Gun ‘Buyback’ Yields Homemade Shotgun, Antique Pistols

There are few things less sensible than so-called ‘gun buy-backs.’ The main glaring point is that none of these guns are being bought back — you can’t buy back something you never owned! But aside from that, time has proven again and again that most people simply take advantage of these events to get some quick cash for junk guns, like a homemade shotgun cobbled up using water pipes, a 2×6, and some zip ties.

Yes, zip ties.

This gun’s creator certainly had a sense of humor and a low opinion of Hi-Point firearms, since the shaky-looking scattergun is labeled “Hi-er Point.” This crude creation was turned in at a gun buy in San Francisco, CA on June 30, 2018, which they say “yielded 57 pistols, 44 revolvers, 11 assault weapons and three shotguns.”

At least they know the difference between pistols and revolvers, but “assault weapons,” not so much.

They claimed that 11 “assault weapons” were purchased at the event, but the meanest-looking thing shown in the video at this page is a Ruger 10/22 with a side-folding tacticool stock. It does appear that one AR-style rifle was among the casualties. Most of the long guns were simply cheap old bolt-action rifles and other models with a resale value well below the $200 bounty. For handguns, they ponied up $100 each.

A shot of a plastic bin containing handguns revealed at least three ancient-looking muzzleloading pistols. Aren’t you glad those were “taken off the streets?” (Don’t these people ever watch Pawn Stars? Those old guns might be worth a mint.)

Ah well. Hopefully none of the participants find themselves wishing they had a means of self-defense, after telling friends and neighbors how they sold off grandpa’s shootin’ irons for cheap.

Maybe I should build a few water-pipe shotguns in case there’s a “government gun buy” event near me. The parts have got to cost far less than $200.

Russ Chastain

Editor & Contributing Writer Russ Chastain is a lifelong hunter and shooter who has spent his life learning about hunting, shooting, guns, ammunition, gunsmithing, reloading, and bullet casting. He started toting his own gun in the woods at age nine and he's pursued deer with rifles since 1982, so his hunting knowledge has been growing for more than three and a half decades. His desire and ability to share this knowledge with others has also grown, and Russ has been professionally writing and editing original hunting & shooting content since 1998. Russ Chastain has a passion for sharing accurate, honest, interesting hunting & shooting knowledge and stories with people of all skill levels.