Detroit groundskeeper fired after finding loaded gun, handing it to cops

FoxNews.com ^ | May 15, 2012

[jboot]

I'd keep a decent gun if I found it.

If it's a decent piece, clean it very thouroghly and fire-lap the bore. Fire-lapping kits are still fairly cheap up at Brownells. Never deface a serial, though.

If it's junk, bury it deep someplace out of the way. No point in involving yourself in the inevitable s**tstorm.

[Abathar]

I own a tool and die business, polishing is second nature for me.

If I ever buy a used gun I’m not sure of I guarantee when I’m done those scratches won’t match the original.

I guess my removed cousin had to jump through hoops for the police, I don’t want to have to go through what she did.

[jboot]

A while back I inherited a valuable gun with a defaced serial. I meticulously disassembled it and found a second serial number that the defacer had missed. It took me about 5 years, but I finally found a gunsmith who was willing to take the job of restoring the gun. He welded over the defaced serial, ground and polished that section back to factory spec and re-stamped the verified serial with authentic period number stamps. After a careful bit of nitre blue, the gun is absolutely indistinguishable from an unaltered specimen.

I know that the gun was in the family for at least 75 years so I wasn't concrened about the bore.

I suppose I violated a whole bunch of laws. Oh well. The only legal alternative was to surrender the gun and by extension myself to the tender mercies of the police. I'd have been out a really nice gun and into a patch of potential trouble. No thanks.

[elkfersupper]

I have a simple rule about firearm and other tool ownership.

Once you own it, never show it to anyone but your most trusted friend and never sell it.