Rethinking My Gun Ownership Strategy

[gregintenn]

10 hours ago, hipower said:

Yes pop pop it is. At least you have the kids and grandkids to leave an heirloom and some wonderful memories to. We have no children. I have no siblings, and my wife has one brother.

Gifting is a slender option for me. The contemporaries in my family are either not interest in firearms, or not someone I would give my collection to. I guess I'll hope for better situation next year for sales. Or maybe a raffle?

I have more thinking and planning to do. 

Uncle hi power, is that you??!!?

[TomInMN]

10 hours ago, hipower said:

Yes, those are some things I have considered. All but the neighbors. Flaming liberals all around me. I'm surprised how quickly our street went Dem/Bernie/Warren/Hilary. Just the result of all the new people moving in.

Maybe an opportunity to draft them for Team 2A?

[Defender]

Wow.  Im a little surprised at how many others are thinking similar thoughts.  I really hesitated posting the OP because i felt like it sounded whiny, lol.  Im not in a big hurry and may well wait to see how the political situation evolves before I sell. Thanks, guys, for the support and the advice.  You guys are awesome.

[Grayfox54]

Probably the best thing you can do for the ones you leave behind is to keep good records for your guns.

They will need to know:

Make

Model

Serial number

When you bought it 

What you paid

Current value 

Doing this will keep them from getting screwed when they find themselves having to dispose of your collection. 

Some of you may remember that a couple of years ago I had to dispose of a late friend's collection for his wife. Thankfully he kept good records. The goal was to sell them and do so quickly. By having his records, being able to identify exactly each gun and knowing what he paid for them, I was able to price his guns  attractively  to sell quickly, but at the same time make sure his wife didn't lose any money on them. 

Remember, tomorrow is promised to no one. While you may intend to sell them off yourself, be prepared just in case your loved ones suddenly find themselves stuck with the job. 

[TomInMN]

This seemed like as good a place as any to drop this, read through to the end:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/27/us/104-year-old-woman-wisconsin-hunt-deer-trnd/index.html

[Dirtshooter]

9 hours ago, Grayfox54 said:

Remember, tomorrow is promised to no one.

So true. I have heard that we are just 1 breath away from our "stuff" being somebody else's "stuff"

[Garufa]

12 minutes ago, Dirtshooter said:

So true. I have heard that we are just 1 breath away from our "stuff" being somebody else's "stuff"

Very true and somebody else might end up cussing you for your “stuff” if they have to deal with it. 

Edited November 28, 2019 by Garufa

[hipower]

2 hours ago, Garufa said:

Very true and somebody else might end up cussing you for your “stuff” if they have to deal with it. 

My wife has already made some rather strong comments about my little pastime...

[Grayfox54]

Yep, A heart attack and triple bypass at age 46 made me realize it can happen at any time. . That's why I retired on the very first day I was eligible. 

[E4 No More]

6 hours ago, Grayfox54 said:

Yep, A heart attack and triple bypass at age 46 made me realize it can happen at any time. . That's why I retired on the very first day I was eligible. 

Damn, dude!

[Grayfox54]

Ancient history now and I'm fine. My point is that such things make you re-evaluate your life and realize just how fragile it is.  

[Erich]

Is it me or is this thread somewhat timely as we are full on in Black Friday week?  Sadly I found it too late to curb my compulsion this go round. I appreciate the sobering thoughts.

For transplants who lived it restricted states, the first year or two of the open firearm buffet seems to shut down your awareness and logic.  A few months ago I was able to rein it in and was picking thru things to thin. I dabbled. But I still keep walking up to the buffet line because its there and I can still walk.

With resolution season just ahead, its a good reminder that staying lean applies to a good many more things.

[Luckyforward]

I am 64 and while my health remains good, there are guns I need to get rid of, but am finding it difficult because of family ties to certain firearms.  My L.C. Smith 16 ga. double is no longer safe to shoot, so what do I do with it?  My grandfather's .300 Savage is still a great gun, but how do I part with it?  I grew up with a Savage .22 over 410 which is in great shape, but I can't part with it.  If any of you have any feedback, I would genuinely appreciate it.

As for the rest of my guns, I'm going to start selling off those I don't shoot as much.  I'm reviving my interest in .22s.

Hard decisions as we grow older . . .

[gregintenn]

27 minutes ago, Luckyforward said:

I am 64 and while my health remains good, there are guns I need to get rid of, but am finding it difficult because of family ties to certain firearms.  My L.C. Smith 16 ga. double is no longer safe to shoot, so what do I do with it?  My grandfather's .300 Savage is still a great gun, but how do I part with it?  I grew up with a Savage .22 over 410 which is in great shape, but I can't part with it.  If any of you have any feedback, I would genuinely appreciate it.

As for the rest of my guns, I'm going to start selling off those I don't shoot as much.  I'm reviving my interest in .22s.

Hard decisions as we grow older . . .

That 300 Savage isn't perchance a takedown model is it?Surely it isn't a model 1920 bolt action.

What's wrong with the L.C. Smith?

[Luckyforward]

The Savage is a lever action.  I've been told by a gunsmith that the barrels on the LC Smith have thinned out due to age and wear that it is no longer safe to shoot.

[Jeb48]

As for guns you don't want to get rid of and may not be safe to shoot. I have three wall hangers, two are not safe to shoot and one was my father's first shotgun he bought when he was around 15, I assume he used his dad's guns for hunting before that. The two unsafe guns. one just looks neat and has very little value, my Dad had it in his collection and the other a gunsmith gave me when I was about 10, it is a neat little Sevens Little Scout pack .22 with a bad barrel and he took the firing pin out to be sure I didn't do something stupid. Back in those days I use it to play cowboy's and indians and the neighbors didn't blink an eye.

The other benefit to having 3 long guns hanging in the living room is the comments from the occasional liberal visitor. My favorite was "those aren't real are they". I told her yes and explained that two were not operational and the other was a single shot shotgun that was my Dad's. I didn't tell her she was sitting about 4 feet from an open door that had a loaded pump shotgun behind it.

[DaveTN]

To many of us these guns are important and have a story. To those that follow us; they may not be. They may simply be piles of fast cash.

[TomInMN]

18 hours ago, Luckyforward said:

I am 64 and while my health remains good, there are guns I need to get rid of, but am finding it difficult because of family ties to certain firearms.  My L.C. Smith 16 ga. double is no longer safe to shoot, so what do I do with it?  My grandfather's .300 Savage is still a great gun, but how do I part with it?  I grew up with a Savage .22 over 410 which is in great shape, but I can't part with it.  If any of you have any feedback, I would genuinely appreciate it.

As for the rest of my guns, I'm going to start selling off those I don't shoot as much.  I'm reviving my interest in .22s.

Hard decisions as we grow older . . .

In order:

How come? (Is there an actual need, or do you just feel like you should? At this point, the cost to keep them is pretty minimal, eh?)

If you like the aesthetic, you can have a Smith remove the firing pins, maybe even weld the holes, and hang it on the wall or make a corner stand (or similar) for it. If you just want it gone, call your local gun shop or local PD and ask if they'd take it to destroy.

The guns that you have a personal connection to, I'd encourage you to pick up some ammo and take them to the range, rekindle that connection and maybe jar loose some fond memories.

If you can find someone in your family or that you're close to who would appreciate your family guns, pass them on when the time is right. As an additional thought: When you've decided to pass something along to someone else, try to do it sooner rather than later. It's nice for everyone to see the use it's going to get, and to make some new memories with that object together.

A friend of mine who is a baby boomer never married and has no kids. He gave me a .22 a few years ago that was his dad's and that he grew up with. I never knew his dad, but I count myself lucky to have the friendship that it represents to me. I send him a photo of rifle and game when we've had a successful hunt, and will likely teach my boys to shoot with it. He'll get photos of that, too.

Edited November 30, 2019 by TomInMN
Additional thoughts.

[Luckyforward]

7 hours ago, DaveTN said:

To many of us these guns are important and have a story. To those that follow us; they may not be. They may simply be piles of fast cash.

Dave - this is exactly my fear.  Of sons-in-law, one would run with them as fast as he could to sell them, the other I'm not sure about in other ways.

[Luckyforward]

4 hours ago, TomInMN said:

In order:

How come? (Is there an actual need, or do you just feel like you should? At this point, the cost to keep them is pretty minimal, eh?)

If you like the aesthetic, you can have a Smith remove the firing pins, maybe even weld the holes, and hang it on the wall or make a corner stand (or similar) for it. If you just want it gone, call your local gun shop or local PD and ask if they'd take it to destroy.

The guns that you have a personal connection to, I'd encourage you to pick up some ammo and take them to the range, rekindle that connection and maybe jar loose some fond memories.

If you can find someone in your family or that you're close to who would appreciate your family guns, pass them on when the time is right. As an additional thought: When you've decided to pass something along to someone else, try to do it sooner rather than later. It's nice for everyone to see the use it's going to get, and to make some new memories with that object together.

A friend of mine who is a baby boomer never married and has no kids. He gave me a .22 a few years ago that was his dad's and that he grew up with. I never knew his dad, but I count myself lucky to have the friendship that it represents to me. I send him a photo of rifle and game when we've had a successful hunt, and will likely teach my boys to shoot with it. He'll get photos of that, too.

Tom:

The reality is that at age 64, my health is good and I hope to be around for the next 20 years.  At the same time, I want to decide what happens to the guns now rather than later.

I have thought about putting the L.C. Smith on the wall in my study . . .

I may see if I can find some .300 Savage rounds and go out and open her up again!  As for the .22/410 - after a lot of thought I think this will go to my granddaughter!

Thanks to all for your feedback.  One reason I find TGO meaningful.

[Quavodus]

22 hours ago, Jeb48 said:

As for guns you don't want to get rid of and may not be safe to shoot. I have three wall hangers, two are not safe to shoot and one was my father's first shotgun he bought when he was around 15, I assume he used his dad's guns for hunting before that. The two unsafe guns. one just looks neat and has very little value, my Dad had it in his collection and the other a gunsmith gave me when I was about 10, it is a neat little Sevens Little Scout pack .22 with a bad barrel and he took the firing pin out to be sure I didn't do something stupid. Back in those days I use it to play cowboy's and indians and the neighbors didn't blink an eye.

The other benefit to having 3 long guns hanging in the living room is the comments from the occasional liberal visitor. My favorite was "those aren't real are they". I told her yes and explained that two were not operational and the other was a single shot shotgun that was my Dad's. I didn't tell her she was sitting about 4 feet from an open door that had a loaded pump shotgun behind it.

I'd have told her yes those are real and they're LOADED. Your supposed to have fun with stupid people.

[Jeb48]

24 minutes ago, Quavodus said:

I'd have told her yes those are real and they're LOADED. Your supposed to have fun with stupid people.

You're probably right.

When I still lived in the socialist state of NY I was at a friends house for dinner that is liberal but still owns one .22 that he shoots, so nut a complete lost cause. I had been to a gun show earlier in the day with a mutual friend but purposely didn't bring it up so we wouldn't get into the whole gun discussion. My wife makes an off hand comment that I had been with Brian earlier in the day and the conversation went downhill from there. He asked how many handguns I had and I told him 4, he wanted to know why. In NY you have to have a carry permit to even own a handgun and they are listed on a card you have to carry with you. Another friend at the same gathering reached in his wallet and hand the host his gun card, the whole side was full, as it was being handed back he flipped it over and the other side was mostly full also. That ended the conversation, he was outnumbered.

Just to stay on topic. I have decided I have "almost" enough guns, not real interest in selling any I have. I'm lucky in that my son has given me orders that anything I decide to sell I have to clear with him first to be sure he doesn't want it.

When no relatives or friends are interested in can be a problem. An acquaintance of mine in Ohio that was a big gun collector died earlier this year. His gun safe was a special built room that was probably about 15'x20' that was furnished in leather easy chairs and a large desk and lots of guns on the walls and cabinets (around 500 was his estimate). They all went to a very large gun auction. I unfortunately didn't hear about him passing till the guns were gone, I would have made the trip just to watch. He did have one gun that my Dad sold him I might have tried to buy.

[superduty]

I've been following this topic to see where it would go, but I'll just add that it's not only firearms that are of concern. The stuff that we have that is important to US is not necessarily important to others, family or otherwise.

I have some belongings that are hugely important to ME, that no one else really cares about.  It's my interest, and my time, work and money that has gone into it. As much as I've tried to get my kids involved, they just dont care.

I've had a hard time getting that through my head, but it's starting to sink in.  So, eventually, I'll have to make decisions about selling those things, as hard as it will be for ME.

I remember telling my grandfather a similar thing before he passed away, which helps me deal with it....that while I respect your time, interest and hobby,  I'm just really not where you are with this.

It's a bit of a reality check, for sure.

[abamonte91]

On 11/25/2019 at 4:35 PM, Defender said:

Ive been buying, trading and collecting guns for a number of years now.  As I age and have become afflicted with a few health issues requiring daily meds, I realize that one aspect of my desire to own guns/ammo was for survival in a STHF type scenario.  I realize now that with these health issues, I wont survive very long without my meds, regardless of how many guns/how much ammo I have, lol. I dont hunt now, but thought I would if i had to in the above situation.    In the back of my mind also, I thought that being in a position to trade guns and or ammo would also be a good tool for survival. Rethinking that too.  I dont get to shoot as much as Id like, and may actually shoot less when i retire due to reduced income.  Anyway, all that to say that I am probably going to thin the herd quite a bit.  I cam to this decision some time ago, but the current market is not good for me to sell the guns I want to.  Im going to get rid of quite a few i think.  Ill be carrying for self defense though, and want to be able to defend my home as well, but i dont need what I currently have to do that.  Plus side is this will free up some cash for other things like debt reduction, or other health needs.  I just need to figure out exactly what I want to keep and what i want to sell, and start on it.   Im a little embarrassed to say exactly how many guns i'll be selling but it will include a nice selection of long guns and pistols.  I'll post them on here first.  Ill also be eliminating some calibers entirely from my ammo stocks as well.

hi sir i recently got swindked out of my inheritance of my dads guns...is there any chance your intrested in a 74 harley superglide to trade for the list your putting together ,id rather have a firearm collection like he did

[Defender]

11 hours ago, abamonte91 said:

hi sir i recently got swindked out of my inheritance of my dads guns...is there any chance your intrested in a 74 harley superglide to trade for the list your putting together ,id rather have a firearm collection like he did

Sony for your loss, both for your dad and the guns.  I would kill myself on a bike at my age, lol.  I rode a Honda Goldwing all over Europe when I was younger, but having miraculously survived that experience, I see no reason to try to push my luck with the drivers here these days.  Thank you for the offer though.