Treatment of seized weapons?

[showerbabies]

Have you personally witnessed seized weapons being ill-treated? Is it true? There's been a rash of brazen burglaries, and I don't want my pregnant wifey's kimber 1911 all beat after the long process of retrieving it if she uses it. Thinking about get her a glock or a 6shotter.

[Will Goes Boing]

Don't quite understand your question, are you asking whether stolen guns get "mistreated" by the bad guys who stole them?

If yes.... then lets just say they'll probably never clean it, it will be thrown around, it will be stuck in some A-hole's crotch or arse area (IWB) because I guarantee you a holster will not be used. And worse of all, it will be used to commit crimes and maybe even murders.

Do you think you would still want it back?

[kel-tec-innovations]

Glock sounds good, abuse it! and it still looks and functions the same lol

[lorddivid1]

I think he means if someone breaks in his house and his pregnant wife shoots the burgluar, will the police officers mistreat her precious kimber.

Forgive me if I am wrong.

[Dutch3]

If by "mistreated" you mean "destroyed and never returned", yes it can happen.

[showerbabies]

Sorry if that wasn't clear. Yes, I was referring to the "evidence room" or wherever firearms are stored, after it is confiscated by LEOs.

[fullrearview]

Sorry if that wasn't clear. Yes, I was referring to the "evidence room" or wherever firearms are stored, after it is confiscated by LEOs.

Ours are stored in cardboard gun boxes and zip tied down... The only thing mistreating them, is the unspent powder and dirt that was already on it.

[9mmepiphany]

I don't think mistreat would be the correct term, but they don't baby them either...they treat them like any other piece of evidence. It has to be identified (listing the serial number) and marked for later identification.

I carry whatever I shoot the best with...I always carried a personally owned gun as a duty weapon and had a spare at home if mine was ever taken as part of a shooting investigation...If there was damage to the gun when it was returned, there is a claim procedure to address that

[Samuelx]

So you're thinking of giving her a "lesser" weapon to use in case she needs one to protect herself and her unborn child because you're worried about how it's going to be stored afterwards???? Dunno about everyone else, but I'd want my wife to have whatever she is most comfortable/proficient with that also provides her with the most advantage - i.e. best chance to survive/win.

[FLIGHT762]

Like other L/E who replied here, If the pistol is used to shoot someone, it will be stored in the condition it was received. If it has blood on it, it will stay on it and will likely stain and corrode the metal. The pistol will not be cleaned. It will likely be processed by an evidence tech. and could be sitting in evidence for years, depending on the circumstances.

The self defense pistols I have are reliable models which I will not lose sleep over if they are used and are never seen again.

Do not use an expensive custom firearm for self defense unless you are willing to part with it.

That is just the reality.

[Kodemonkey]

Honestly, in the rare instance that ever happens I don't think you will really care what happens to your firearm. If it gives you an excuse to buy another gun though, go for it.

[showerbabies]

Thanks for everyones insight, especially samuelx for showing how bad of a husband I am .

I'm not necessary worried about the storage process alone, but also the idea of what Dutch3 said; the possibility of our weapon being destroyed. The $900 use Kimber is a quite a few pretty pennies to us. I'll most likely take her to try a (disposable) glock or a XD. No offense polymer guys!

Another question pops up: will a self defense weapon always be confiscated? Or when would that weapon never be confiscated after that scenario?

[Dutch3]

I'm not necessary worried about the storage process alone, but also the idea of what Dutch3 said; the possibility of our weapon being destroyed.

PM inbound.

[Samuelx]

Thanks for everyones insight, especially samuelx for showing how bad of a husband I am .

Hey, you can't be all that bad - after all, she does currently have a kimber 1911... (my wife doesn't have a kimber - who's the bad husband now?)

[blakdawg]

Another question pops up: will a self defense weapon always be confiscated? Or when would that weapon never be confiscated after that scenario?

You can pretty much count on the weapon being seized while the investigation is pending. This is even true when LEO's have an on-duty shoot, which is why the LEO's who have responded to you have talked about having backup guns in case their duty gun is held for investigation.

Whether or not you'll ever get it back depends a lot on the department that takes it. My impression is that in the urban parts of CA, there's a very good chance you'll never see it again - what I've heard through friends-of-friends is that the department's response is "We're not giving it back. If you don't like it, go spend a few thousand dollars hiring an attorney to get your $500 pistol back." And, no surprise, nobody ever does.

I get the impression from reading this forum that others have been more successful. Maybe things have improved recently, it's been maybe 10 years since anyone in my extended social circle had a gun seized/confiscated.

Count me (non-LEO) in the "disposable Glock" category - I like Glocks a lot, but to me they are tools, and a self-defense gun isn't a good gun to get all sentimental about.

The other thing is, if you or your wife is involved in a defensive shooting, that means that at some point the shooter believed their life was in danger - and if the worst case outcome for that scenario is that you lose a physical possession (even if it was your favorite gun, or a family heirloom, or whatever) that's a lot better than dying.