Family Heirlooms?

Before he passed, my dad gave me his pair of Colt, Frontier Scout 22s, and the beautiful, hand carved holster and gun belt set he had them in. I in turn, gave the whole setup to one of my nephews - one of dad's grandsons. I have two daughters, and four grandsons of my own. And while any one of them would have liked dad's guns and holsters, there's no way they would have appreciated them as much as dad's own grandson does.

My BLR 30/06 Rifle.

A bit of advice. If you want to pass on your firearms, don't send the kids to college.

My first gun, a Browning 1911-380 Black Medallion Fullsize Pro with night sights. Got it a year ago, very pretty gun and with 6,000 rounds through it, it has some character too.

A Ruger single six, will last generations and can be enjoyed by the very young as well as the very old.

Also not as likely to be banned as some other choices, let’s face it that’s unfortunately something we have to take into consideration.

The simple facts are that your kids will choose what they want and what they want to sell. If interest is stated, for a particular one, then one can be identified as to who it will go to. However, at that point, it isn't my problem.

My daughter's plan, for the ones she doesn't want to keep, is to first poll other family members for interest. Then, she intends to contact the local Masonic Lodge for valuation and assistance in selling.

Tim Lange said:

My first gun, a Browning 1911-380 Black Medallion Fullsize Pro with night sights. Got it a year ago, very pretty gun and with 6,000 rounds through it, it has some character too.

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I have a compact with night sights on order. I expect to pick it up next Saturday. That being said, I have no idea if anyone else in my family will be interested in it at all.

I really only have two guns that I am most concerned with who gets them. A pair of S&W Highway Patrolman Model 28s. One came to me from my father who had it from his dad. The other I bought myself about twenty five years ago.

Ideally I'd give one to my eldest daughter and the other to my youngest. But whether I really do that is going to depend on how their lives go.

No doubt about it,,,
That would be Lucille.



Lucille was my Mother's Colt Frontier Scout.

I have no children or any other relative who shoots or even likes guns,,,
So Lucille is going to go to a very dear friend of mine.

She shoots herself but also has a late 20's daughter, a granddaughter, and a grandson,,,
Jane knows the history (which I have written up) and will appreciate this fine gun.

I bought a coffin shaped case just for this pistola,,,
I'll get it all cased up with tools and ammo,,,
Then we just wait (a long time) for my demise.

Most of my other guns are just guns with no history to them.

Aarond

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Trouble is... Most of my weapons are already family heirlooms.

I wonder if those poly80 guns will be big as passed down items imagine my grand father built this with parts shipped to his house.

My S&W 28-2. Bought in 1974 new. Over 25,000+ rounds and still shoots 3" groups at 50 yards.

I don't have anything terribly fancy or interesting right now.

My Mosin is an unshootable greasy piece of junk, so I'd feel real guilty about trying to pass that off as an heirloom. My Ithaca 37 is super cool, but I'm not sure it would be appreciated over a modern pump or semiauto.

I think I'd probably try to pass on my Kahr MK9. It's a handsome and classy little stainless pistol. If I was serious, I'd get some nice wood grips and maybe get it engraved.

Thing is, unless you pass it on to a suitable party while you are still alive, you won't know and don't have much say in what happens to it.

On my mom's side, my uncle and grandpa were huge sportsmen, shooters, and avid reloaders. The only thing left in my entire family from them is a handful of casings I found in the dirt and a 3/4 ruined knife I found 3/4 buried outside their old garage. That's it. On my dad's side, there's a .410 missing an irreplaceable bolt and a junk single-shot 12 gauge that needs repair. Man, my dad has stories about WWI relics that our family had when he was a kid that have since evaporated.

My kids get the Colts and Winchesters my dad left me plus my Brownings Glock S&W and Rugers, up to them what are heirlooms.

Keep in mind that the guns you, or the market, value most may not be the guns that your heirs will value the most. I have a Winchester 72-22 that my father got the year that WWII ended. It is not the most valuable gun in my safe, yet it is the gun that my daughter is the most clear about wanting. It is not the market value, it is the memories.

Your children may value the gun you wore on a particular outdoor trip more than one that you see as an heirloom. The best plan is to talk to them about it. If they are too young for that, then wait. To do otherwise is to risk a valued family treasure being sold off at a bargain rate.

25-5 said:

A bit of advice. If you want to pass on your firearms, don't send the kids to college.

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That’s funny and true. I brought mine to college.

I hope when I kick the bucket all my guns become heirlooms haha. I'm 20 though and single. And the way I figure it's gonna take one helluva wife to beat none at all, and she'll be the one.

I'd probably let each one of my kids/grandkids pick a gun from my collection when they come of age (or once I reach a certain one).

If I were picking them myself I'd go with:

The model 12. Given to me by my grandad.

Newly acquired 1858.

Just because I think they're the coolest in my collection. Who knows though, maybe my younguns will be more attracted to the AR or my Glock. Only time will tell. I think allowing them to pick gives it more sentimental value.

I'll tell you this, as one who inherited many guns from his grandfather and my dads, when he passes in many years. New guns, old guns, revolvers, shotguns, whatever; the heirlooms are the ones with memories attached. Sighting in the Marlin 17 with grandpa, shooting my first deer with a rem 700, or walking the woods with a Benjamin 20 cal pellet rifle as a boy: all those guns will never be sold because of memories I have of them. Then you have guns like the first high power rifle my grandpa bought, an M77 in 220 swift, or the M77 in 6mm he shot his only animal, a coyote with, or the 14-4 38 special that he noted as his favorite shooter. They have memories of my family ingrained in them. Then there's the guns he thought were pretty and/or valuable like the "nichol" finish python or colt woodsman.

Not all of them are as sentimental as others. Some I'll sell eventually to fund other gun purchases, others will never be sold.

To answer the main question, I'd buy a nice ruger blackhawk.

One of these since they all will shoot for generations. Maybe not the highest value but are the the ones all family enjoys shooting. Couple k22s, one is 1949. A k38 and a 27-2 n frame 357.

It's hard to choose something ahead of time. Meaningful heirlooms have some sort of a story or a tradition. I would use all of my firearms as usual and let time decide which one will be the best to pass down.

entropy said:

Well, the older one got a GI-type RIA, and no he doesn't regret it. He never liked the 1911, nor .45 Auto, he traded away the Hi-Point .45 I gave him, too. I might give my younger son my Taurus PT1911AR, as I just noticed they now make a Commander 1911.

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I believe I would stop giving that boy guns.

Something that will appreciate in value. Not because they'll sell it and get some money out of it, so that it'll be worth getting fixed as parts break. Like the ones that were passed down to me.



It almost doesn't matter what it is just so long as it's a shared activity with those children and then it's passed on to their children. They'll treasure it regardless of what it is. It'll just be a question of whether it still works or not.

It's the activity you do with them and the time you spent together that they'll remember, not the hardware. That's just a momento that they'll hopefully be able to still use.

What about a practical heirloom?

Dad killed game with that long gun now I am or Dad carried that pistol, it was his favorite SD gun now it protects me and my family.

Common guns used in day to day living can have value beyond market or memories.

ontarget said:

I believe I would stop giving that boy guns.

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Since he didn't show up for Christmas, he isn't getting the Win.94 i was going to give him.

entropy said:

Since he didn't show up for Christmas, he isn't getting the Win.94 i was going to give him.

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I'll show up for that!