Worst gun gifts?

[Harry Paget Flashman]

I was given an RG 22 short revolver by my brother-in-law in 1973. The only reliable thing about the gun was that when fired it would shoot most of the lead out in a 180° arc forward of the cylinder.

I gave my son-in-law a Makarov, CZ 50, Mossberg 835, Ithaca Model 37, Rossi .22/.410, Ruger 10/22, Ruger GP100 .357, Ruger P85 9mm, Walther P-38, CZ 52, Ruger Mini 14, Ruger Model 77 .308, SA 1911, Bersa .380, SIG 239 9mm, Ruger Old Army .45, Taurus Model 172 pump .17HMR.

I gave my nephew a Kimber Custom II TLE, 870 Wingmaster 12ga, Stevens 12 ga single shot, Winchester 1300 20ga, CZ 52, KelTec P3AT.

My future son-in-law (July '06) will probably get my Colt Series 70 Gold Cup, M1A, a Makarov, Bersa .380, Walther P22, a Taurus 6" bbl .22 revolver, CZ 75B, Enfield, K-31 Swiss, SKS, Sig 226 .357 Sig w/ a spare .40 bbl, S&W Model 36, Ithaca Model 37, a Stevens single shot .410 and a Walther PP .32.

 

[beltfed74]

Correct me if Im wrong buddy, but this doesn't seem like the case to me. I own a Remington 870,12 guage kitted out for sporting and Practical shooting events,as well as for the purpose of inter-service matches.I also own a Saiga-M12 12 guage semi-auto shotgun,a Sabre-defence industries M4-A1Carbine(In straight-pull configuration.) and several other types-in several calibres.It's only standard-handguns and standard-assault-weapons that were prohibited in 1988/1989, along with standard hanguns later in 1997/1998.Strangely though straight-pull assault-rifles and other assault-carbines aren't included on the banned list-much to our pleasure and satisfaction.



What's a straight pull configuration mean?

 

[kentucky_smith]

Harry Flashman, how old is your daughter and is she available?

M1A and Gold Cup make a pretty good dowry by themselves.

 

[doggscube]

Let's see... it's not the Schmidt-Rubin 1911 rifle (perfect bore)... not the Savage Mod. 24C "Camper's Companion" .22LR/20-ga.... not the 7.5" stainless Ruger Old Army...

I guess it would be the old stainless S&W M60 snub .38, since that was given to my wife.

Heh, heh. I've only heard of her grandfather's collection, and his shooting ability, in whispered tones. It says something when the above were the "extras."

What's funny is that the Savage was hanging up with the BB guns; it was handed to me when I was asking about one of the air guns. The Ruger was given to me by her aunt just because we always had a fun time talking and joking at family functions. I like feeling the Smith on my hip knowing that it was probably carried by the man 40-some years ago, in the very same holster.

-Jeff

 

[offthepaper]

Sterling180:
"I love collecting and shooting classical weapons from ww1 to ww2-as well as modern weaponry- because when you hold these fine weapons-you are holding a piece of history in your hands."
--------------
So true.
This is why I love to go to the local gun shows. I always head straight to the military surplus vendors. The history that surrounds many of these type weapons (to me) just cannot be overstated. The stories of the triumps and struggles of man in the different era's of history never fails to impress upon me, the courage, sacrifice, and faith that entire countries showed to unite under a common cause.

 

[loumarch]

I'm the only one in my family that is into guns. I never knew it but my Father has had an original Walther P-38 since 1944! I took him to the range 2 weeks ago and he had it with him. He asked me if it was ok to shoot and after a quick inspection we shot it.

When we got home I told him I'd clean it and give it back to him. He said keep it and pass it on to your kids!!

I have over 30 other guns. The P-38 will NEVER be sold and my 16 year old will get it when I'm older. My father is 80 and still manages to surprise me.

I have now started thinking about which of my guns will be "gifted" and who will get them. I'm thinking one of my grandsons is ready for my .22 revolver!

I'll make sure nobody can refer to me when it comes to "worst gun gifts".

 

[Foxtrot427]

Ive never had a bad one. I dont think of gifts as bad though. Unless I know it was just given to me without thought or something. I apreciate all gifts. I used to not and now when I look back a feel like an a-hole. I am a firm believer in its the thought that counts.

 

[sheepdip]

I'm not sure about this one.
Surprise gift from my X-wife.
She bought it for me with my last alimony check

 

[RyanM]

I usually just ask people for reloading supplies, if they want to buy something gun related. That doesn't stop my parents from buying me underwear every Christmas, though...

 

[The Scandinavian]

What's a straight pull configuration mean?

As centrefire semi-autos are banned there, I would assume (using a bit of imagination) that these are semi-auto designs that have been built so as to not automatically re-chamber a fresh round.

One would therefore need to work the cocking handle manually for every round fired, hence, "straight pull".

Regards, T.S. (An ex-pat, living in Europe, where we thankfully don't have quite such daft restrictions)

 

[XDKingslayer]

My grandfather gave me a mid to late 1800s Smith and Wesson model 1 1/2. It's kinda my worst gun gift because although it's in decent shape to get a decent price but I can't sell it because he's dead now.

It's one of those guns that are old, you'll never shoot, you hate taking care of it, but it belonged to someone long before him and I'm sure it has history.

 

[armoredman]

I know the next one I'll get as a gift, will be the one I don't want back, because it will mean my 86 year old stepfather has passed away. Pop took on raising two young boys, right after his first wife passed away AND he had just successfully raised three girls. He became far more of a father than my biological dad, (who still came around all the time, and got me into guns.), but his health is failing, his eyesight almost gone, unable to do almost anything.
35 years ago, he had to cross a picket line to feed his family, no choice. He bought a Taurus 38 revolver, and a box of 50 158gr LRN ammo. He kept that for years, never firing a single round, until I was old enough to shoot, and he let me test fire it. I discovered it was in bad shape, and sent it to Taurus to repair. To make a long story short, Taurus wouldn't honor thier guarentee due to the revolvers' age, and I was able to trade it in, with a cash wad, on a pristine Smith Model 10 Heavy Barrel. Pop was/is very proud of that revolver, even though he has NEVER shot it, either. It sits in an old police style rig under his side of the bed, loaded with Silvertips. I used to clean it for him once a year, and change the ammo, but I haven't been able to for a while.
So, when that revolver, which still looks like the day it left the factory, comes to me, it will be a sad day, a day to remember a man who flew in a C-47 on D-Day, saw an ME-262 buzz him, flown by a Nazi, and met General Patton personally. BTW, he said he was a jerk...
Oh, HIS favorite self defense gun, from personal experiance? Tommy gun.

 

[mole]

sheepdip, how well does it shoot?

My grandfather told me he had a German mauser that he bought back in the 60s or 70s in the trunk for me. I saw him pull out a nice leather gun case and visions of execellant 98's were dancing in my head. Turns out it was a Spainish mauser that bubba had toyed with. The metal was painted black with saw dust and wood flakes in the paint. Lots of surface rust was present. A non-matching bolt that was dark brown with rust would hardly move. The handguard was gone and the stock was chopped off. To complete the look the stock had been roughly sanded---across the grain---with an uneven stain and poor varnish job.:banghead:

To make matters worse, my grandfather thought that he had a real prize. I, of course, couldn't tell him better, so I let him give me this "great" gift. It's actually been fun restoring it though.

 

[30-06 lover]

My sister in law is a real...well you know. My brother is a gun enthusiast and always wants new guns which makes her as mad as hell becuase she is an anti. One day she really pissed me off so I went out and bought some 300 Win Mag rounds for my brother, knowing he didn't have one and really wanted one. I took them to his house and gave him the shells in front of his wife and said "I found these cheap and know you want a 300 mag, so take your tax refund and get it, now you have the excuse you need." She has never liked me much, but now can't stand me.

 

[Randy in Arizona]

30-06 lover, At least she thinks she has a good reason now!

 

[aaronrkelly]

Nobody in my family is really "into" guns - a few family members own a few guns but they just "have them" - they arent gun people.

That being said since I have become a gun lover I have received two gun gifts. Neither are particularly expensive nor are they "fine" firearms but they are decent, useable guns.

My wife got me a Russian SKS for Fathers day.

My mother got me a Henry lever action .22 rifle for Christmas.

I really like both of them so I really dont have any horror stories.

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

Kentucky Smith. My oldest daughter is 29, just got her PhD from Penn State and is getting married to another PhD in July. After 11 years of her college I am finally financially independent. Her getting married is just icing on the cake so I don't mind the dowry. Her fiance is a great guy and likes guns so it's a pleasure to give them/her away.

 

[stiletto raggio]

I received a whole bunch of guns from a friend before he moved to Alabama; he said he didn't want to move them all. Don't worry, he has plenty more.

Anyhow, after the trapdoors, Mauser, Enfield, Martini-Henry, Browning, Krag and Marlin came a gun I really and truly have no use for: a single-shot .410 H&R Topper. It is beat to hell, but that is hardly what makes it useless. Just want does a person do with a single shot .410???

 

[aaronrkelly]

You know Im not really sure what somebody does with a single shot .410......if you figure it out let me know.

Mines aH&R Topper as well, bought it because it was cheap (paid $42) and thought maybe my son might like it a bit later (hes 4 now).

Its was horrible ugly when I first got it.....heres the before picture:




This is after cleaning it up a bit and refinishing the stock (truck bed liner), almost looks presentable:

 

[zoom6zoom]

My worst gun gift?
Would have to be my damn uncle swiping all my Gramps guns when he passed away and pawning them, they were supposed to come to me. Nothing fancy or valuable, but sentimental, ya know?

 

[OEF_VET]

The only guns I've been given were an SAR-1 and a Ruger MkII, both from my second (now ex-)wife.

The only guns I've given away were an NEF 20ga single-shot to my former brother-in-law (1st wife's brother) for his 15th b-day, a Taurus 85, and a Beretta 3032 Tomcat, both given to my second wife.

 

[madmattmd]

To this point, I've only received one gun as a true gift, a Springfield Omega 10mm (it’s a 1911 frame with a 6” ported barrel and “linkless" Peters-Stahl upper) two years ago from my Wife. She didn’t want to get it for me, but the alternative choice was a sea kayak (and she really didn’t want to spend the money on that!). This is the gun that got me back into shooting regularly, so I certainly can’t complain.

Left to me by my Father was the first gun I ever shot, a 1959 vintage Colt Targetsman .22lr. This is a great piece that shoots like a laser. Original Colt holster too.

I have to agree with the others who have said “the only bad gun gift is no gun gift.”

Matt

 

[roo_ster]

Just want does a person do with a single shot .410???

Well, if you were my father, you would have shot scores of pheasants with it, after receiving it at a young age (Savage-Stevens, in hs case).

When my dad was big enough to use my granddad's JC Higgins 12ga, 30 full choked bbl, bolt action shotgun, he thought he was using artillery on the poor birds!

 

[jackal1209]

worst gun

I think I have you guys beat. I have hunted and collected all my life with two gunsafes bulging at the seams. My new wiwe of 8 months heard me talking before christmas about contemplating buying a new shotgun for dove hunting.
I mentioned that I would like to go to a 20 or 28ga. from the 12 ga I had shot for years. (I had been using my favorite 12ga, a grade IV citori) and just wanted something a little lighter. Christmas morning she was so proud when I opened the box with the "Antique, yet wonderful condition" Westernfield, bolt action 20ga. with the adjustable choke, (that looked like a melon on the end of the barrel) What do you do though......

 

[dfaugh]

Well...
A very close friend of mines father just died, and she brought me 4 guns for "appraisal" (as her brother wants them as well). All needed some serious work, as they'd been stuffed in a closet for about 30 years. In return for the work, she said I could keep the old Model 8 Remington, in .35 Remington. Shoots OK but doesn't feed properly. Not in very good shape, and I have absolutely no use for it (due to vision problems, I need a scope, and finding one for these is like finding hen's teeth---then you gotta find a scope that matches). Being a "gift" from a close friend, I'm not comfortable trading it away (not that I'd get much in the present condition).

2 of the other 3 are of no great value (other than sentimental, as they belongsed to her grandfather, before her father), but there's an L.C. Smith there, model A-1 (734 made from 1892-1898) that's truly georgeous. Why couldn't she give me that one? Actually, I'm kidding I wouldn't take a gun that valuable, from a friend.