can someone in africa educate them on how to "dispose of guns" by sending them here to the u.s. in exchange for neccessities for the people...

What a waste. I bet there are some nice guns in there too.

Details..?

When and where?

Thanks

Look closely. I counted several flintlocks.

quote:

Originally posted by JohnHunt:
Look closely. I counted several flintlocks.

look even further... You'll notice the most common rifle in Africa is absent... AK47

You think that's bad... a few months after I left the USAF Bunker Team the decision was made to disband it and in the name of expediency they decided it would be "easier" to destroy the equipment rather than sell it as salvage. The equipment included 4 or 5 Krieghoff trapgun, 5 or 6 Browning FN (the good ones) trap guns, a couple of the run-of-the-mill Brownings, some misc other gear PLUS more than a quarter-of-a-million rounds of 12ga target ammo. Receivers were cut with a torch, as were the barrels and the ammo was destroyed by burning it ----- at least most of it was as some intrepid shooter, wise in the way of scrounging, managed to save almost 25,000 rounds of ammunition plus the custom wood from all the guns. Sometimes it's hard to fathom the military/government mind-set.

Eland Slayer's posting shows some variants of the only way to educate them!

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

Didn't this same type of thing happen in Australia several years ago. I remember the pictures were very distrubing to see so many fine weapons destroyed.

crl

Damnit Boomy, why did you have to post that (just as important: why did I look at it!)? I just broke out into a cold sweat......

Dictatorships are great gigs if you can get them.

Vote democrate,

This is Charles Shumer's/ Hilbilary/ Pelosi/ U-name it's, wet dream

Looking at the old rifles in the piles, and as someone pointed out, no AK47s. I'm thinking some NGO paid for the destruction of naughty small arms as some sort of disarmement stunt.

Burn the old crap and keep the useful ones handy.

I hope the checked to make sure the chambers were empty.

I hope they didn't.


Dutch


Damn the man who talks shoot but won't wager a nickel on his gun or ability.

Stupidity and waste. Pretty much standard features of governments everywhere.

What an idiotic thing to do!

What a shame. By the way, why the large crowd?

quote:

Originally posted by Dutch44:
I hope they didn't.


Dutch

AMEN!

/

Thanks for clearing that up ALF.

I think the point that is sticking everybody’s gullet is that we've seen very similar photos to this conducted in "responsible" first world countries such as Australia and the UK.

And that in places like Canada and the US there are many in political power who’d like to do the same.

Governments who don’t trust their responsible citizens should not in turn be trusted.

ALF, I don't disagree with you for a minute, but I think you are missing the point.

Destruction of a potentially valuable commodity of this kind is utter stupidity and waste.

As an example of what could be done in a situation like this one, the Nepalese government recently sold off, to two US companies, a horde, a veritable arsenal, of 19th century Martini-Henrys, Sniders, accoutrements, etc.

In doing so, they raised a nice sum - and enriched the exchequer - while at the same time permitting we shooters and collectors to buy and use these rare and collectible items.

Could not a wiser African regime do the same thing with weapons such as these? The answer is yes, but unfortunately the words "wise" and "African regime" are rarely usable in the same sentence.

Yet, it's not just a third world issue. In the US, some police departments, for purely stupid, wasteful and ultimately political reasons, are proscribed by their municipal governments from returning used police weapons to distributors for credit against the purchase of new ones.

Why? Because the used police weapons would then be sold to private buyers. So, the weapons are destroyed. Again, a stupid and wasteful practice. Politics - at its worst - and nothing more.

ALF, agree 100% with you. Living in MZ, I've found people carrying all sort of guns in the bush. What really worries me is not seeing "banana guns" (AK-47) being captured or destroyed. And I've seen some of them out there.
mrlexma, that kind of deals are not, let us say, "interesting" for those in charge. Don't forget that they're used to bigger business transactions... Do I make myself clear?!

/

Agreed,

We still don't know any of the details behind this photo posted yet many have jumped to significant conclusions...We didn't see AK's or SKS's in that pile, so now every one is an authority of what went on there...how do you KNOW? How many piles were there....what happened before or after this event with other captured arms etc etc....

Yes, it sux that historic or valuable arms are destroyed, the same applies to books, art, written traditions etc as has been done in a host of countries under the guise of various leaderships.

I for one am not calling for legal gun-enthusiasts like our-selves to be demonized, which is an unfortunate by-product, as we know.

We still own guns, just with more hoops to jump through and yes, more restrcitons, and yes, criminals still have guns (less...more? local data is conflicting). I am not abdicating my rights, but feel we all need to play the game...

However, if I see a pile of guns freed from the hands of illegal owners that may (or did) use them for crimes against people/environment, I am quite happy, even if it a drop in the ocean, its a start.

ALF, we will have to disagree. You are confusing confiscation with destruction. Confiscation of illegal weapons is necessary, of course. Destruction is not.

I guess in this vein, only the BAD guns are destroyed. Who decides?

Just found the pictures of this on the BBC website, and they show on the first picture of AK's being piled on. according to the headlines this was in Tanzania.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/6303125.stm

The loss of millions of these rifles wouldn't bother me at all.

burning guns..

aint that like burning books, just a bit?

doesn't kill the IDEA, just a representation..

Alf,
POACHING is illegal, not the guns.... treat the poachers, sell the guns to responible citizens...


of course, an unarmed citizen is a subject or, frankly, a slave

the easiest thing is to make a villan out of an inanimate object and not reeeeely deal with the problems

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
The loss of millions of these rifles wouldn't bother me at all.

Just as I thought, the "piles" are hollow. Just square racks with nothing on the inside.

Done for the film and still cameras and PR.

/

quote:

Originally posted by Dutch44:
I hope they didn't.


Dutch


Damn the man who talks shoot but won't wager a nickel on his gun or ability.

quote:

Originally posted by Eland Slayer:

quote:

Originally posted by Dutch44:
I hope they didn't.


Dutch

AMEN!

And kill or maim the large crowd sitting around?


ALF, I agree with your argument fully.Thanks for sharing your views.

Best-
Locksley,R.