For me, it'd be three guns, and I'm looking for a good replacement #4...
1; Ithaca Model 49 .22LR single shot lever action
It's a model with blond wood, and still in decent shape, it was the gun Dad taught me to shoot on, he kept it in his gun cabinet, and whenever I wanted to shoot, we'd go shoot it, a lot of fond memories with this one.
When my nephew, Logan, wanted to learn to shoot, there was only one logical choice, that old Ithaca came back out to teach another shooter, but this time it was I who was the teacher, dad was suffering from tremors, and had put his shooting days behind him
, the tremors were misdiagnosed as Parkinson's, but they were actually a symptom of chronic Lyme....
A few months before Dad really went downhill, we discussed the matter, and agreed that Logan should inheret the 49, so we passed it on to him, he cherishes it and treats it with amazing respect and care, he knows the heritage and meaning of this humble rifle...
2; Marlin Model 25 .22 bolt action
This was the first gun I ever owned, a birthday gift for my 16th birthday, I stupidly sold it a while ago, and have been looking for a good condition replacement ever since, I will find one, and restore the gap in my collection
3; Parker VH 12 gauge SxS, 2.5" chamber, Vulcan steel, refinished case hardening, and the splinter fore-end
A true family heirloom, in our family for four generations, still shoots as smoothly as when it was made, locks up tight, a gorgeous gun loaded with family history
And my true favorite...
4; Ruger Single Six 6.5" barrel, blued new model
Dad's only handgun, he used it to dispatch critters in the Havahart trap with the .22 Mag cylinder fitted, to him, it was a tool, nothing more, I, however, was fascinated with it as a child and teen, I always longed to shoot it, but every time I asked, Dad said no, he never told me why, and I'll never know, as he passed last spring from his battle with Lyme, but he did pass the gun to me before he went truly downhill, but you know what, I'd trade this gun back just to have him back with us again...
Since that's not possible, I truly cherish this gun as a true memento of Dad, practical, logical, and stoic, I would just give anything to be able to shoot it with him one last time, to get together and bounce some cans around, something we never got to do with him and this gun when I was growing up