Minnesota DNR to Auction off Confiscated Firearms, Bows & Sporting Goods

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be auctioning off firearms and sporting goods confiscated by the DNR. Two Auctions will be held, on August 26 and October 7th, 2024.

The auctions are open to the public. The goods will be sold “as is”. Background checks are required for those who bid on and win a firearm or firearms. It is not clear if the background check will include filling out a form 4473.

The auctions will be conducted by Hiller Auction Inc. at the Auction barn in Zimmerman, Minnesota. The state of Minnesota will pay the auction fees. A sales tax of 7.375% will be charged on items sold at the auction. The August 26th Auction has an inspection period from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on August 23, 2024. Bidders will be registered. If a bidder wins a firearms auction, the bidder must pass a background check. From hillerauction.com:

This is a staggered ending auction. One or more items will end per minute. Check in auction “DETAILS” for each auction. Bidding will extend on that item if there is a bid in the final 3 minutes and extend as many times as needed until there are no bids for 3 minutes. Extended bidding does not affect the ending times of other items.

In the event of technology failure, we reserve the right to restart the auction at the point of failure extending the auction past its original ending time.

The first auction, on August 26th, has items listed at the Hiller Auction site. There are about 144 firearms. This number includes a few black powder guns, about seven tranquilizer guns, and a few air guns. The firearms include a number of inexpensive guns, as well as some moderately more expensive models, such as a Savage lever action in .300 Savage, a couple of Tikka sporting rifles, and a couple of Henry .45-70 rifles. There are only a few handguns. The auction site states a “permit” is required to take possession of a handgun. People who have a Minnesota carry permit will have a significant advantage when bidding for a handgun. Handguns include a Sig/Saur P365XL 9mm, a Sig P230, a High Standard Military Model .22, and a Sig P230SL.

Analysis: Public auctions are fun to attend. This correspondent has noted that firearms at most public auctions sell for a significant amount over the “normal” market value. It is not clear if the background check requirement includes the filling out of a 4473 form. Auctioneers may or may not require a dealer’s licence, according to the ATF. It may be the DNR is able to conduct background checks through NICS, without filling out 4473 forms.

If this correspondent were reasonably close to this auction, it would be fun to look over the merchandise during the inspection period, perhaps even bidding on an item or two of interest when the auction is held on August 26th. There is a second Auction on October 7th, 2024. Those items have not been listed as of the time of this writing.

In addition to the firearms, there are about three dozen bows, of various manufacturers, up for auction. Bows often go for much lower prices. If you know your archery equipment, this could be a way to pick up a bargain.

About Dean Weingarten:

Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.