Thinning Out My Collection

[another pake]

I'm not sure whether this is the right place for these thoughts so please move if necessary.

For the past year or so I felt the need, and my wife agreed, that it was probably time for additional secure gun storage. I didn't consider my collection to be that large, nor especially valuable from a monetary perspective. I also never acquired my guns with an investment mindset necessarily with some view of a future income. I've got a nice mix, I think, of handguns, rifles and shotguns that also span several genres. There are black powder flintlocks and cap locks, levers, bolts, pumps, semi autos, break actions, some military stuff and more 22s than even I realized that I had...You get the idea.

Most have been acquired in response to a specific area of interest such as duck or deer hunting, target shooting, CC, re enacting, pest control and so forth. Although I'm retired from farming now, I still live on the place and my 5 kids and their families are frequent visitors back home which also means that there is still quite a bit of shooting related activity going on around here.

Anyway, as I began shopping for more storage I also began listening more closely to my kids, who it seemed each had pretty specific memories and stories about particular guns. Lots of deer hunting stories, small game hunting stories, duck and turkey hunting, target shooting stories etc. I've been to plenty of farm auctions too where a guys rifles and shotguns were pieced out to the highest bidder while a misty eyed kid stood next to an old tractor and remembered himself using that gun. But one day while I was shopping at the local gun store, a 40 something guy came in with his wife. Each carried at least four or five long gun cases. They asked that the contents be appraised as to value to help settle an estate....

Right then I decided to do it a different way and since that time have begun to give my guns away. The experience has been a blast (pun intended) as my sons, sons-in-law and grand kids relate to me their memories of our shooting times together. The smiles and stories are priceless. In the last year or so I have given away five pistols, three shotguns, several rifles, countless boxes of ammo and even some reloading equipment.

I've still got more than enough guns to satisfy my shooting needs but I no longer need a new safe. Then again, now that there's room in the safe I've got my eye on a new OU.

8^)

 

[hso]

Right then I decided to do it a different way and since that time have begun to give my guns away. The experience has been a blast (pun intended) as my sons, sons-in-law and grand kids relate to me their memories of our shooting times together. The smiles and stories are priceless. In the last year or so I have given away five pistols, three shotguns, several rifles, countless boxes of ammo and even some reloading equipment.

I've still got more than enough guns to satisfy my shooting needs but I no longer need a new safe. Then again, now that there's room in the safe I've got my eye on a new OU.

Nice approach to dealing with the guns you don't "play" with anymore and a great way to avoid the "What's this worth and what can we get for it" if you're gone.

My son and daughter aren't interested in my milsurp collection so I'm selling off bits and holding out for younger folks who are just as enthusiastic about them as I was when I bought them. My daughter has had an AR since she was 8 and she's earmarked a couple of more as her's (.300 Blackout "pistol" and an ultralight 18") and my son just expressed an interest in getting a 1911 so I'll probably give my minty 70 Series electroless Ni Commander to him.

 

[J-Bar]

You can adopt me, if you'd like....

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Great what to handle it!

Sickens me at times to see a family heirloom sold for not much when I know some grand kid would have loved to have had it.

 

[340PD]

Pure genius on your part.

 

[bannockburn]

another pake

Great idea! Haven't quite reached that time in my life where I feel the need to thin the herd, so to speak, but definitely have given some thought about gifting a few of my guns to various family members and friends so they can enjoy them as much as I have.

 

[another pake]

This really has been a pleasurable exercise.

Just before Christmas my youngest son and I were talking. He mentioned that he was going to give his ten year old son a Ruger 10-22 like the one of mine that he remembered using as a boy. I had won it a a DU banquet in the early 80s. He wondered whether he could buy it from me for his son.

"Nah," I said, "why don't I just give it to you and you can give it to him if you want. It'll be from both of us."

And it seems that if you get a gun from me, you'll also get what it takes to shoot or carry it safely. A sling perhaps, or a holster and the right components to keep it clean, etc.

It really, really is fun to give away.

Oh, btw J-bar, I am retired from the farm but I still work the dickens out of my boys when they come over. When we work, we work hard. But when we play, we play hard. 8^)

 

[ConstitutionCowboy]

As I'm approaching the end of my sixties, I've been of the same mindset. I have a stepson who is very interested in guns, he is a reserve sheriff, and has a modest collection of his own. He also reloads, and will bring the granddaughter up to be familiar with guns and have an appreciation for them. At 5-and-a-half, she is already helping him reload. (A good sign!).

As it has turned out, his choice of calibers and mine only have three crossovers - 22LR, 45ACP and 12Ga. He'll benefit immensely by adding about 7 more calibers and several guns in those calibers to his collection.

I'm not ready to begin the hand down, but it will likely begin soon.

So, good on ya, Another Pake!

Woody

 

[riceboy72]

Really good story here and one I enjoyed reading. The guns you've passed down will have more value than anything your family would ever get from buying at a store. Here's hoping they'll do the same with their children. Thanks for sharing!

 

[ku4hx]

Right then I decided to do it a different way and since that time have begun to give my guns away.

Yep, started passing mine on to my grown kids (and grand kids too eventually) about two years ago. I've said it before, there's just no greater joy than to see property I've accumulated over the years get a whole new useful life. And get new life I get to see and be a part of.

 

[Grmlin]

I'm still young (well I think I am), I have 6 Grandchildren (step) that I've been in their lives from the very beginning and a son from another relationship. I need to decide who is going to get what and put it in writing and give copies to one of my sisters and son in-law just in case and hope my wishes are adhered to.

 

[zoom6zoom]

Nice plan. You get to enjoy others enjoying what you enjoyed. As one who has served as the liquidator of a collection belonging to a friend who passed way too early, I know first hand what a thankless job that can be.

 

[Trent]

Years back I amended my last will & testament to specifically indicate which guns go to which kids, just to avoid some of that burden on my wife. If I can give them to them while I'm alive, great, we can go shoot together. If I unexpectedly die, well, it's taken care of the way I wanted it to be done.

Just a thought, if you have the time and the attorney.

 

[rust collector]

As an attorney who does estate planning and probates, i recommend giving the guns that are significant to those who will appreciate them most, during one's lifetime. Not everything is about dollars. Seeing eyes light up and spending time afield with offspring is priceless. I've also seen disappointment that guns ended up where they were not appreciated for what they represented.

The other thread on gun shows got me to thinking that maybe I (at 63) should start getting rid of the guns that I've picked up over the years because they were inexpensive. I may have to discuss getting a table at the upcoming gun show to test the waters.

 

[200Apples]

...one day while I was shopping at the local gun store, a 40 something guy came in with his wife. Each carried at least four or five long gun cases. They asked that the contents be appraised as to value to help settle an estate....

Right then I decided to do it a different way and since that time have begun to give my guns away. The experience has been a blast (pun intended) as my sons, sons-in-law and grand kids relate to me their memories of our shooting times together. The smiles and stories are priceless.

Terrific! Well done, sir.

Jeff Cooper expressed a similar attitude in the closing paragraph of Chapter 1 in his book, "The Art of the Rifle": "A moral man may give away his treasures, but probably he should not sell them. Thus it is that at my advanced age I seek to find appreciative comrades who will provide good homes for my treasured rifles, but I will accept no money for them."

 

[Speedo66]

I concur with the original posters sentiments. My wife and I have begun giving our kids some things we've noticed they like. We find it a pleasure to see them enjoying them while we're still alive.

I gave our son my Rolex Submariner and my wife has given our daughter some of her jewelry. We both think it's better than them receiving them as part of a will distribution. Neither are that into guns, so hopefully I'll sell most off before I pass, with sale value and sale instructions for the rest.

 

[Teachu2]

December before last my father-in-law called me and asked me to come help him sort out his guns. He had about 30, mostly long guns, and 14 male heirs. He wanted my input to match each heir to a specific gun, so that he could gift them at Christmas. I was honored to help.

Each of the sons, grandsons, male in-laws, and male steps received a gun. Each got to hear the history of their gun - some went back 4 generations - and "Papa" got to enjoy giving them in person. It was a meaningful ceremony, especially for those of us not born into the family. I am his youngest daughter's second husband, and her boys are my stepsons, but the gun he gave me will join all of mine in passing down to my stepsons - his blood heirs.

"Papa" passed away in October. His guns will continue to be used and treasured by generations to come.

 

[Hardtarget]

Funny to me to see this tonight! Several months ago I made a list of my guns and designated "who gets what" ( sons and grandson ). Then tonight I went back to refine the list because I've added one or two.

If you're like me I bet you'll be surprised when you try to make a list. Much more stuff than I thought. Not all guns just the "extra and additional" odds and ends. You know..."the stuff".

I enjoyed reading what ya'll have posted. Good to see the approaches to solving the problem.

Mark

 

[another pake]

I've Learned Things About My Guns

One of the benefits of this exercise for me is that I've been reminded of some very interesting history about my own guns.

As I've said, I live on a farm with plenty of hunting opportunities. Over the years my boys have experienced many, many hours of hunting and shooting with family and friends. Of course there are just as many stories to accompany those outings. Like the time during our annual deer hunt when one brother steathfully removed the magazine from his brother's rifle just minutes before we walked out to our stands. He knew that his brother would then be reduced to single shots. BTW, his brother got his deer, with one shot.

Or the next year when roles were reversed and the victim of last years trickery replaced the sheathed hunting knife in his brothers pack with a folding pocket knife. Yes, the deer was harvested... and field dressed with that pocket folder.

I reminded my oldest son, in the presence of his two boys, about the time many years ago when I positioned him on a hilltop in a hayfield overlooking a wood lot which I was sure held a buck or two. I left him leaning against a few big, round bales to wait while I went to the other end of the woods to drive whatever was in there out. It was a wickedly cold morning with snow. As I entered the woods on the south end two does and a nice buck jumped up and headed my boy's direction. I waited and waited but heard no shots. Ten minutes later when I got back to him I asked whether he ever saw anything. His embarrassed response was, "Well I was getting so cold sitting there that I had taken my boots off and was rubbing my feet when all of a sudden three deer jumped the fence and headed right towards me, just like you said that they would. By the time I realized what was happening and got my gun back in my hands they where long gone." There were three beautiful sets of tracks within 25 feet of his spot.

Good stuff.

 

[cologuy]

Great thread. Since my father and father-in-law both died in the last couple of years and I inherited collections from both, I've also been giving some thought about what to do when I decide it's time to clear out the safe. Most of their kids aren't that interested in firearms except for my me and my kids, so my son will get the "tactical" stuff (including WW I rifles) and my daughter has already spoken for several of my .22's. Then I remembered that my sister's grandchildren are getting old enough to go shoot, so I started working with them a couple of years ago, and most of them have really taken to it. I've already spoken with their parents and we've agreed that they'll get some of grandpa's guns, and probably some of mine. And like several of you have mentioned, I can't wait to hand them over in person, and include the history of each one as I do it. So I guess the lesson here is not to forget about neices, nephews, and other more distant relations that had (or have) fond memories of the time spent shooting with someone.