Ethically what should I do?

[Towboater]

DAMN! I need to start treating the old farts next door better!!! Not that I treat them BAD mind you......J/K

Everyone has said it right, enjoy the gift and don't be rude by repeatedly bringing it up or trying to pay more. Keep doing good.
Karma strikes again sounds like to me.

 

[pmeisel]

We have a very nice neighbor in her late 60s or early 70s who has been kind and friendly. Brought us jars of jam, a couple cakes, etc.

She was leaving on a short (90 mile) trip and was worried about her oil, so I checked it for her and she was a quart low. I always have a case at the house and put the quart in. Of course she wanted to pay me for it and I told her she has brought me more good food than that.

My point is, she needs a good neighbor and friendship more than money. And you can do that.

 

[Yo Mama]

I go to my neighbor and attempt to give her more money for the rifles but she well not hear of it. I'm thrilled about the new additions but feeling guilty at the same time. Should I just thank my lucky stars or should I sell these and give her the proceeds. She does not need it, she's well off.

Take her shooting! What a nice gesture, you must be a good guy!

Take care of her as time goes on, my mothers neighbors are saints.

Good neighbors are hard to come by, and become family.

 

[cchris]

Let her do what she wants to do with her own stuff and stop arguing with her.

But remember it when the leaves start to pile up in her yard, or the driveway needs shoveling, or she needs someone to watch the cat for a weekend...

My thoughts exactly. Well said, Six.

 

[bigfatdave]

I'm with the majority here.
Continue being a good neighbor, and take those guns out and enjoy them. In addition to thanking her with a picture of her gift in action, perhaps one will produce a target worth sharing*. Perhaps a small photo framed in with a nice target? I'd hazard a guess that she'd love to chat about the history behind those guns as well, give her a chance to do so.
No need to go overboard with the thank-yous and neighborliness, I'd guess that she didn't want someone to fawn over her, she just wanted to make a gift to someone who would appreciate it. So get out there and appreciate it! Restoration to serviceable condition may revise your estimate of value downwards, by the way.

As far as paying it forward, consider this a sign that you need to introduce a new shooter to the sport, if that Bearcat or model 77 are serviceable and reasonably accurate, they would be excellent choices for someone's introduction to firearms. Sharing that with your neighbor might be nice as well.

Selling them would be in poor taste, I agree that she might want to take a look at them sometime in the future, particularly if you've already mentioned restoration.

*(I might even get close enough to generate a good target ... just remember, even little old ladies may recognize powder burns)

 

[Suicide*Ride]

Get a friend to take some pictures with that grin on your face.

+1 Don't forget to post a few pictures of these famous firearms some day soon!

Madcratebuilder - Sounds like your neighbor has picked you to replace the Son or Grandson she / they never had. Deep down, she's probably proud of you for paying her double the asking price of the pistol collection & that's why you were given the long guns for free.

KDA: And, someday, find a way to "pay it forward". Only then will the gift be complete.

+1,000,000,000 Why sell any of the firearms for a handsome profit when you could "pay it forward" by selling 1 of the firearms to a newcomer for $50.....

SR

 

[jakemccoy]

My daddy taught me that I should never walk away from free money because that's bad luck.

I would thank my lucky stars. The old lady clearly doesn't want your money. You have done nothing wrong. She probably thinks you're doing her a favor. Both sides win.

 

[sohcgt2]

They belonged to her late husband and she wants them to go to someone who well enjoy them.

Ethically I think you need to do as she asked and enjoy them. add them to your collection and shoot them periodically. Sometimes people are more interested in having their property apprieciated than maximizing profit.

 

[Arkel23]

If she wants you to have them because she knows you'll have fun with them it wouldn't be right for you to sell them. If you find yourself in a financial struggle it's a different story.

 

[mossberg]

Sounds like she doesn't care about money;she just wants a good home for things her husband loved.

A cool way to pay her back though would be this: Shoot a decent group in the center of a target with one of the firearms she has given you. Take four pictures of yourself with a big genuine grin shooting the nicest other four and glue them to the four corners of the target. Frame the entire thing in a nice wooden frame and give it to her. I know I sure would think that was a thoughtful gift.

 

[Dr_2_B]

Yeah, if she knows what she's doing, she has the right to be generous to you. And it would be wrong to deprive her of that right.

If I were in your place I'd just look for some opportunities to serve her.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Your not going to get them in her will I think which would mean free guns by the way so I guess pay the lady and be done with it. My old neighbor lady gave me a ring for me to give to my wife. I didnt pay it mind until my wife said it was a real diamond. Tried to give it back but she would hear none of it. It was her wedding ring from her second marriage. The thing was a good half carat. Not huge but nothing to scoff at either.

 

[RoostRider]

As long as she understands the real value of these guns, and wants to do it anyways, it would be insulting not to honor her wish for you to have them.

Selling them, even if you give her the profits, would be insulting (considering you know she doesn't need the money). If you don't want/wont enjoy any of the guns she gave you to enjoy, tell her so and give them back to her to give to someone else who will enjoy them, as she wished.

Do her some good in return (as you have in the past).... and pass them on to someone who will enjoy them....

 

[achildofthesky]

Sound's like you have good karma. I don't think I'd sell the guns though as they are gifts. Enjoy the guns but do send a thank you note and don't forget Bday's and xmas, mebbe a dinner or the like. You have a kind neighbor, be thankful for that. That is getting harder to find lately. Good on you for not wanting to take advantage her and having a conscience. Nice story.

Patty

 

[cchris]

I also wanted to mention that selling those guns would really be more disrespectful to her and be against her wishes and intentions in selling them to you, someone she knows would appreciate them.

I've had people tell me something they had wasn't for sale, but they'd sell it to me if I wanted (cars, guns, and other things of sentimental value). The reason being is that they'd know I'd take care of whatever it was, and putting it on the market couldn't guarantee that, so they just planned on hanging onto it until someone else came along who'd appreciate it as well.

That's the case here.

 

[paintballdude902]

you tried to do what was right so you did the right thing . some times you just have to swallow your pride and take em

what id do is invite her over for dinner and mow her yard a few times

 

[Jubjub]

Sooner than you think, you may find yourself 80 years old and offering them to someone who will enjoy them.

 

[mgregg85]

You were honest and you tried your best to give her a fair price, she refused.

I would say thank her again and move on. Maybe offer to help her out whenever you can.

 

[MarineOne]

You took the road less travelled by being ethical and telling her how much they were worth and gave her more than what she asked for them, so you've done no wrong. Karma can be your best friend or your worst nightmare, and your first reaction was the right one.

I agree with everyone else here ..... mow her lawn in the summer, rinse out the gutters in the spring, and shovel her driveway and sidewalk in the winter. She gave you something her husband cherished because she knew that you, too, would cherish them.

Pay it forward ..... pay it forward.




Kris

 

[Fred Fuller]

Sometimes it isn't just the money.

She told you what she wanted. Now that you have them cleaned up, ask her over and go over them with her. Let her enjoy YOU enjoying those firearms. Tell her exactly what they are, she might not know or even care but she will know from what you say that you understand and appreciate what you're looking at.

Ask her if she'd like to go to the range with you for a short trip when the weather is amenable, and let her see you actually use a couple of them. Carry a folding chair as well as ear and eye protection for her. See if she wants to shoot any of them too. She might not care to go, but it could be the offer will be appreciated.

Ask her for any stories she might recall about the guns and her husband. Objects sometime provoke memories, and chances are if she's kept the guns all this time and then deliberately passed them on to you, there might be some good memories there. If doing these things opens up good memories for her, go along. If not, let it go and don't push it. Just keep on being the same sort of considerate neighbor you have been all along.

Stay Safe,

lpl