In 2023, Dallas Councilman Jesse Moreno decided to use $20,000 dollars of discretionary funds to hold a gun turn-in event at a Dallas park. The event evolved over time. It was held at Samuell Grand in The Cove parking lot. The event became a rousing success for those selling guns and for private purchasers. It was a frustrating experience for most of those attempting to turn in guns for gift cards.
According to a police source at the event, people started getting in line very early. One pickup, with about a hundred shotguns to turn in, was in line by 7 a.m. The event was scheduled to start at 9 a.m. This correspondent arrived at 8:23 a.m. There was a line of about 20 vehicles extending East down Samuel Blvd, with the nearby lane separated from traffic by traffic cones. To their credit, the event organizers did not start accepting turn-ins until about 9:01 a.m. The turn-in of a long gun received gift cards worth $200.
The pickup with the shotguns was the second vehicle in line. The first vehicle seemed to be associated with the event in some way, and did not appear to have a firearm to turn in.
The first firearms to be turned in were nice, Turkish-made over-under shotguns. Many of these shotguns were turned in at the event. The number is uncertain, estimated at 50. They were a mix of gauges with some missing chokes. They seemed to be new.
The police were unwilling to have all the event money go to the first person in line with 100 shotguns. They set the pick-up truck with the shotguns aside as they were processing the firearms and started to process others in line as well. This violated the “first come, first served” rule of the event but was accepted.
Vehicle number six or seven held 18 long guns, most in poor shape, with a couple of new, inexpensive .22 rifles. One of the guns being turned in was a British Snider .577, with Arabic symbols stamped on the barrel. It was missing the ramrod. The owner knew ammunition was difficult to find, so he turned it in for $200, along with the 17 other long guns. This correspondent was tempted to offer him $200 for this bit of history but did not. It was a well-worn bit of history.
Most vehicles had more than one firearm. The estimate was they ran out of gift cards before 10 vehicles were processed, at about 115 firearms. There were some handguns turned in for $100 each. The cards ran out about 9 a.m. At that point there were about 30 vehicles in line.
People who were ideologically motivated continued to turn in guns after it was announced the gift cards had run out. The total number of guns turned in was not announced. This correspondent estimated the total at 125 to 150 total guns turned in. Most were turned in because they could not be sold. A source at the event indicated the nice shotguns could not be sold because of a defect, physical or legal. Other guns, such as the beat-up Snider, were not in high demand. Some nice firearms were turned in for ideological reasons.
This Browing Hi-Power (without a magazine) was turned in. The police officer told the person turning it in it was worth much more than the $100 offered. She did not care.
Private buyers were working the line well before the event started. There were about a dozen before the event closed. One successful private buyer ended up with eight guns before the cards ran out, and another four guns after the gift cards were exhausted.
Here is one of the firearms he obtained: It is a Colt, pre-ban collector grade AR15. No magazine was included.
Based on the number of private buyers and their success, about 70-100 firearms were purchased as people waited, after the cards ran out, and when people showed up late for the turn-in. Highlights of the private purchases are expected to be published in a later article.
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.
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