Family Heirlooms?

[Al-jim19]

Family heirlooms don’t have to fit one particular pattern.

They might be wicked valuable.

They may have sentimental value.

It could be lots of different things for different people. My grandpa has a few guns that I’d call family heirlooms. Maybe moderately priced but nowhere near what I’d call expensive. The first gun I ever shot was his Ruger Single Six. It’s an heirloom because it was his and the memories I associate with it. He’s also got a 16ga Noble Shotgun. One of the first times he ever took me out shooting, we went back to his house after and got out most of his collection to dust it off. He told me about how he bought it as a teenager off the factory floor, which was a 10 minute walk from his house. When he was younger it was his favorite turkey gun.

Someday when it’s mine I’ll take it out for turkey season. Hope I don’t inherit any of his guns anytime soon.

 

[G'dale Mike]

My son and my daughter’s 2 boys get all my guns. Probably leave a few to my 2 nephews also.but there are fmily guns, my pre 64’s, my black rifles, lotsa rimfires.

 

[Officers'Wife]

In modern guns??? Nothing. I can't think of a single current production handgun that I would consider "heirloom" material. To me, heirlooms are from the past. They're a physical connections to loved ones long passed, ancestors only vaguely remembered or never known. You can't buy that at a gun store.

That said, every family heirloom I have started out on a gun store shelf where someone in my family, long before ai was born, bought it. So with that in mind, I'd say my Ruger Redhawk 44 magnum would meet your criteria, but only because I enjoy shooting it and I carry it a lot. (It doesn't fit your price criteria.) And even at that, I consider it nothing more than a gun I bought. My son may see it differently in 50 years, but I doubt it as he will likely sell it the day after I'm dead.

Somewhere in the back of my Dad's gun closet is a "Trap Door" Springfield that one of our ancestors bought around the time when Custer was making foolish decisions in Montana. To my knowledge the last person that shot it was my Grandfather and he only took it out on very rare occasions. By all rights it should be an "heirloom" but was one of the few weapons none of Gramp's heirs didn't want. His old army revolver... Quite a different story. You see my great grandfather carried the weapon in France sometime in 1919, Gramps had it with him when he landed (crashed) in a glider somewhere in France the day before D-Day, a great uncle had it with him when he "visited" Korea in the 50's and my uncle broke regulations (to hear him tell it) to carry it in Vietnam. Both my sisters, a certain unnamed idiot that shall remain my brother and I count it as the first "big" handgun we learned to hit a target with. As did all six of my cousins, my Dad, his brother and sister both say the same. As did my Gramps, his two brothers and three sisters. While it's possible there are still production runs of that design that particular handgun was the source of a lot of debate when Gramps passed away and I won't say the only reason Dad has it isn't the fact that possession is 9/10's of the law.

Modern production firearms not heirlooms... Had you seen the look on my son's face when he "rang the bell" with my husband's AR-15 or how the bribe that he will be allowed to go to the range with his father and the weapon will result in him doing even the most repugnant of chores makes me believe when Dave and I are gone that rifle will be cherished. Hopefully by then it will be as much an antique as Gramps' 39A Marlin that I take out on occasion just to remember the old man that took me rabbit hunting.

 

[WC145]

As others have pointed out, heirlooms are made, not bought, they generally have some sentimental value that is important to the owner or family. All of my guns will be eventually passed down to my sons, daughters, son-in-laws, and friends. The ones that mean the most to me will go to the people that will appreciate them the most.

When my oldest son made it into special operations I had a Colt Commander customized for him, it's a gun that means a lot to both of us, that will always be in the family. When I gave him that gun I also gave my father a new Colt Series 70 because when he was raising his family he never had the money to buy real Colt and now that he does he'd never spend that much on a gun for himself. I had some "sweetheart" grips made for it and put some pictures of my mom from when they were dating back in the early '60s behind them, she had passed away a couple of years earlier. My father hasn't shot that gun and probably won't but it's still very important to him, eventually it will come back to me and then on to my oldest, and so on. Other guns I've owned a long time or have had customized and all of the guns my father gave me when I was young will stay in the family as well.

 

[redneck]

I don't think it matters what the gun is as long as its something you like and shoot enough that they will associate it with you. To me an heirloom is more about memories than anything else. I have stevens crackshot .22lr falling block rifle that we are pretty sure dates back to my great grandfather, as well as a no name .32 revolver that we know goes back that far. Neither is particularly valuable but they have been in the family for generations now and I plan to keep it that way.

I do think something like a 1911 is a good starting point. Its a timeless design that you will always be able to get parts for. As much as I like some of the newer plastic stuff, I think you will see them suffering from lack of parts support in the future.

 

[Armored farmer]

This heirloom came into my possession when I found it between the walls of our old farmhouse.
The family story is that it belonged to my great uncle, who knocked it off the the upstairs wall and down between the firring strips .
I found it. Still loaded. In terrible condition. It was on the ground below the wall.
I estimate that it had been there at least 70 years.
Any guesses as to what make and model?
I'm sure it is a .22.