Destroy weapons?

[madx2]

What is the best way to destroy a bunch of handguns and rifles? My military training said to: completely disassemble and throw the pieces in every direction, bend the barrel, put in acid, or blow them up. I'm leaning towards "disassemble and bury". What say you?

[madx2]

The back story is I may be inheriting 8 handguns and 9 rifles. I won't want to sell them, give them away or turn them in to the police for destruction. Also, none of them are illegal or stolen. They were all purchased legally at a gun shop by the current owner.

[Bob Womack]

I'm not sure what the motivation is to destroy functional weapons, but there is a legal definition of weapon destruction and your intended method doesn't achieve or approach it.  In order for it to be legally destroyed in the U.S., the part containing the serial number, ie. the receiver*, must be rendered non-functional in such a way that it permanently cannot be returned to service.  Preferred methods are smelting, melting, crushing, and cutting through with a torch.  More HERE on the ATF site.

"An unserviceable firearm is not destroyed and is still regulated as a “firearm” under Federal law. Any method of destruction must render the firearm so that it is not restorable to firing condition and is otherwise reduced to scrap"

The ATF is quite picky.  Why not give them away to a respective collector or firearms lover?

Bob

*  Lower receiver on an AR-15.

[Earl]

Why not give them away to a respective collector or firearms lover?

^^ This X100.  For many of us, destroying perfectly good firearms would rate right up there with destroying perfectly good guitars that you inherited but have no interest in owning.  If you take them to the police, many PD's let the officers have first pick of whatever comes in before sending the rest on to be destroyed.  Other PD's will auction them off later to raise funds.  If you don't want to inherit and own them, is there another relative who would appreciate them?

[Earl]

....They were all purchased legally at a gun shop by the current owner.

Reading further, if the current owner is still with us and you don't want them, simply tell that person.  I'd be heartbroken if I willed mine to someone who then promptly destroyed them.  I have dozens of friends, some siblings, and neighbors who would deserve a crack at my collection, and use them safely for the remainder of their lives.

[madx2]

thank you all for your replies.