 shotguns, 68 rifles. In 2023, they collected 344 firearms. Of the 344, myfox28columbus.com reported 25 were “assault weapons,” which included 9 sawed-off shotguns. At least a couple of people took advantage of the “above market” prices. From columbusfreepress.com in 2023:

“It took me about three hours to get to where the police were,” said a source who did want to offer his name for publication. He lives outside Columbus and walked away $2,000 richer. “I went right to the gun store and bought some more guns.”

In 2021, there was a “buyback”, but the money being paid was much less. From 2021 10tv.com:

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A total of 102 guns were taken off the streets of Columbus on Saturday during the gun buyback event held by Columbus Police.

The Public Safety office told us they received 74 handguns, 15 shotguns, and 13 rifles.

Whoever brought in a gun walked away with a gift card of varying value and their identity was kept anonymous.

In 2024, a private purchaser can purchase a good-looking AR15-style rifle by purchasing a lower receiver (through a dealer) for less than $100 and an upper receiver for less than $200. This results in an “assault weapon” $300. If they put the two together, which might take a minute, they could then turn them in at Columbus for $750, thereby more than doubling their money. If they wish to buy a completely new AR-15-style rifle, they have been on sale for $350. Turning the rifle in at Columbus would probably have doubled their money.

No interviews with private buyers have been found. Such entrepreneurs may eventually come forward.

If you reduce one source of supply, demand shifts to other sources. If you reduce the supply of old guns, you increase the demand for new guns. The people who benefit the most are gun manufacturers.

About Dean Weingarten:

Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.