Lot's of responses to my question here. It's interesting to read the differing opinions. I think it would really depend on who used the gun as to whether I would want to have it. Like someone posted earlier, if it was a pedophile or a murderer that ate a bullet from it, I would keep the gun knowing it did a great service to humanity. But if it was my family or friend I don't think I'd be able to hold the gun without being reminded of it and trying to imagine the last moments of pain they felt to have to resort to such a thing.

Now, if it was my best friend that turned out to be a pedophile psycho killer, I might have to toss a coin to decide to keep it or not.

Just a little story about one of my guns. My grandfather's cousin shot himself out in the barn with a shotgun I currently own. No regrets about owning it, no desire to get rid of it whatsoever.

Originally Posted by Nozoki

Now, if it was my best friend that turned out to be a pedophile psycho killer, I might have to toss a coin to decide to keep it or not.

LOL!!!

If it's a Glock, Hk or Kimber....yes.

Let's take it easy on the personal attacks. This is purely opinion.

My own take is that a gun is just an inanimate object with no will of its own. As someone else wrote, it's just a tool for poking holes in things. I'm not superstitious or religious and therefore don't buy into concepts like "bad karma." To me a gun is merely a hunk of metal and plastic or wood, no matter if it's been used to ventilate paper or people.

It's just a gun.

Originally Posted by Don357

How many of you own a Military Surplus weapon? Did you ever stop to think about how many soldiers or even civilians that were killed with your K-98 Mauser, P-08 Luger, Type 99 Arisaka, Type 38 Arisaka, how about your 91-30 Mosin or your M44 Mosin. Hey, how about your SKS or AK47 or even the 1911 that belonged to your Grandfather who served in WW1. My point is, A gun is a tool designed to do a job. It dosen't think or act on it's own. Therefore it can't be held responsible for how it is used. This is exactly what's going on with all these pro-gunban activists, they are trying to hold legal gunowners and manufacturers responsible for how badguys use THEIR illeagal weapons by taking it out on CERTAIN types of weapons (for now). It's not the guns fault, it's the preson pulling the trigger. I apologize for my rant!

I have an M1 Garand with lots of vertical marks in the stock. I dunno that they are kill ticks, but I'd bet. But a weapon used in battle probably doesn't ahve the same stigma as one used in a suicide. I have to go with SubMOA and be certain that the surviving loved ones didn't have to see the gun again, but I'd carry it....and I wouldn't tell anyone the gun's history, in respect to the family (not saying they shouldn't have..I just wouldn't).

I'd use it.

Oddly enough, my gut tells me I'd be more comfortable buying a "murder or suicide" house than a "suicide" gun. I realize it's irrational, but that's my gut.

A gun is a gun.

I have a gun that was used to kill a man. With the exception of some pitting, it looks, fires, and feels like it did prior to the killing.

It would bother me a lot to own a gun that killed someone that was close to me. But, if the gun killed a stranger, no matter what the circumstance, I think I could deal with that.
Now if it had a bunch of notches on it, that might be a bad sign and it might be a good idea to sell it to someone you don't like.

Originally Posted by TxPhantom

It would bother me a lot to own a gun that killed someone that was close to me. But, if the gun killed a stranger, no matter what the circumstance, I think I could deal with that.
Now if it had a bunch of notches on it, that might be a bad sign and it might be a good idea to sell it to someone you don't like.

I saw a gun from Mexico one time that had 10 notches carved into it. The owner said it had killed 8 people! I ask how come there were ten notches.

He said the other two were bonus notches!

Originally Posted by zippo9

I saw a gun from Mexico one time that had 10 notches carved into it. The owner said it had killed 8 people! I ask how come there were ten notches.

He said the other two were bonus notches!

Yes I would use it It is a tool just like a hammer or saw any of the 3 can kill you if misused. Just because someone was in so much pain to kill themselves doesn't mean I can not take it and use it for good.

I tend to agree with everyone saying that it's just a purpose-bulilt hunk of metal (or possibly plastic), but I also completely understand why others wouldn't want it. It does evoke emotion to some people when they know it was used in a suicide. To each his own, if it bothers you, don't buy it or just get rid of it if you already have it. If it doesn't, hit the range! If it was the suicide instrument of someone I was close to, I'd think that would make me less likely to get rid of it. It'd be kind of a memorial to that person every time I shoot it. Because it is, after all, just a piece of equipment. Perhaps it would be a good thing to think of a lost friend/relative when using this piece of equipment... Perhaps not. I can't say for sure since I've never been in the situation. But my thinking is, it's a perfectly good firearm, and why let it go to waste?

If I read the original post correctly, the gun was given not bought. The gun is just another steel and plastic tool that has no decision as to what it is used for. I'd keep it.

I would, a gun is a gun.
It has not, nor will not kill anyone. It is inanimate...

I carry a SP101 that was burgled from my vehicle in one city, and recovered by the DEA in a drug raid 11 years later in another city.

I thought it was pretty cool that they returned it to me., or at least allowed me to travel to that city and pick it up. They wouldn't deliver.

I often wonder what it had been involved in during those years, but don't let it keep me from enjoying having it back.

I'd need some details before I decided to keep it or not...

Did the fellow bleed on it? That's bad for the finish...

Are we sure it was a suicide and not an accidental discharge?

Thus far, I've had one (1) AD in all my years of handling firearms & that was from a shotgun with a sear that broke (releasing the firing pin) as I worked the slide action. Fortunately, as always, I had the gun pointed in a safe direction (toward the clay that had just launched -- but I missed --darn!).

-101-

I'd use it.

I wouldn't touch a "suicide gun". To be honest, that's the kind of weird stuff that makes some people think gun owners are nuts. Sure, a gun is a gun is a gun, and sure, a gun is a tool, and sure, the suicide wasn't the gun's fault. But it's just weird to pull out a gun from the gun safe and show it to someone and say (without a hint of feeling) "yeah, some dude's wife killed herself with this."

At the very least, sell it and buy a different gun.

The only reason for keeping such a gun would be if it had some sentimental value.

The gun is only a tool. Tools are not Evil......some people are though,
I would have no reservations with owning this fine tool .

Strictly my opinion... It depends on the situation, but I would not keep this gun. Just something about having a gun that someone used to kill themselves with gives me the willies. I'm a Karma believer and I would think that it has some type of bad juju on it. On the other hand. Combat weapons and duty weapons might be a different story. I'd consider owning one of them where there is no question about a suicide gun. I Can't pinpoint why, but that is my take and I'm sticking to it.

It wouldn't bother me to have a gun with a history like that. I used to collect old military guns for a while. They all just about had a history. I still have a few but sold a lot of them mainly because I don't shoot long guns as much since I for hurt. I don't really hunt anymore and It guns are made to shoot. It isn't fair to them to make them into safe queens.

I'm another one that would probably take the gun without reservations. It would be a totally different situation if it was a family member or close friend that committed suicide. I would probably want that gun gone.

The house I grew up in actually had a suicide in it. One of the contractors pulled his car into the garage and asphyxiated himself. I was too young to know about it at the time, but it did creep me out a little bit when I found out later, but it really wasn't a big deal. Again, if a family member or friend had done it, totally different story.