"I'm hoping to get $700, to buy my three kids Christmas gifts," says Stanley, who surrendered four magazines for AR-15s -- the lightweight semi-automatic frequently used in mass shootings -- and four handguns.

The buy-back scheme was announced in a bid to rid the streets of illegal weapons in a city that has seen 298 people killed through Sunday this year, or nearly one per day, according to the Baltimore Sun daily.

It is no surprise, therefore, that the number of deaths in violent crime in the city is expected comfortably to exceed 300 for the fourth calendar year in a row.

On Monday, the collection was organized in a sports center in Upton, a poor area where decrepit buildings stand alongside public housing and where at least eight people were shot dead this year.

Police have promised anonymity to those who hand in their weapons, who must be residents of Baltimore. Large magazines will net $25, handguns and rifles $100, semi-automatic rifles $200 and automatic rifles $500.

The transactions are completed quickly, and in cash.

- 'They won't steal this one'

Stanley was pleased with the price for magazines: "They're offering $25 for each magazine, I bought them like $5 apiece."

Robert, an elderly man, showed up with the only weapon he had: a small-caliber .22 rifle wrapped in a garbage bag.

"My house got broken into before and they stole a gun, so this time they won't steal this one," he said.

As the number of people turning in weapons grew, a man in his 30s took a bag of rifles out of the trunk of his car. The guns seemed to be in good condition.

The man, who did not want to be identified, said he no longer used his weapons, which were stored in his basement.

He chose to turn them in because he did not "want to sell them to someone I don't know. I don't want to be responsible. I hope to get $1,000. It's going to pay for my car."

The right to bear arms is guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution, and there are weapons in one third of American homes. According to health authorities, nearly 40,000 people died in the United States as a result of firearms in 2017 -- a figure that includes suicides.

The last gun buy-back effort, in 2012, collected about 250 weapons, according to Baltimore police.

"At the end of the day, guns kill people and we want to get them off the street," acting Baltimore police commissioner Gary Tuggle said last week.

- Divided opinions -

In Upton, opinions are divided.

"It's useful. It's good for the community, means less guns on the street," Robert said.

A young African American, who did not want to be identified by name, was more skeptical.

"It's not really going to stop anything. I mean, most criminals are not going to come in and turn in their firearms," he said.

Stanley was of the same opinion: "I don't see any hardened gang members here, they are not going to turn in their guns."

"The only guns they are going to get are from law-abiding citizens like me who want to make some extra money," he added.

"This whole program is a waste of money. It is not doing anything to focus on the real crime ... They're using that money to give back to people that don't really need it," Stanley said.

To reduce crime, authorities should focus on underlying issues, he says.

"The leaders and politicians here ... should be focused on economic development, education, more enforcement on hardened criminals."

But police said Monday the operation had been a success, with 580 weapons turned over in just the first day.