Coroner's gun auction

View · by **MXGreg** on Thu Nov 13, 2014 6:17 pm

Would you have gone to this gun auction?

http://triblive.com/news/westmoreland/7 ... z3Ifi1Nmh6

The auction sold 97 guns that had been taken by the coroner's office during death investigations over the last 30 years, many used in suicides or accidental shootings.

View · by **BBeckwith** on Thu Nov 13, 2014 6:36 pm

probably... to me there is no mental stigma on something I didn't do.

View · by **Rip Van Winkle** on Thu Nov 13, 2014 7:28 pm

I don't do gun auctions as a rule, but I would have no problem buying a gun used in a suicide.

View · by **Grayskies** on Thu Nov 13, 2014 7:44 pm

Auctions can be a great place to get decent gun at, if one was held here I would try to make it

View · by **smurfman** on Thu Nov 13, 2014 11:07 pm

My only qualm, for lack of a better word, is the possible blood that can be transferred to a firearm used in a suicide. That can leave some pretty nasty looking oxidation on metal. As these are pieces of evidence, they are not cleaned after being taken into custody and are left as is until disposed of in some way.

One doesn't have to bid on these guns but it is the only objection I have and it is an issue of not properly taking care of the firearm rather than how it came into the coroner's possession.

View · by **Erik_Pakieser** on Fri Nov 14, 2014 7:23 am

Wouldn't bother me, but I wouldn't go out of my way to know the story behind the gun, either.

View · by **hornswaggle** on Fri Nov 14, 2014 8:44 am

I wouldn't have a problem with the history of the firearm. My problem is why the county was allowed to keep these firearms and property if they were not used in a crime? If they were involved in a suicide shouldn't the firearm go back to the estate or heir?

View · by **Rip Van Winkle** on Fri Nov 14, 2014 1:23 pm

hornswaggle wrote:I wouldn't have a problem with the history of the firearm. My problem is why the county was allowed to keep these firearms and property if they were not used in a crime? If they were involved in a suicide shouldn't the firearm go back to the estate or heir?

If they wanted it back, yes.

The BIL of a coworker committed suicide and the police were rather incredulous with him (the coworker) when he went to recover the weapon from them.

View · by **bensdad** on Fri Nov 14, 2014 1:52 pm

I still have the handgun my dad killed himself with. There weren't any blemishes on it when i picked it up. Nor did the Scott County Sheriff's office make any fuss. I just showed up and signed for it.

View · by **tman** on Sat Nov 15, 2014 11:05 am

It's not unusual for family to collect a Firearm after a suicide.

It's not unusual for a family to never want the gun back, either.

View · by **Lumpy** on Sat Nov 15, 2014 1:22 pm

Grayskies wrote:Auctions can be a great place to get decent gun at, if one was held here I would try to make it

How good a deal do auctions offer in terms of quality/price?

View · by **smurfman** on Sat Nov 15, 2014 1:38 pm

Lumpy wrote:
Grayskies wrote:Auctions can be a great place to get decent gun at, if one was held here I would try to make it
How good a deal do auctions offer in terms of quality/price?

About as well as one will find in the want ads or at the local shop. It really varies depending on the item, it's condition, who is at the auction, pand how badly they want it compared to you. I've seen prices all the way from out right steals to getting taken so there is no definite answer to the question.

Myself, I feel I have come out far ahead at auctions but then I know what I want, have a firm maximum price I'll pay, and stick to that price. I have done very well on those firearms I wanted though I am more interested in the old, unusual, and obsolete so the number of buyers are often less than for more common guns. One does need to know the rough market value of the firearm they are interested in then they could end up with a good deal. Those who do not know the market value of a particular firearm often end up overpaying for that gun.