Started downsizing

[Sig Bill]

Different strokes for different folks. telling them they're crazy because they don't collect guns doesn't sit right with some folks.

And vice versa.

I don't collect guns. All I wanted was a good pistol for carry and a 12 gauge pump for the house. I have a G29 10mm pistol with a 40sw, an extended 10mm and a 9x25 barrels for it.

 

[22-rimfire]

I'm not saying I won't buy another gun but I have guns that have sat in the safe for over 15 years without being fired.

For instance,

1. Remington 700 Classic in .300 H&H Mag that I bought for a hunting trip that I never went on. I no longer hunt big animals and not even sure I want to feel the recoil from this one anymore.
2. S&W 624, 6.5" and 4" that I've maybe fired a couple times.
3. S&W 24-3 4" fired one time.
4. Colt Officers Model Target .22rf first year made 1930. I shot it fairly often but I don't shoot it often enough to keep it.
5. S&W 18 that I fired a few times.
6. S&W 28-2 6" hasn't been fired in 15 years, I like the 4" more.
7. Ruger Red Label All Weather that I don't shoot at all.
8. S&W 29-2 6" that I don't shoot often enough to keep.
9. Remington 77c nylon.
10. Marlin 60 from the 1960s hasn't been fired in 30 years.

I'm sure there's more that I've forgotten but you get the idea that I've got guns that sit to much. That leaves me with about 4 bolt action rifles that I do use or may use. Plus there are still S&W revolvers that I do shoot and would keep. Selling the above would simplify life.

You would chuckle at my list of things I have never shot even when I planned to shoot them. They sit...The collector stuff, I can deal with or at least understand why I never intended to shoot them. But many of the others; just guns. I would keep my 22 rifles (for now) and a few handguns that I shoot. Selling would mostly simply things after I'm gone (vs "life") even though it is a fairly sizable amount of value.

Always wanted a Model 700 in 375 H&H, for that dangerous game hunting trip that will likely never happen.

 

[larryh1108]

I am 61 and haven't stopped buying (yet) but I planned to "complete" my accumulation by the election. I feel I did that with my "final" purchase of an AR308. I am preparing for retirement in a few years and don't want to have to buy ammo and/or reloading supplies on my soon-to-be fixed income. I plan to have all I need when I retire and I am 80% there now. That being said, I have an Excel spreadsheet with all of my guns, ammo and reloading components listed. The guns show a retail that is reasonable in today's gun market and in the next column it shows the same gun at 60% for a wholesale value. So, if I have a gun I can sell for $500, it shows $500 and $300 for retail/wholesale. I then have a total for the guns, retail and wholesale and a separate category for the factory ammo and another for the reloading components. The gun description has the serial numbers listed as well. I also have a Word doc with a picture left and right, of the gun. If anything happens, my wife can open the file and print it and have a minimum and maximum for my "stuff". Also, if an insurance claim is needed I can also print them the same file. It's well worth the time for peace of mind and once the file is complete it takes nothing to keep it up.

 

[22250Rem]

Retired last April at age 66, gonna turn 67 next month. Still managed to buy 2 more guns since I retired, (both were .22's, funny how so many guys start out with .22's as a kid, then eventually gravitate back to them as a senior citizen). Now it's time to thin things out because both safes are full and I'm not buying another safe. Got lots of stuff I could sell off to make room in the safes. Some of the other guns will someday be inherited by my son, who knows enough to never sell one until its worth is known beyond a doubt. Too many stories out there of widows and/or the kids letting dad's guns go for pennies on the dollar. Eventually I plan to get it down to several handguns, my most used rifles and shotguns and that would be about it. That would make settling the estate easier, too. My Will isn't finalized yet but its gonna have the firearms and related equipment plans all spelled out.

 

[rugmar]

I have made a spreadsheet with all firearms listed. I have serial numbers recorded and the amount that I paid for each. For rifles, I also show what scope it has on it and how much was paid for the scope. I have hyperlinks to each firearm that when clicked on, opens up a picture to that particular firearm. Also track ammo inventory in that same spreadsheet. Yeah, I'm outta my mind.

 

[Dog Soldier]

Luke 22:36 is my favorite. It was the first 2nd Amendment.

 

[Twiki357]

In my mid 70s, I’m thinking about that downsizing routine myself. I don’t really have a lot, maybe a little over 50 with individual values from “buy back” values to over 1,000 each. Unfortunately my daughter has little interest in guns other than home protection and my son lives in California.


I have a spread sheet listing all my guns with a complete make, model, etc., including purchase date and amount. For when I go, I have prepared a write-up on each gun with a detailed description and the estimated value of each so my daughter will know just how to handle each one for liquidation.

 

[Decoy80]

At 54 I still want more but reading this is food for thought. I have several I shoot rarely, if at all. Maybe I should consider selling them to buy more. Then the cycle can begin again. When I pass and that is a sure thing I probably wont be able to influence what becomes of my things that prior arrangments have not been made for. That said an auction of the whole place would be in order due to my wife and daughter being unable to maintain the home and grounds.

 

[Squire Western]

I've posted about this same dilemma a few times,,,
I'm single and have no gun loving family,,,
So I made a detailed will for my guns.

Every gun I own has a small paper folder with all of the pertinent information in it,,,
Pictures of the gun, it's manual, and it's accessories,,,
Who the gun goes to and their contact info,,,
Receipt(s) if any and a letter from me.

My brother and sister know where all of my important papers and records are,,,
Everything important in my life is in those three fireproof boxes,,,
I make certain that the contents are current at all times.

Although lately I've decided to give some away before I take the dirt nap,,,
I'm 65 years old and know I'm not guaranteed even one more breath,,,
So why not get the enjoyment out of seeing the recipient smile.

A few I might end up selling if I get a need for some cash,,,
But most will be given away to good friends,,,
What they do with the guns is on them.

Aarond

.

An excellent post, full of wisdom! I only hope I can be that forthright and stoic when the time comes.

Blessings, and many more fruitfull years for you, Aarond.

 

[Capybara]

The best thing to do is gather up your guns, do some research and write up a value for each. Then when you go to the big shooting range in the sky, your family will know about what they should get for them.

Have a sit down and tell them all how offended you would be if they just dumped them on a counter and that you will come back and tickle their feet while they sleep for the rest of their lives if they do.

Only problem with this is I have a lot of C&R guns and frankly, what they are worth today may be irrelevant by the time I die. I have noticed some have gone way up, some went way up, then back down and some have not risen or fallen. It would be a lot easier if all of us knew the day and year we were going to die.

 

[jeff-10]

I also would like to downsize albeit for different reasons as I am 42 and without heirs. I just don't like them and having them in my collection kind of sets off my OCD. Not to mention I would like to make room for guns I actually want. I've previously sold a few to gun shops but you take such a massive hit I cannot stomach doing it again. Maybe this time I will put more effort into getting a fair price for them.

 

[Ks5shooter]

I have a shooting buddy who is 15 years younger than me. He is a gun counter manager at a local gun store.It is listed in my will that he will sell my collection for current values for my wife. In return he gets one particular gun listed in the will as well,and my reloading supplies,reloading equipment,loaded ammo and everything else in my gun vault. It is nice to have a trusted person to rely when the vulchers show up. Please ,as a lesson learned from when my father passed ,be VERY specific in your wills.Fair and equitable is the worst ,and most general mistake most people make. Where there is a will there is a relative,they crawl out of the woodwork.

 

[slumlord44]

Things like this are personal decisions and it's different for everyone. I'm 72 and still buying when I find something that strikes my fancy. I have a written agreement with a local dealer that I know and trust. It's filed with my will and my wife and kids are aware of it. He will come in and sell all of my guns and associated stuff on Gunbroker for a 10% fee. Wife has no idea of the extent of value of my collection but she knows it has a monetary value and she is good with money. I think she will do better on the guns than a lot of my other stuff. '57 TBird and '65 Mustang will bring decent money. Tools and car parts not so much. A lot of other stuff will only bring pennies on the dollar. The antique oak furniture that we bought years ago went up in value for some years but has gone down to less than what we paid for it. Good news is that it was good furniture when we boutght it and still is good fruniture that we are using daily. It's not so much about the material things and money that we leave our family but about enjoying our time with them now and having fun in the time that we have left.

 

[John G C 1]

Do your kids and family a favor. Ask if they want the guns around after you go. If not, accept that and do something else with them or make other arrangements. Don't burden your family with any of your stuff that they do not want. What is important to you may be meaningless to them, and there is nothing wrong with that.

 

[huntsman]

^ +1 I've been there with my in-laws "stuff", at first it's exciting but after a while it just zaps the strength and leads to hard feelings.

I want my family to be at peace after my departure and I plan to leave them a pile of cash and silver not my "stuff" with instructions to go out for a good meal all together.

 

[mstreddy]

Reading all of these messages gives me some ideas to consider. I'm 52, so still relatively young. I have a young family. My son is 7 and daughter is 4. My wife, younger than me, has no interest in guns, but at some times has known the value of my holdings.
I have a spreadsheet with all the pertinent data, make, model, serial, price. I've mentioned to her that at the very least she should be able to get 70% of the value for them.
I do have some friends that I trust that would help her dispose of the guns and get her the money she should get. I've told her she should talk to them, if anything happens to me.

There are some pieces that are promised to some friends/family. The rest can all go. Now, the big "IF" is how the kids come up in the gun enthusiasm. As of now, my boy likes them, but I haven't taken him shooting yet. He owns a .22 Cricket, but we haven't made it to the range yet. He will sometimes ask me to let him see it and hold it.

 

[maxxhavoc]

I have a shooting buddy who is 15 years younger than me. He is a gun counter manager at a local gun store.It is listed in my will that he will sell my collection for current values for my wife. In return he gets one particular gun listed in the will as well,and my reloading supplies,reloading equipment,loaded ammo and everything else in my gun vault. It is nice to have a trusted person to rely when the vulchers show up. Please ,as a lesson learned from when my father passed ,be VERY specific in your wills.Fair and equitable is the worst ,and most general mistake most people make. Where there is a will there is a relative,they crawl out of the woodwork.

I have the same arrangement with a shooting buddy, except the gun is not mentioned. Just that he gets first pick of 1 gun from any I have. The rest is sold, all proceeds going to the wife. I didn't even think about reloading stuff. Oh, and he's the same age as me....so I might need to find a younger person as backup.

 

[rskent]

Don't burden your family with any of your stuff that they do not want.

Hey, if they don’t want my stuff, that’s fine. I just don’t want them to get screwed.

 

[Squire Western]

^ +1 I've been there with my in-laws "stuff", at first it's exciting but after a while it just zaps the strength and leads to hard feelings.

I want my family to be at peace after my departure and I plan to leave them a pile of cash and silver not my "stuff" with instructions to go out for a good meal all together.

Excellent. Yours is the post that resonates with me the most. My wife and I have been very fortunate to have been left several cash and equity legacys totaling ridiculous sums.

As a result, my very average firearms collection is way down the list. But, I will leave a will codicil on their distribution.

Your idea of a great meal, celebrating our lives, is the most wonderful thing I can imagine for a final sendoff! Plus 1 with a bullet on that!

 

[Phaedrus/69]

This thread reminds me of an old joke I read on some forum; please Lord, when I die let my wife sell my guns for what they are worth instead of what I told her I spent!