Montgomery County offers up to $200 for guns at buyback event Nov. 7

Montgomery County is hosting its fifth annual gun buyback event on November 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at RedGate Park in Rockville, officials told WTOP. Residents can turn in firearms without showing ID or answering questions and receive gift cards worth up to $200.

The program is a partnership between the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Rockville City Police Department. State’s Attorney John McCarthy said the event aims to reduce the availability of guns, particularly to young people in the community.

Previous events collected hundreds of firearms, including ghost guns—privately made firearms without serial numbers that are difficult to trace. McCarthy highlighted concerns about ghost guns being accessed by minors, sometimes without parents’ knowledge.

Participants can receive a $100 Visa gift card for functioning handguns, rifles, shotguns, and ghost guns. Functioning assault-style weapons qualify for a $200 gift card. Nonfunctioning firearms can be turned in but do not receive compensation.

McCarthy emphasized the program also seeks to reduce accidental shootings and suicides by removing guns from homes. Gift cards are limited, and police may restrict the number issued per participant.