Missile Launcher dumped at US gun amnesty

[R.O.S]

A man in Florida surprised police by handing in a surface-to-air missile launcher during a gun amnesty in the city of Orlando.
Under the no-questions-asked scheme, "Kicks for Guns", anyone who surrendered a firearm would receive trainers or $50 (£25).

The Orlando Sentinel newspaper said the man exchanged the rocket launcher for designer footwear for his daughter.

He told the newspaper he found the 4ft (1.2m) weapon in a shed last week.

The unidentified man said he had tried in vain to get rid of the launcher, which is designed to blow aircraft out of the sky.

"I took it to three dumps to try to get rid of it and they told me to get lost."

"I didn't know what to do with it, so I brought it here," he told the newspaper.

Besides the missile launcher, Orlando Police collected more than 310 guns during the amnesty.

After inspecting the rocket launcher, police spokeswoman Sgt Barbara Jones said: "I tell you, you never know what you're going to get."

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6953374.stm

WOW... a shed eh? was it a shed located near tanks, hummers and behind a large fence with people walking around in clothes that said "US Army"?

 

[DBA]

If you go to the local paper's website they have a picture. Looks like just the tube from a missile based weapon system. Don't recognize it myself but it's not really a 'launcher' in the military sense since there is no aiming or firing unit attached. 

Cops ask for guns, get missile launcher.

 

[George Wallace]

If you go to the local paper's website they have a picture. Looks like just the tube from a missile based weapon system. Don't recognize it myself but it's not really a 'launcher' in the military sense since there is no aiming or firing unit attached.  

Cops ask for guns, get missile launcher.

The way that the Sgt is holding the tube in one hand, and the disformed end caps, would make me suspect that the tube was empty.  I am sure one of our TOW Gunners can tell us if it it is a TOW tube or not, but that is what it looks similar to, to me.  Definitely not "shoulder" fired.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Mod Edit:
Title change to accurately reflect what was dropped off

Milnet.ca Staff

 

[3rd Herd]

"An unblemished 1903 .32-caliber Colt pistol caught the eye of a knowledgeable deputy who checked the Internet and found it was worth about $1,400."

"That moment for gun aficionados was the pre-noon appearance at the Citrus Bowl of a man carrying three firearms. He dropped them off and left, saying he didn't want anything.

"I wish he'd been my father," said Officer Kevin Williams, an assistant range master and gun instructor at the Orlando Police Department. "I'd love to have them."

"Somebody took really good care of this," said Williams, holding a ..308-caliber M1-A Springfield rifle worth about $1,500. "I'd bet a body part this was never used in a crime."

On a related item of those who cannot control their lust:

Officer charged with trafficking in firearms
Last Updated: Friday, August 17, 2007 | 2:31 PM MT
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2007/08/17/gun-amnesty.html?ref=rss

or
Rocket launcher surrendered during B.C. gun amnesty
Last Updated: Wednesday, June 28, 2006 | 2:10 PM
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2006/06/28/bc-gun-amnesty.html

I think we have discused both the above but I could not find the forum threads.

 

[George Wallace]

???

Ummmm!

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-guns1807aug18,0,354258.story?coll=orl_home_promo


Orlando, Florida isn't in BC or Alberta, but I can see where we may be looking at a novel trend.


[Edit to add:  That Rocket Laucher in BC is a spent M 72.]

 

[3rd Herd]

I was refer to the "drooling" that occurs when every something interesting is found or turned in. And that it seems every time one of these is held there is always something interesting turned in.

 

[JVJA]

The way that the Sgt is holding the tube in one hand, and the disformed end caps, would make me suspect that the tube was empty. 

I agree with you George, and you are correct, it is TOW.

 

[DBA]

If it's a TOW then guessing the rest of the part numbers gets BTM-71A-3 (practice round) or BGM-71A-3 (ground attack). That's the extended range version of the series (Standard, Extended Range, Improved, TOW 2, TOW 2A, TOW 2B) so pretty old. The Improved version became operational in 1981 and TOW 2 entered service in 1983.

References: Jane's article on BGM-71 TOW

A blog with a picture of a more recent TOW missile tube and comments on this incident: http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/?p=1325

 

[George Wallace]

Mod Edit:
Title change to accurately reflect what was dropped off

Milnet.ca Staff

That is questionable.  There is no 'launcher', nor an 'erector'.  All there is, is the empty missile tube.  :-\

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

That is questionable.  There is no 'launcher', nor an 'erector'.  All there is, is the empty missile tube.   :-\

According to the article it was a launcher not missile hence the title change.

 

[George Wallace]

I would categorize it along with the empty 105 mm Tk Rd tubes, empty M-72 Tubes, empty Flare tubes, etc.  It is Salvage.  Not worth getting bent out of shape over.  Just silly that this makes the News.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Free running shoes for the kid in exchange for a shipping tube! I love it!!!

 

[R.O.S]

According to the article it was a launcher not missile hence the title change.

I just copied the title from BBC

 

[KevinB]

Free running shoes for the kid in exchange for a shipping tube! I love it!!!

Yeah, and the public (sheeple) panic...


Gawd you gotta get a kick out of the morons in society these days.