Safe Surrender Events

Individuals can bring their unwanted, unloaded firearms to be dismantled during our anonymous safe surrender events.  At each event, trained volunteers use specialized tools to dismantle the surrendered firearms on site, ensuring they can never be used again.

The dismantled parts are transformed into garden tools, a powerful symbol of redemption that turns instruments of violence into tools that cultivate life.

1. Community members bring unwanted, unloaded firearms in the trunk, rear, or back seat of a vehicle.

2. Trained personnel remove the firearm(s) from vehicles, clear them for safety, and transfer them to a chop saw station.

3. Skilled volunteers then use power tools to make three cuts to each firearm, according to guidelines from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

4. Craftsmen, including blacksmiths, woodworkers, and artists, then transform the dismantled pieces into garden tools and art.

How Does It Work?

Guns to Gardens PNW events are not traditional gun “buy backs,” as the gun owners wait throughout the process and there is no transfer of firearm ownership.  Once the gun is dismantled, it is no longer legally a gun.

While the Guns to Gardens event is not a traditional gun “buy back,” we offer gift cards to gun owners as a way to thank them for disposing of unwanted firearms.

Upcoming dates for 2026 will be announced soon. Join our email list to be notified as soon as the next event is scheduled.

Upcoming Events

Interested in hosting a Guns to Gardens event in your community? Please send us an email at info@gunstogardenspnw.org