a perfect christmas

[collateral]

So today, I went over to my aunts house and there was a very long thin box waiting for me. I assumed it was a firearm but boy was I surprised. My grandpa Ralph had an extensive gun collection before he passed on. I was too young to get any of the rifles so one of my uncles got them and sold them all for drug money. well somehow, my uncle larry found my grandpas first gun. he got it in 1940 when he was 16. its a savage arms springfield model 944 12 gauge. its in remarkable condition for being 67 years old. it has my grandpas initials carved under the barrel.

I guess my uncle larry tracked down the guy my other uncle sold it to and bought it back. Im never going to fire it, and its getting a thourough cleaning when I get home. this shotgun means the world to me. apart from my memories, its all I have left from my grandpa.

I hope every one of you are having a wonderful christmas with your loved ones.

 

[elrod]

It is gifts such as your Granddads shotgun that will make this Christmas unforgettable for the rest of your life. May we all create those type memories for someone!
May this Christmas be joyous for everyone!........



Al

 

[SASS#23149]

I'll bet yor Grandpa would be a lot happier if you'd take it out and shoot the heck out of it.I know when I leave this world I want my kids to enjoy the guns I leave them,not hang them on the wall.

what a GREAT Christmas present.

 

[armoredman]

Ditto - I am shooting my heirloom 38, and my son will shoot it when I go beyond. If you truly want it to just be a wall hanger, put it in a nice enclosed box to prevent any more damage, because you'll never clean it again. Or, get it checked out, and shoot it.
I cleaned my deceased father-in-laws gun collection right after I was married, and there were some truely interesting pieces in there, (ever seen a sliding breech block double barrel shotgun?), and the sis-in-law who had control, didn't like me, and sold all of them for pennies on the dollar. So, I am doubly glad you were able to recover at least one - life task time! Find them all. Good luck.

 

[GlowinPontiac]

unless it has some safety issue i would use it.

what better way to remember your grandfather then to think of him while busting clays or hunting birds with his old shotgun.
but in the end the decision is up to you. glad to hear you got the gun.

 

[The Unknown User]

Wow. Don't ever let that thing out of your sight.

When my grandfather passed a couple of years back, his firearms, all WWII-era were given away to other family members. I wanted them, but at the time did not have the proper paperwork to receive them. :/

 

[Bezoar]

keep the gun safe if it means as much to as it seems to. I wish i had some of my grandfathers guns that a worthless relative sold. When you die make sure its stated in your will where it goes. Otherwise itll get sold for cash real quick.

 

[scrat]

Shoot it. I am shooting an old 22lr rifle. My father taught my brother and i on shooting this same rifle. Now my sons have also learned how to shoot on this same rifle. Someday i hope they will teach their kids on how to shoot with this same rifle. Its an old Ithaca 22 lr lever action. Single shot rifle.

 

[357fan]

That is truly an outstanding Christmas gift.

You're a lucky man. Enjoy.

 

[Walkalong]

Congrats. You are a lucky fellow. Good for Uncle Larry.

I have the Marlin 39A my dad taught me to shoot with when I was a wee lad. I would never part with it.

 

[Robert Hairless]

Collateral, what a special gift that is. It's not only your grandfather's first gun and a special link to him, but an expression of your family's love for you.

If you don't mind, please tell your Uncle Larry that there are people here who think he's one heck of a good man. He knows how to do things right.

 

[collateral]

Oh believe me, I told him. I'm taking it over to my friend's house tomorrow, her dad is a gunsmith and he said he would examine it and make sure its safe to shoot for me. I've decided that if its sound enough to shoot, I'm going to take it out to bust some clays this week. I'm not quite sure what kind of steel its made out of, but it appears to be in overall great condition.

It's definitely going to be put in my will. Hopefully when I have kids, they will embrace shooting as much as I have (or maybe more! ), and I will leave it to one of them.

I have the numbers of 2 of the people that his collection was sold to, tomorrow I am going to try to track them down, if they still have any of his guns, I'm going to try to buy them back. The second owner of this shotgun seems to have taken pretty good care of it, so hopefully the others did as well.