I am more concerned with the people participating in the other side of this exchange. If somebody wants to get a gun out of their house so they can stop worry

I am more concerned with the people participating in the other side of this exchange. If somebody wants to get a gun out of their house so they can stop worrying about it and want it destroyed, then the money is unnecessary. If the money is their motive for selling their gun to the police, then they should be given fair market value. These programs are calculated to exploit people desperately in need of cash. How would you like it if you and your whole family were poor, and you learned that your grandmother sold a $1000 rifle for $100 of walmart gift cards because she was desperate, didn't know what the gun was worth, and trusted the police to not scam her? BTW, many of these "buyback" programs are funded by people like Doris Buffett. Run by the police but paid for by wealthy donors. They can afford to pay fair market value, they just prefer to scam people.