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Houston Gun Turn in Nets 800, Includes Box Full of 3D Printed Pistols
AmmoLand ^ | August 2, 2022 | Dean Weingarten

Posted on 08/05/2022 5:48:17 AM PDT by marktwain

On July 30, 2022, Houston, Texas, organized a gun “buyback” event. It was the first such event held in Houston.  “Buyback” is an Orwellian term because the guns were never owned by the government, so it cannot “buy” them “back.” More appropriately, it was a gun turn-in event.

According to people on Twitter, at least sixty-two 3D-printed pistols were turned in at $150 each. That would be a total of $9,300 for the box of mostly plastic pistols.  The 3D-printed pistols are “ghost guns” because they do not have a government-approved serial number on them.

Mayor Turner confirmed that “ghost guns” were taken in at the event. From abc13.com:

“I’ve heard it all. ‘Oh it’s just going to be junk guns, this and that.’ You
don’t have a solution to problems, please just sit down and let us step
up, the people who are going to do the work,” Finner said.

“We’ve taken in ghost guns. We’ve taken in rifles. Automatics have been taken in, and so the program is working,” Turner said.

The rules, as published by the Houston government, were fairly clear. The turn-in was “no questions asked”. There was no limit on how many guns could be turned in. There were no limits on how much one person could receive. From houstontx.gov:

The prices offered at the event were fairly low:

Filament for making simple 3D printed pistols is much less. Some estimated less than $5 worth of materials were used for the 3D printed pistols turned in.

Materials: $300. Labor: unknown. Return: $9,300. Message sent: priceless


(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: 3d; banglist; chat; houston; localnews; texas; turnin; tx
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The maker of the pistols has been found and interviewed. He said he did it as a political act, to show how stupid the "buyback" was.

He was reported to have received only $50 per pistol, not $150.

1 posted on 08/05/2022 5:48:17 AM PDT by marktwain
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To: marktwain

One wonders how many people got $200 for an “automatic rifle”.


2 posted on 08/05/2022 5:53:55 AM PDT by day10 (You'll get nothing and like it!)
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To: day10

The last gun show I went to - the guns started at $200 went up to $2000.


3 posted on 08/05/2022 5:56:47 AM PDT by scrabblehack
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To: marktwain

What about turning in a toy guns?
Would they also fetch $50?


4 posted on 08/05/2022 5:58:57 AM PDT by AZJeep
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To: marktwain

How much does it cost to print a 3D gun?


5 posted on 08/05/2022 5:59:24 AM PDT by MPJackal ("From my cold dead hands.")
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To: MPJackal

Early estimates were $5. When contacted, the maker said the cost was $3 per pistol.


6 posted on 08/05/2022 6:01:43 AM PDT by marktwain
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To: marktwain; MPJackal

The big cost the 3-D equipment you have to purchase upfront.

But if you’ve already got a 3-D printer. Have at it!

https://ultimaker.com/learn/how-much-does-a-3d-printer-cost

I don’t think the ones under $400 would get the job done. Probably talking more like $1000-$1500.


7 posted on 08/05/2022 6:06:59 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: mad_as_he$$

You could make that investment up quickly at buy-backs! Think I’ll buy one.


8 posted on 08/05/2022 6:12:03 AM PDT by TStro (Better to die on your feet than live on your knees)
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To: TStro

;-)


9 posted on 08/05/2022 6:13:22 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: marktwain

Wish I had thought of doing that. Invest in a $500 3D printer, download the CAD for a pistol, print up a bunch, sell a those to the government, then use the profit to purchase a high quality CAD scanner, computer, and higher end 3D printer. Would have been able to purchase all that and still have some money left over essentially getting all a very sweet setup for free from the government.


10 posted on 08/05/2022 6:14:44 AM PDT by rigelkentaurus
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To: marktwain

I would think these “No questions asked gun buybacks” are a great way to dispose of a weapon that has been used in a crime or stolen.


11 posted on 08/05/2022 6:17:41 AM PDT by jaydubya2
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To: marktwain

Guns they’ve stolen from others and don’t need, because they have plenty more stolen guns.


12 posted on 08/05/2022 6:24:17 AM PDT by Old Yeller (A nation of sheep, produces a government of wolves.l)
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To: marktwain

13 posted on 08/05/2022 6:29:10 AM PDT by budj (Combat vet, second of three generations.)
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To: marktwain

Can I turn in a gun made out of soap?


14 posted on 08/05/2022 6:31:03 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Taxman

Ping


15 posted on 08/05/2022 6:32:36 AM PDT by Taxman (SAVE AMERICA!)
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To: rigelkentaurus; All
The mayor of Houston, Turner, has said they will not accept 3D printed "ghost guns" at the next big gun turn-in.

These turn-in events are funded by part of the 1.6 Trillion dollar spending binge the Biden administration pushed through in 2021.

16 posted on 08/05/2022 6:34:48 AM PDT by marktwain
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To: mad_as_he$$

A printed gun does not need to work. So a cheap 3d printer around $200 will work great. There is a lot of learnig to 3d printing, so do not expect to just buy a printer and earn money. But if they ever do this in my area, you can bet they will be buying my oddly shaped pieces of plastic.


17 posted on 08/05/2022 6:37:52 AM PDT by DevonD
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To: marktwain

How about some cash or a money order for my make-believe ghost gun? Gift cards are either a pain in the @$$ to use or are not accepted for really desirable purchases about half the time.


18 posted on 08/05/2022 6:40:19 AM PDT by JimRed (TERM LIMITS, NOW! Militia to the border! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH.)
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To: DevonD
> There is a lot of learnig to 3d printing ...

Ha ha ha !
Sounds like you have had your share of "spaghetti prints", clogged nozzles, uneven beds, and broken filaments as well.

19 posted on 08/05/2022 6:51:54 AM PDT by SecondAmendment (This just proves my latest theory ... LEFTISTS RUIN EVERYTHING !!!)
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To: marktwain

Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church eh? What about separation of church and state?


20 posted on 08/05/2022 6:56:49 AM PDT by 38special (I should've said something earlier)
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