El Paso, TX – Texas just gave taxpayer-funded gun “buyback” programs the boot, and cities like El Paso are scrambling to hold one last turn-in event before the new law takes effect.
Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 3053, blocking counties and cities from spending public money to collect firearms from citizens in exchange for gift cards. For gun rights advocates, it’s a clear victory against what many see as feel-good disarmament theater.
“They’ve not had any effect on reducing crime as far as gun crime in El Paso,” said El Paso Republican Party Chairman Michael Aboud. “If they want to reduce that, they should go after the violent criminals.”
For years, El Paso County offered up to $200 for rifles—including the dreaded “assault weapons” label politicians love to throw around. Now, Sheriff Oscar Ugarte says the new law “ties our hands” and plans one last buyback before the ban kicks in on September 1.
Symbolism Over Substance
Gun owners and researchers alike have long criticized buybacks for failing to address real crime. Studies show most of the guns collected are broken, outdated, or simply unwanted—while criminals keep the firearms they actually use.
Meanwhile, private buyers often show up at these events offering cash for valuable guns, saving them from destruction. In one 2023 El Paso event, $60,000 in taxpayer-funded gift cards ran out in hours, and many collectors walked away with mint-condition handguns and antique rifles for pennies on the dollar.
“Calling it a ‘buyback’ is nonsense,” said one AmmoLand reader in Texas. “The government can’t ‘buy back’ what it never owned in the first place. This was always about optics, not safety.”
A Broader Pro-2A Push
HB 3053 is part of a larger pro-gun wave in Texas. Lawmakers recently passed measures banning red flag laws, expanding access to short-barrel rifles, and making handgun licenses more accessible for Texans traveling out of state.
Pro-2A leaders say Texas is sending a clear message: they won’t let anti-gun activists chip away at the right to keep and bear arms under the guise of “public safety.”
“El Paso politicians might be crying foul, but Texans know better,” said one local firearms trainer. “Buybacks don’t stop criminals—they just make headlines and shred freedom.”
As the clock ticks down to September, El Paso’s final buyback is shaping up to be one last gasp for a program that gun owners believe should have been dead on arrival.
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About Tred Law
Tred Law is your everyday patriot with a deep love for this country and a no-compromise approach to the Second Amendment. He does not write articles for Ammoland every week, but when he does write, it is usually about liberals Fing with his right to keep and bear arms.
