Treatment of seized weapons?

[Notorious]

I had a shotgun stolen from me and when it was recovered... nobody told me... so they destroyed it. I think that is about as bad of a treatment as you can get.

[eltee]

When I transport my own rifles and s/g's, I put them in cases and carefully lay them out in my truck. If I have to seize a bunch of long guns, it is likely that they will be grabbed up as-is (no cases, etc.) and stacked on top of each other in the trunk of a car. If you have a pigeon grade, Fajen wooded, high polish blued over and under or something of that quality, I shudder to think how the wood, etc. will look when it is returned.

Cops who like and respect guns (depending upon the circumstances of the seizure) might try to be careful with prize guns, but no guarantee. Once in evidence or in the lab, I've not seen any instances of poor treatment. If the gun is being forensically tested, the techs use gloves, etc. If seized as contraband and merely held as evidence, they usually get bagged and boxed. The one thing I am uncertain about is whether or not the techs will clean and wipe down a gun that has been test fired for ballistic analysis. I would guess not.

[ocspeedracer]

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.

This is probably true here, but not in most other states, if it's a clean shoot it's a clean shoot.

[deadcoyote]

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.

i've personally never seen any mistreatment of seized weapons. i've seen plenty of civilian complaints from folks who claim their guns came back to them with scratches or what not. I'd always felt it was just some people trying to milk a little money out of the department.

[krnrspd]

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.

glock a lesser weapon?? I'd trust my life to a glock! i've had more failures with kimbers than i can recall with glocks (0)

ain't the kimber a safe queen?

[AAShooter]

glock a lesser weapon?? I'd trust my life to a glock! i've had more failures with kimbers than i can recall with glocks (0)

ain't the kimber a safe queen?

[Jonathan Doe]

I handle those evidence guns all the time. I do not "mistreat" them. All my coworkers are the same. We do not mistreat the guns. Except for some long guns, most guns come in an envelope or cardboard boxes, and they are decently protected.

Many guns are returned to the owners, and many guns are destroyed. My office salvage some of those guns to be destroyed, and keep it in our collection we call "gun library".

[Samuelx]

glock a lesser weapon?? I'd trust my life to a glock! i've had more failures with kimbers than i can recall with glocks (0)

ain't the kimber a safe queen?

"lesser" with respect to the OP not minding "as much" if it were damaged or lost or never returned - that's all... I don't own any glocks or kimbers or 6 shotters so I have no dog in the fight... my point was what Blakdawg wrote in his last paragraph... e.g. if my wife totalled one of our cars or got one impounded indefinitely as a result of using it to defend herself against a POS(es), I'd be fine with that too...