what to do when your number comes up?

[Saturnine]

I'm still really young, and don't have kids or much of a collection. I don't plan on having kids, I see myself as more of the cool uncle kind of guy. The nieces and nephews will get to play with fireworks, guns, knives, and all sorts of things their parents wont let them do. If any of them end up interested in firearms, they'll certainly get a few.

If not, there's always my favorite firearms message board (which would be celebrating it's 80th or so anniversary by the time I kick the bucket)

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

List them in a will.

 

[Roccobro]

You could start selling them of before you die, and leave the money to your wife.

My wife and I talked about this a while back (we're 58). I asked "How do we decide who gets which gun?". She said "Give them to them now".

Both of those quoted above.

Sell the "regular" stuff, and give the "Specials" to the loved ones while you can. You can go from there and maybe find out they would also like another one or all of the rest (and would take care of them, not just sell them for pennies).

Every family get-together on my side, we set aside one day for shooting. I end up leaving some firearm or another with a family member that would use it more often than I know I would, until next time we meet up.

Justin

 

[2Ais4U]

If it were me i would just make sure that they would go to someone who would use them as opposed to hanging them on a wall, I would also try to make sure that they went to someone that would defend them in the event that the U.S ever went the way of the U.K and Australia.

 

[Im283]

triple tap?

 

[Hardtarget]

I can say for sure my kids will gladly recieve my guns and reloading gear and do their best to split it equally. I have guns from my grandfather and both of our parents. There is good family history to recon with...and I've got one grandson to put in line, too.

I dont see a reason to worry about an auction.

Mark.

 

[Im283]

double tap ??

 

[Im283]

I dunno what i am going to do.

One of my grandsons is a 5 year old. Just the other day (this is no lie) He asked me when I am going to die so he can have all of my stuff.

Where do kids get this from?

I answered him with "don't be in such a hurry, I would rather share them with you until that day comes". Of course he was not paying a lick of attention to me by then and was back to playing again.

Gotta love kids

 

[Neo-Luddite]

As with anything that matters, don't wait; give away the things that matter while you're alive. You'll enjoy teaching the new owner about caring for and using the thing--and impartig why the thing matters.

Not just guns, but guns are often of paramount concern in matters like this.

Even the non-gun people will fight over the guns and the rest of the junk people leave behind. It looks awful and makes family conflicts--give the junk away prior to the dirt-nap.

To Im283: He asked me when I am going to die so he can have all of my stuff.

That's kid-speak for I love you and want to be like you--but you know that---my older daughter (4 1/2) said a similar thing the other day regading my belongings. I re-assured her that I was just taking care of anything that mattered, that it was hers and her sisters already.

 

[xsquidgator]

I've wondered about this... we don't have children, and I feel the same way as some others here about wanting my guns to go to people who will "give them a good home". I have some nephews who unfortunately live in a very anti-gun state, with parents (my cousins) who've never had an interest in shooting and who I am sure will never seriously consider owning a gun of any kind. If I am lucky I will be able to inculcate an interest in firearms and shooting in my nephews from 1200 miles away. If that doesn't work out, I'll have to find someone else. I have some close friends from when I was in the Navy who I could probably look into, along the lines of getting their children interested in firearms. I expect that I'm still several decades away from such a decision but it inevitably will come one day. If I have any control over it I assure you my guns are NOT simply going to the government to be destroyed or the nice ones pilfered, I'll destroy them myself before letting that happen.

 

[ranger58]

xsquidgator i'll take great care of them, I would hope my son 15 and daughter 12 would like them, my son and I have been hunting so atleast I think he would like them, 48 so hopefully won't have to worry for awhile, I don't want to leave to much ammo behide.

 

[Legionnaire]

My father-in-law is in his mid-70s, and he has started culling his collection. He has given a couple guns to his grandchildren, one to me, etc. He has sold some of the run-of-the-mill-no-sentimental-value pieces. He retains a small working group of very functional firearms.

I like what he's done and will likely do the same. I don't have a large collection to deal with, and I don't expect it to grow much--I'm a shooter, not a collector. But my kids who enjoy shooting will receive some, hopefully while I am still living. I'll probably sell some off as my needs/interests narrow.

In the interim, this is a good reminder that I should update my will with the specific firearm bequests I'd like to make ... just in case.

 

[JohnMcD348]

The plan I have for my meager collection(I'm 37) is to leave them to my child or other family member if he does not share an interest. I would rather them be in the hands of someone who would take care of them and value them than sit in a closet or attic and rust away in the dust. If there are no family members then I would give or sell them to close friends who shared the interest as I do.

 

[kevin davis]

i have an addendum to my will leaving my guns to specific people. this changes over time, as my gun collection changes. i have other addendums listing who gets the knives in my collection (over 70) and who gets the various skins and trophies from my hunting collection. if they are not interested, then the other kids get first crack, then the remainder can be sold.

 

[macFarlaine]

My daughter get's first choice.If she does not want them the better one's will go to a UK museum.They will not go to auction to be shipped abroad,to be bastardized into some home defence weapon.

 

[ThomasT]

My dad gave me his guns years ago. He kept a model 28, a shotgun, his SKS that he never fired and a Remington 581 that he killed a barrel full of squirrels with.

I have two sons. They both like guns. I have been buying similar guns for a while so that each can have a matching firearm. I have let them handle and shoot every gun i own. I make sure they know how to use them and clean them.

My youngest son (15) likes to look in the gun safe and ask about each gun and if he can have it when i die. Its sorta weird. Its like insuring yourself for half a million bucks and catching your wife giving you those hungry wolf eyes when she thinks your not looking.

 

[Schutzen]

Being in my mid 50's I hope I still have many years to consider this, but I have thought it over. As my children reached shooting age I taught them how to shoot and purchased youth guns for them. As they married and moved out I have given each of them a small collection; a .22 bolt action rifle, a center fire rifle (bolt or lever their choice), a matched pair of shotguns 12/20, a .22 pistol and a .40 caliber pistol. Each has added to their collection and all are avid shooters. This may not have been the best solution, but being a selfish person I wanted to watch them enjoy the firearms in my presence. I still have several family heirloom firearms that I have to decide who the next possessor will be. But my inclination for these is the oldest son of the next generation that carries the family name and is interested in firearms. That may be a grandson or a grandnephew, but that is how I received them and that is how I plan to pass them on. My remaining firearms and my tons of reloading equipment, I will leave it up to my survivors to chose, sell or keep.

PS: I also purchased each of them a small gun safe. Many young families delay this purchase because of needs in other areas. I have chosen to encourge recreational shooting, so I feel obligated to insure they are safe firearms owners.

 

[O C]

Iv'e struggled with this also, and here's what i've come up with. My family gets 3 guns of their choice ( or mine if they don't want to choose ).The ones that are heirlooms will have to stay in the family. Any above that will be auctioned off within the club I'm a member of. The proceeds will be used to improve the range, or benifit the general membership. If they see fit to name a range after me, my decendants can see that I did some good for people that shared my interests, and have a tangible place for my memory, instead of a grave site that nobody visits and feels guilty about it. An annual " Family Shootoff " would make me smile in the afterlife.

 

[ThomasT]

On second thought, I've heard you can't take it with you when you go, so i'm not going.

 

[Battlespace]

My grandfather left his guns to me in his will when he died in 1958. My dad left his to me when he died in 2002. My father-in-law left me all of his when he died in 2005. I have my will leaving mine, plus all that I have inherited to my son.