The rare antique gun inexplicably turned over for free by an Alabama man has been safely returned

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May 15, 2017

HOOVER, Ala. — Over the weekend, officials from the city of Hoover, Alabama returned a vintage shotgun to a man who had turned it over for free on Hazardous Waste Day. The man, who has chosen to remain anonymous, gave it away because it took up too much space in his closet. But at the time, he had no idea how much it was worth.

While state law generally requires that guns turned over to the government at events like Hazardous Waste Day be destroyed, the gun is exempted from the rule as an antique built before 1898.

Hoover Officials, including Councilman Gene Smith, worked vigorously to find the gun’s rightful owner. After some research, Smith found that the gun is a fairly expensive antique made in 1892 and potentially worth as much as $10,000. Smith, who co-owns Hoover Tactical Firearms, said the gun was made by a German Jewish family manufacturer that sold firearms prior to World War I. Being the product of a small firearm builder, the gun is even more rare because the family was likely not in the business of mass production.

“For the age, this gun is in amazing condition,” Smith said. “It’s in extremely good shape. In fact, anything you’d do to try to restore it would actually bring its value down. It’s most valuable just as it sits right now.”

When the original owner turned the gun over to the city, officials did not have any record of who the man was or how to contact him. Instead, they had to embark on a media campaign to reach him through word-of-mouth. Eventually, the man saw a news report and contacted the Hoover Police Department.

When the man found out how much the gun is worth, he changed his mind on his decision to dispose of it. “That’s just like throwing a lottery ticket in the garbage,” he said. “Y’all did good, and I appreciate it.”

The gun has been in his family for generations, and he has been in personal possession of it for eight years. However, after finding out its value, he is considering the possibility of selling it.