Rossi 38 Special in My Scoop .. Yikes!

[DrJoePrime]

Found something a bit more unusual yesterday.

In the wet sand at about 4" deep a strong signal...landed THIS in my scoop.


Called my local police station this morning and they sent a car to pick it up. I have a report number but the officer thought the gun would be destroyed after all investigation about it is through.

I would like to restore it...it's stainless steel and the black crud comes off easily in a vinegar bath. I'm wondering if anyone knows the specific legal issues about having it returned to me? I would definitely have it disabled and keep as a collectible and possible display it in a frame on the wall. The last photo shows what it would look like restored.

 

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[mrs.oroblanco]

B

 

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[ivan salis]

rossi 38 stubbie -- hit man and robbery whack job special-- if not linked to a crime normally you could claim it but "new york" state in general and "new york" city esp --does not want folks owning hand guns * -- getting caught with a unregistered hand gun in new york city gets you 1 year in the jail there (sullivan act)--and getting a permit to have a "legally registered" handgun is just about impossible .

you turn it in because if theres a body on it ( say its been used in a murder) and you get caught with it they will think its your gun --ie you did the murder* or by not turning it in you "withheld" evidence of a crime that someone else did -- plus -- just having a unregistered hand gun in NYC --gets you 1 year in jail















nyC

 

[wwwtimmcp]

I would hate like hell to see a murderer go free because I didn't turn it in, so I think you did the right thing. may be if it was used in a crime there is a reward or maybe they will remember you during one of those gun buy back programs.

 

[DrJoePrime]

Apparently in my city, Long Beach, California they destroy guns turned in and NO chance to get it back.

My suspicion is that it WAS involved in a crime, why else throw it in the ocean? AND if it could be material evidence then I did the righ thing.

It's a bit sad because I just wanted it as a sort of "trophy" and would have had it disabled and non functioning. Oh well, we'll see what happens with the next gun I find.

HH Joe

 

[bravowhiskey]

Why does everyone always assume the worst. This could just as well have been dropped from some purse, fanny pack or fell out of a vehicle. My daughters and wife carry for protection. If ya'll didn't know there are a lot of creeps out there.
Heck, even on this forum I've seen posts asking if you carry, or have some sort of protection, while MD'g.
If a thug or punk dropped it, more's the better. At least they don't have it any longer.

BW

 

[wells]

i would'nt want it back.

 

[ivan salis]

california is known to be a bit hard nosed in regards to gun laws as well , pity they could not check it and release it back to you if it came up "clean" --no missing gun or stolen gun report- no bodies or murders -- why shouldn't you be able to keep it ?

 

[phantomfinder]

WOW , Thats a very cool find . WTG

 

[aa battery]

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[mrs.oroblanco]

I would make sure I got a receipt for the gun - don't give it up without a receipt - it will cya if it was in a crime, and give you a leg to stand on for being able to maybe get it back if its clean and if all the numbers match (California and some other states will keep them even if they cannot associate them with a crime if the serial numbers don't match).

Of course, if it were me, and I got it back, it would get restored.

B

 

[jimb]

Wow, that is a special find. Best I ever did was a rusty old BB gun. Which I left where I found it. If you do get it back. It would look good restored.

 

[Tank69]

That is exactly like the one I own. It's sweet!!

B

Amen Mrs O I've owned 2 nice guns ,.

if it was me I'd call an ask them if you can have it after everything , worse they can do is say no ,
I'f by chance you do get it back Rossi can redo it back to stock if you wanted , their good people to deal with an their custom shops are fast .


HH Tank

 

[Newt]

Enjoy your pics and memories. That gun will be "stored" or destroyed.
Sorry,
Newt

 

[mikeinOC1]

I am curious which end of the LB harbor beach the gun was found at ( presuming you found it in Long Beach) or did the LB police ask you not to reveal the location ? If you care to say was it found over more towards the Queen Mary end or more towards Belmont shore? It has just really piqued my curiosity about that aspect of your find. I don't hunt Long Beach alot but on occasion I have parked near Bixby park right there at the coast and sometimes some of the crowd that hang around that area can make one real nervous. I hunted that beach one time not long after one of our heavy storms and it was mind blowing the piles of trash that tend to accumulate up on the beaches out of the harbor. Probably mostly from the Los Angeles river outflow. Pretty sad really. I wonder if the gun was tossed directly into the ocean or somehow was moved down to the beach area via the river channels. For those of you who don't know Long Beach very well there are some real nice areas and some very rough neighborhoods in some parts of that town. I would be willing to bet someone wanted to ditch the gun real fast. I am not and have never been a gun owner but I do think that if the original owner is not found and if the gun was not involved in a crime then the Long Beach cops ought to give it back to the finder especially since it does not look like it will really ever be functional again. It definitely is a conversation piece. At least there are a couple nice pics taken before it was handed over to the police. For future reference I am also curious how the LB cops treated you when you turned it in just in case I ever find anything so strange. Were they grateful or just annoyed ?

 

[olepossum]

gun control i love it every one should like my deffinition of gun control to be able to hit and kill the target you are aiming at with as few rounds as possiable or as many as it takes

 

[dfx willy]

man this topic went off with a BANG!! willy

 

[DrJoePrime]

Hi Mike in OC ...Welcome to the forum.

I am most sure it was not dropped where I found it. They are building up the beaches towards the San Gabriel River side and the sand comes from dredging close to the harbor at the L.A. River. Last year the city posted signs indicating their intentions of using that harbor dredged sand. The sand was deposited over the past couple of years in large mounds right at the Belmont Shore Beaches, I presume to dry out.

When I called the regular police department number he directed me to call the dispatcher. The dispatcher sent someone over within about 20 minutes. I received a phone call from the dispatcher telling me the officer was outside and to come out WITHOUT the gun. Thinking about it I understood very well. Here they knew a firearm was in my house and they didn't know my exact state of mind. So when I came outside I gave him my most innocent smile and told him: "you guys are as afraid (respectful) of guns as I am"...He smiled back and said that they take firearms very seriously.

It was a good experience no attitude from the officer. He gave me a report number and said I could inquire about details of the gun investigation. BUT whatever the outcome the gun would be destroyed. I pressed him a bit on the fact that I thought that I had a legal claim to it and he stopped listening and just repeated: It WILL be destroyed."

Right now I have a phone# to the California Attorney General's Firearms section and I hope to learn the legalities of having the gun destroyed.

Right now too .. I WANT THAT GUN MORE THAN EVER!

And I must admit that I am a strong advocate of gun control (and not just in aiming ).

HH Joe

 

[WilliamBoyd]

I can't imagine a police department giving a dangerous weapon to someone.

 

[Hunter]

Nice find WTG!!!

 

[pepperj]

Neat find, you've got the pictures to remember it.