[QuarterBoreGunner]

Stopped by to see my Mom the other day, she mentions that one of her neighbor’s sons had passed away. They’re in their 80’s and the son was in his 60’s, out of the blue heart attack with no previous history of heart problems. ‘Oh, that’s too bad’ (I had never met the son but had met the parents, Jim and Sarah, several times and they know I shoot.) Mom then says that Sarah mentioned that her son used to do a lot of shooting and had left a pile of his stuff at their house, and would I like to take a look at it? ‘Oh really?’(Mmmmm this could be interesting… probably just a bunch of old cleaning supplies and empty brass) ‘Sure mom, I’ll take a look.’

So down the street we go. Sarah and Jim are dealing with their loss, always sad when a parent outlives their child. Sarah mentions that her son used to shoot in competitions while in the Navy. (This is now sounding REALLY interesting). She shows me to the garage where the son used to store ammo. Big cardboard box, the usual collection of empty shell casings and old reloads… then… hey what’s this? Twenty sealed boxes of twenty rounds each, ‘Frankford Arsenal 1965 production 7.62 NATO MATCH 173grn’ Cool. Half a case of old Winchester .45 185gfn Match semi-wadcutter. That’s cool also.

Sarah then says that the son left some guns also but so far they can only locate one of them. She shows me to a closet and tries to lift out a grungy old vinyl rifle case. I get it out and unzip the case and proceed to pull out a very dirty and linty Winchester Model 52. With the Redfield Olympic sights. And an original military sling. With an Al Freeland adjustable stop.

Wow. Already the little wheels are spinning in my brain.

After some more small talk, I casually say that if she’d like I can take the rifle and the ammo off her hands for a good price. Nope. Sarah says to just take them.

Free.

Ok so now I feel like a vulture. ‘Sarah, uhm, this rifle is probably worth at least $600 and the ammo is probably worth a lot also’ (Kicking myself for being honest but at least I’m not taking advantage of a grieving mother.)

Nope. Still free. She’s just glad to that her son’s stuff is going to a good home. ‘Seriously?’ Seriously.

Ok then. Sarah says that she’ll keep looking for the ‘other guns’.

Again with the ‘Wow’ factor.

The 52 has honest wear on the blue and a nice collection of small dings in the stock. Someone along the line filed a notch in the bolt handle to clear the rear sight. The bolt is sticky because the oil has turned to varnish and the bore looks like it’s fur lined. The rifle has sat in that case, by Sarah’s estimation, for about 30 years (yipes!) and the brass hooks on the sling have a nice green fur of corrosion around them but the trigger is sweet and everything feels tight.

http://www.swedcom.com/test_images/52/full_rifle.jpg

http://www.swedcom.com/test_images/52/rear_sight.jpg

http://www.swedcom.com/test_images/52/rear_sight_left_close_up.jpg

http://www.swedcom.com/test_images/52/front_sight.jpg

http://www.swedcom.com/test_images/52/sling.jpg

http://www.swedcom.com/test_images/52/markings_close_up.jpg

I can hardly wait to see what rifle goes with that 7.62 Match and .45 ammo.

[4v50 Gary]

Congratulations. It's a tragic way to get a rifle and we know you'll join in paying your respect at the services. Good shooting with a good find.

[DMK]

WOW! That's a nice rifle. It was good that you were honest about it's value. Now you can enjoy it with a clear concience.

Thanks for sharing that with us.

[762x51]

Wow....nice. Congrats.

[gun-fucious]

i smell a national match M-14

[Newt]

WOW!!!

Congrats on the inheritance. So, now instead of having that feeling of regret or like you've taken advantage of someone, you're just looking forward to playing with your new toys. It's very nice that you were honest about it. I only hear about this kind of story, it never happens to me. Once again, Congrats!!!

Newt

[surfinUSA]

Very nice. Glad it went to a good home and not a pawn shop.

[0007]

Offer to help look for the other stuff and clean up the garage, etc. Often this is what elderly folks / friends appreciate more then money; someone to move things around and help with cleaning out attics, etc. Yuh done good to tell them what the rifle was worth.

[cool45auto]

I'm glad you were honest with them QBG. That's a terrible way to recieve such a nice rifle but I know you'll give it a good home. Keep us informed on the other guns.

[BusMaster007]

DANG!
Your Honesty earned you Honor in the Mother's heart.
Congratulations.
The Son would be proud to have you as his rifle's new caretaker.
DANG! :)

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

wow. what a story. Thanks for trying to do the right thing and your reward was just. Something tells me that it won't be a M14/M1A-

It wouldn't surprise me to learn there's a Remington 720 with the Secretary of the Navy Trophy plaque mounted on it somewhere around there.

Regards,
Rabbit.

If you think the United States has stood still, who built the largest shopping center in the world? - Richard M. Nixon.

[firestar]

Nice rifle. That is the way to act. Because you were honest, you deserve that gun.

[Selfdfenz]

What a nice rifle and what a nice thing for them to do. They must be good folks.
Given that it was a gift, I would hold on to it. And shoot it.
If this is the only one that turns up, and he disposed of the rest, it indicates this rifle had a special connection mayby.

Take care,
S-

[El Rojo]

The great thing about doing the right thing is you don't do it so you can hear other people tell you good job. Yeah, that feels good too, but your integrity and your character are really only as valuable as you make them. I can't tell you what a great guy you are and what a great thing you did. You already feel it and you also get to enjoy that rifle as a result.

I like the idea of making yourself available to help out as a extremely minor token of appreciation.

Great story.

[Crimper-D]

I appreciate your tale as well as the rifle, since I came by a very similar Winchester 52B recently that was an "estate" gun. Mine was a commercial transaction rather than an outright gift, but the great thing is I now have a 99% 1947 Winchester target rifle that shoots like new. :)
Lots of these Commercially made C&R's are turning up recently as their original owners pass on. :(
I recently was gifted with some intact ammo boxes full of FA and LC 1961 Match 30/06 = DCM issue... Same sort of situation.

[RandyB]

Your parents neighbors sound like nice folks. If their son was a shooter one of the best memorials I can think of is keeping something he enjoyed alive and taking as good care of his guns as he did.

[Big_R]

That's cool. I had a similar thing happen. My parents have a cabin in Northern Minnesota. An couple lived on the lake year round, and the husband died. The wife knew I shot, and she gave me an old Marlin pump shotgun and a 16 gauge SxS, both with exposed hammers. Neither were worth much monitarily, but they bring back good memories of when I was a kid and would visit them during the summer. She said the knew they were going to a good home, and that meant a lot to her. They reside in the vault next to firearms passed through my blood family.

Ryan