Giving in to Old Age

I wish you the best! You were smart to handle this now rather than leave it up to those who are not interested or don't see the value of your collection. Everyday's a blessing that we should be grateful for.

I also wish you the best Sir.
And I understand the logic and sense of your decision.

God Bless you Brother. I hope all is well but sending you a prayer just because…well…they never hurt and only help!

Happy trails, Harry!
Im blessed that my kids all like the sport and have a healthy skepticism of the stability of "civilization."
My issue is making sure they dont fight over what I leave behind- theres bloody well enough of it to go around!

JK, theyre good kids.

You kept a good choice of rifles. M14 platform, my man.

Its best these things go to someone who appreciates it enough to buy it at full price than to someone who doesn't believe to own it at all.
I hope at the end of all our lifes, we can look back and confidently say we feel satisfied with all we've done.

Flatbush, first thank you for your service to this country. 2nd you may consider willing your remaining guns to a good friend or some young man that may appreciate your firearms. I am glad that my children and grandchildren all like the sport, but everyone is different and that is good as it would be a dull world if we all lived in a little white house, drove a little white car etc.

Bless you sir. I am another that is praying for you.

I'm not there yet but I am mulling over a similar exit strategy for my collection when the time comes. I have no children of my own and no close family interested in firearms, so I feel your pain.

One of my friends is currently buying choice items from an aging and infirm collector, and in turn passing them along to a grandson with a keen interest in firearms. I think he's found a great way to keep the flame lit.

Best wishes FH!
I hope to show the same foresight and fortitude when its time to let go of my collection of things.

I certainly wish you the best, sir.

Not much of my family cares about my collection (nobody really, come to think of it). I have a master list of everything and what I paid for it, and I have given it to my best friend. I have told him to get what he wants and let my brother and daughter get what they want; with that list at least he (or someone) would have some idea of the value.

He can go to my main LGS, who is a fair individual, and likely get a decent price on all of it. Assuming said LGS is still in business at that point...


If I see the end coming and have an opportunity, I will try to sell some things myself. I would prefer that to seeing my collection go for pennies on the dollar to some pawn shop or in an estate sale.

I wish you well Harry and pray your powder stays dry a few more years. I’m nearing 50, still adoptable, and while none of my 3 are fanatics I feel all of them have enough interest to spark off a few rounds once I’m gone.

While nearly all of what I own is run of the mill, there are some considered “mine” which are not to be sold, and some from my father in that same category. If my children had no interest my cruel side might tie their inheritance to a yearly ritual range outing to fire a salute for dear old dad. My more practical side would post a note at my LGS offering a mentoring program with a firearm gifted on completion.

One instruction I have given is who to call in the event of an untimely passing, to sort things and identify otherwise confusing odds and ends. I do have a few rare treasures not shared here that would likely bring more money than happiness to my trio and that is fine by me.

Same here, more days behind then ahead, and really at this stage I don't mind, looking around me and thinking.....yea.

If you have not, I would suggest on putting on paper what you would like to do with your remaining items, be they guns or whatever. Trusting anyone to do what you wish is not smart.

Have two kids. Daughter not particularly interested in firearms. Son is crazy about em. They have already decided that she gets all of Mom's china, sterling silver, and art. He gets the loud toys. Works for me. However, anyone in the forum that doesn't have a home planned for their collection, I'm available for adoption. I'll even (occasionally) mow your lawn "Dad".

Best wishes to you amigo.
I understand it. About 12 years ago I was misdiagnosed with a serious disease and degenerating quickly. With a mountain of medical bills and limited ability to work I started selling. Luckily I kept some and when I was correctly diagnosed and treated I had something to rebuild a collection from.
But it changed my thinking. I have either gifted or designated for gift some things as I know I will someday not need them.

Dave DeLaurant said:

I'm not there yet but I am mulling over a similar exit strategy for my collection when the time comes. I have no children of my own and no close family interested in firearms, so I feel your pain.

One of my friends is currently buying choice items from an aging and infirm collector, and in turn passing them along to a grandson with a keen interest in firearms. I think he's found a great way to keep the flame lit.

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I`m in exactly this position. No kids and no close relatives that hunt or shoot. My good friend and hunting buddy since high school would be a natural to leave them to, but he`s my age ( 74 )! He does have a son and grandson who hunt and will inherit his property, so they may well be the beneficiary firearms wise when I shuffle off this mortal coil, Still not quite ready to leave the dove fields and turkey woods yet, though!

I'll be 64 this year and still love to shoot all my guns and luckily can still hit what I shoot at with decently tight groups. With the help of modern med's my health is stable, but I also know that things will decline over the next 10-20 years, though I don't know just how rapidly. I have a will that I developed with my two sons so they each know what they are getting in my gun collection. This way there is no argument as to who should get what. I have already let them take a couple of "their" guns over the last 5 years, per the will, to enjoy as they see fit. I hope to be able to still enjoy shooting all of my collection until the day the Lord calls me home, but nothing is guaranteed.

Mid 60s myself and still thoroughly enjoy shooting. At the same time, I could no doubt cut my modest collection in half and still have more than I need. I've been at the sell-one-to-buy-one stage for a while and, more recently, have sold off a few more than I've added. But I'm seriously weighing a major cull. Several of my kids enjoy shooting, but not to the level that they want to start collecting. I need to talk with them to see if they want anything before I downsize.

@Flatbush Harry, thanks for kicking off the thread. You're motivating me to get started.

ECVMatt said:

I wish you the best! You were smart to handle this now rather than leave it up to those who are not interested or don't see the value of your collection. Everyday's a blessing that we should be grateful for.

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I agree 100%. Leaving these things up the the family usually just creates drama and burden.

I am 70 and in exactly the same situation as Harry. I don't have children and have more guns than I need or shoot regularly. I hate to sell any of them but some really have to go. I already sold my first one and plan on selling a few more soon.

Your choice and it’s a personal decision so there is no “right/wrong” to it. I have a lot of firearms and other gun related stuff people that people will inherit when I die, many go to specific people, friends, many do not. Had I died 20 years ago, the case would have been the same. I didn’t sell them back then for the same reason I won’t sell them now.

I suppose firearms are a tiny portion of my assets though and I just don’t see the logic in selling off items I treasure and enjoy just to leave a stack of cash for someone else to blow (on things I may or may not approve of) once I kick the bucket. No, if they make dumb decisions on ridding themselves of my possession’s and give others great deals on them, think of that is my last (postmortem) “pay it forward” to other shooters, hopefully they enjoy them as much as all of the great estate sale deals I have gotten over the years.

Sometimes the most Appreciative and Grateful people aren’t family. I’m sure you did the best you could. Godspeed and enjoy the time you have.

At age 77, I realize that my days are numbered. However, I ain't giving up any of my guns! My heirs can dispose of them any way they wish and, indeed, forcing them to do so will be my last revenge against them.

AlexanderA said:

At age 77, I realize that my days are numbered. However, I ain't giving up any of my guns! My heirs can dispose of them any way they wish and, indeed, forcing them to do so will be my last revenge against them.

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Hope they don't turn them in to get destroyed.

I have been giving some guns I don't use much to my sons, but buying ones I've always wanted to own, now that I can afford to. I'm a little younger (58) but realize there are only so many I can shoot on a regular basis. Most of my shooting these days is Trap, with enough rifle and pistol to keep my hand in, as the saying goes. My Trap gun collection has grown, but the field guns have gone down a little as I stringer sort them. I have a list of 'who gets what', though I should formalize it in a will at some point in the near future.

Kudos to you Harry, for thinking ahead, and best wishes for happiness in the coming days.