Montgomery County Offers $200 Gift Cards at Rockville Gun Buyback

Montgomery County residents can exchange unwanted firearms for Visa gift cards starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7.

The fifth annual buyback event will be held at RedGate Park on 14500 Avery Road in Rockville until 1 p.m. Officials say participants do not need to live in the city, show identification, or answer questions about the weapons they bring.

State’s Attorney John McCarthy stated the program aims to remove unwanted guns from homes before they end up in the wrong hands. He expressed hope that the initiative will specifically reduce the availability of firearms to younger people in the community.

Participants can receive a $100 gift card for functioning handguns, rifles, shotguns, and privately manufactured firearms. Those weapons include ghost guns, which lack serial numbers and are difficult for law enforcement to trace. McCarthy noted that ghost guns are a concern because they have been involved in incidents with young people, sometimes without parents knowing the firearms were in the home.

Functioning assault-style weapons qualify for a $200 gift card. Gift cards are limited, and police may restrict the number issued to each participant. Nonfunctioning firearms can also be turned in, but they will not qualify for compensation. McCarthy said the program also aims to reduce the risk of accidental shootings and suicides.

Participants must drive to the park with firearms unloaded and secured in the trunk. They must stay inside their vehicles while officers collect the weapons. Walk-ups are not allowed. Collected firearms intended for destruction will be secured and transported for disposal after the event.

Previous events have collected hundreds of firearms. McCarthy said the buyback is one part of broader efforts to keep people safe and offers residents peace of mind by removing guns from their homes.