Found a handgun along side road today

[OldVet]

Hey, man! You found my gun! Cab you get it back for me?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[OldVet]

Hey, man! You found my gun! Can you get it back for me?

[1911 Nut]

Hey Fishshavers and JWhite75! I'm in Nicholas Co.

[Majorlk]

...or through the trigger guard!

Seriously though...kids, don't place objects in the barrel or trigger guard!

Only ignorant TV cops pick up guns by putting fingers inside trigger guards.

[larebel]

We found a bunch of guns, called the sheriff with the S/n's and kept them. They said we were clear to keep them.

[billdeserthills]

Few years back, I had a client who had just purchased a home. While I was rekeying it he found a locked floor safe in the garage. I opened the safe for him only to find it was stuffed full of handguns, about 20 in all! Sweet housewarming gift from someone!

[qdoggydogg]

I think you did the right thing, you definitely don't know the history on that firearm. I would think if it came up clean, and no one else claimed it, you would be the new rightful owner, but not sure how that works in WVa.

[Thanis]

WOW! I could just about feel the temptation. You did the right thing and maybe down the road it might be yours.
Way to go!!

Would be no temptation, even beyond just the right thing to do. If the hand gun is reported stolen or was used in a crime, there is a huge list of reasons the risk would not be worth it.

As for the other posts about finding a $100 bill on the side of the road (middle of no where, not in a wallet, etc). I would not turn it in. Would go in the poor box at church. Maybe the wrong thing, but what I would do. Now a bag of $100, I would do differently, and report / turn in. I don't know the magic $ amout, but I'm guessing $500 would be close.

[Thanis]

...The only thing I can think of to do differently, would be to leave it exactly where it is, not touch it and call the sheriff out to pick it up...

Maybe if I could contack LEO, but as stated in thread, no cell phone or LEO about.

Public safety. I would not leave a handgun on the side of the road. Few pictures with the cell phone. Take mag out and unchamber if chambered. Try not to get my prints on it or to smear possible prints.

Regardless of the potential evidence, I would never leave a loaded firearm on the side of the road, and I would never secure a firearm, in that situation, unless it was unload.

[Majorlk]

Maybe if I could contack LEO, but as stated in thread, no cell phone or LEO about.

Public safety. I would not leave a handgun on the side of the road. Few pictures with the cell phone. Take mag out and unchamber if chambered. Try not to get my prints on it or to smear possible prints.

Regardless of the potential evidence, I would never leave a loaded firearm on the side of the road, and I would never secure a firearm, in that situation, unless it was unload.

Pick one or the other; it's highly unlikely you could do both successfully.

[liljake82]

It might have been used in a crime, and now your prints are all over it.

Don't know how things work there but arround here they don't go arround printing everyone. If you havn't been arrested they have no prints to match yours with.

BTW in MO after 30 days if noone has claimed it it's yours be it a pistol or a bag of money.

[elmu]

A friend of mine had a similar thing happen to him.

He was walking on a quiet neighborhood in the middle of the afternoon, and he found a loaded S&W M10 in the middle of the street. Since there was no one around, he just picked it up and threw it in his pocket.

A few blocks later, he saw a very worried motorcycle cop cruising slowly, staring at the pavement. My friend grinned and told him "Looking for something?" and then handed him the gun in a quiet place. Needless to say, the cop was pretty grateful....

[Thanis]

Pick one or the other; it's highly unlikely you could do both successfully.

To clarify. I'm saying I would not a firearm from off the street with out first checking to make sure it was unloaded, and I would not take a loaded firearm into a police station.

Again, assuming you can't get LEO and just wait on the side of the road for them to secure it.

I want to want whoever posted on the UK case. Sure, it is very different here in the U.S., and I would still take pictures (cell phone), secure the firearm, take out mag, unchamber, avoid placing my prints, try not to wipe off prints already on it, etc.

To sum up, my point is that #1 I would try to contact LEO and just wait, but if that is just not an option, plan B.

[Saber]

Yes, you did the right thing. Now, I wonder how many of us would do the same thing if we found a Combat Wilson on the side of the road?
Regards,

[Majorlk]

To clarify. I'm saying I would not a firearm from off the street with out first checking to make sure it was unloaded, and I would not take a loaded firearm into a police station.

Again, assuming you can't get LEO and just wait on the side of the road for them to secure it.

I want to want whoever posted on the UK case. Sure, it is very different here in the U.S., and I would still take pictures (cell phone), secure the firearm, take out mag, unchamber, avoid placing my prints, try not to wipe off prints already on it, etc.

To sum up, my point is that #1 I would try to contact LEO and just wait, but if that is just not an option, plan B.

And I repeat - good luck on that. How do you remove the magazine and remove a round from the chamber WITHOUT putting your prints on the gun and magazine? Try that at home some evening and see how it turns out. Sounds nice, but virtually impossible to do unless you are wearing gloves.

As for not disturbing prints already on the gun? Fat chance.

Lots of things sound nice, but are virtually impossible to accomplish. This is one of those cases.