The man said the gun was not something he wanted to keep. According to the Reddit post, he had a firearm he no longer wanted and was trying to figure out how to get rid of it legally and safely.
The original Reddit post can be found here: https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/126mdyp/i_have_a_gun_that_i_dont_want_how_do_i_legally/
That might sound simple at first. If you do not want something, you throw it away, sell it, donate it, or give it to someone else. But guns do not work like old furniture or a box of clothes. A firearm has to be handled with safety, ownership, transfer rules, and local law in mind.
The man’s instinct was to involve police, which made sense. If someone has a gun they do not want, especially if they are not comfortable handling it, the safest first move is often to call the non-emergency line and ask what the department recommends. That is much better than walking into a station unannounced with a firearm or trying to discard it like ordinary trash.
The biggest issue is safety. If the gun is loaded, damaged, old, inherited, or unfamiliar, the owner may not know how to clear it properly. Handling it without confidence can create danger. Leaving it unsecured at home can also be risky, especially if there are kids, visitors, roommates, or anyone else who should not access it.
There is also the legal side. Depending on the state, giving the gun to another person may require a transfer through a dealer, paperwork, waiting periods, or background checks. Selling it privately may be legal in some places and heavily restricted in others. Even destroying it can raise questions if it is not done correctly.
That is why a police department, sheriff’s office, or licensed gun dealer may be part of the answer. Some departments accept unwanted firearms for destruction. Some may tell the owner to schedule a pickup or bring it in unloaded and secured, following specific instructions. Some may point the person to an FFL if the gun is legal and the owner wants to sell or transfer it instead.
The post was not about fearmongering or drama. It was about someone trying to do the responsible thing before a firearm he did not want became a bigger problem.
Commenters told him not to walk into a police station holding the gun without calling first. Several said the right move was to call the non-emergency number, explain that he had an unwanted firearm, and ask exactly how the department wanted it handled.
Others suggested contacting a licensed gun dealer if the firearm was legal and had value. An FFL could explain whether it could be sold, transferred, or consigned under local rules. That might be better than surrendering it for destruction if the owner simply did not want it but had no safety concern.
Some commenters focused on storage until it was removed. They said the gun should be unloaded if the owner knew how to do that safely, secured in a case, and kept away from anyone who should not touch it. If he did not know how to clear it, he should not guess.
A few people also warned against throwing it away, leaving it somewhere, or giving it casually to a friend. Those choices could create legal problems or safety risks if the firearm ended up in the wrong hands.
The post ended with a simple but important point. Not wanting a gun is fine. Getting rid of it safely takes more care than tossing out ordinary property. The best first step is to call ahead, follow instructions, and make sure the firearm leaves your control through a legal, documented path.
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