When a new member describes a gun inherited from a father and asks what it's worth so he can sell it? My dad had a small number of firearms and died when I was very young. Mom had to sell the guns so we could eat. All I have are some old photos in an album of him hunting with a Winchester Model 12 and plinking with a 1G Colt SAA. I would give anything to have just one of his guns. It breaks my heart to see guys so absolutely disinterested in keeping their dads' guns.

Oh well. I guess everyone has his own priorities.

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No life story has happy end.

Yes, you're spot on Doc. Even beyond guns, I'm always amazed at the family heirlooms people will sell just because they don't care.

I collect WW2 V-Mail with the intentions of writing a book when I retire. I find it incredible that family will auction on ebay letters between two of their now-dead family members. How can you not be intrigued by your heritage?

Hear what you're saying.

Have a H&R "Sidekick " .22 lr slab sided 4" revolver that I learned to shoot handguns with. It's currently worth about $150 and there's no takers, even though it's pretty accurate, functional, and even looks good. Franzite grips that I used to pretend were ivory. Also several other guns from my grandfather, to my Dad, to me.

To me they're priceless.

Only one of my sons has an interest in firearms, other than basic protection of the home. The others will probably sell all of them after I'm gone. Would be just another asset, regardless of my life long interest.

My parents are in their very late 80s and worry about their 'stuff.' It's a valid concern; who could store a house full of old items? True heirlooms are few, but they are hanging onto things best let go. Both grew up in the Great Depression.

I used to feel the same way until a member here told me the story of how he traded a Glock 19 for a 27-2 with a 3.5 inch barrel, fair and square. If I came across a deal like that, poor man's departed father aside, I would be on it like stink on an ape!

To me, the sad part comes before there is an inheritance, when nobody in the family can be "bothered" caring for the old folks enough to make their belongings meaningful.

It may be that a lot of these folks are just wanting to get a value for insurance purposes.
The bright side is that if they sell the gun, you now may have a chance to own it.

Some people just aren’t into guns, or actively dislike them.

I kept my Dad’s guns, but my folks also had a huge number of creepy bird figurines. They were everywhere in their house. I wound up with them, since none of my six siblings wanted them either. They sat in boxes for a while, then I decided to sell them on eBay. Lesson number one: They weren’t worth much, and were a pain to ship since they break if you look at them wrong. Lesson number two: Nobody in eBay-world seemed to want them either.

I finally took them to Goodwill. I kept one.

I have a feeling on some creepy bird figurine forum I would be castigated for not hanging onto a Franklin Mint crested titmouse from 1986, but I have plenty of other ways to remember my folks.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Everybody has their own priorities. There are probably people who can’t understand how anyone could sell Grandma’s Hummel figurines.

When my dad passed, I wasn’t hunting anymore and nobody else in the family has an interest in guns at all. So I kept his two hunting knives as (low value but very personal) mementos and arranged for the sale of his shotgun and rifles to a friend of my dad who had teenagers getting into hunting and gave my mom a good price.

Having the guns sitting in my safe instead so I can occasionally fondle them nostalgically would be a waste. This way, I know they’ll continue to be used for their intended purpose. I know my old man would have seen it the same way.

Both my son and daughter say "there are too many guns in the world". (I know, I know) Fortunately I have a nephew that loves them, so he is getting everything with family history associated with them.

I see the point but no, it doesn't make me sad. Agree with those who have said that everyone has their own priorities in life and I cannot make priorities for someone else.

A similar tale that I've mentioned before is the young 20-something that showed up at my FFL's small gun shop years back. He had a USGI Colt 1911 that was in fantastic condition and dated to 1926. It would make most folks "of our kind" just beam with pride and wonder.

This pistol was just inherited, came from the young man's Grandfather and he wanted my FFL to take it in on a trade for a "Colt Rail Gun" just like the pistol he's been using on his video game. (insert vomit emoji)

My buddy tried every way to lay it out there and talk him out of it, but it wasn't happening. In the end it was my FFL that ended up taking it and got the kid exactly what he wanted. Someone was going to get it, so at least it went to a good gun guy that tried to show the young man what a colossal error he was making.

For a stretch he wore that 1926 USGI Colt while he ran the shop, OWB as his working sidearm. It really was a beauty.

I have inherited several guns over the years from my Dad, Grandfather, Father in law, wife's Grandfather, and most recently, my kid brother. They are all very special to me...in some way I still have a piece of those wonder men to hang onto. At my passing they will be distributed to my Son in law and Grandsons who understand what they mean to me.

I've bought several S&W revolvers from "the kids" who inherited Dad's or Grandpa's stash. I've always wondered how they could sell off those heirlooms, but I sure enjoy having them.

This thread needs photos. Here are my K-22 from August '47 (the guy's Grandpa bought it new after he got back from the war in Germany) and Model 36 from October '59 (the gal's Dad bought it new to have in his Tennessee highway department dump truck, she still had the original box, two holsters her Dad used, and a box of period ammo he hadn't shot).

I also have some that came from the old Dad whose kids weren't interested so he sold off the collection before his name was called.

Here's a 1984 Model 60 square butt (1 of 600) that an upstate New York farmer carried while driving his tractor.

I'll likely follow that old farmer's lead and sell mine off when that time comes. My daughter isn't interested in handguns, and I'll dang sure get a better price for them than she would.

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

I know the sentimentality of getting things from our folks, for guys, especially from Dads. It is my desire to leave my guns to my sons. (possible song title?) That is if I don't sell them to them first! I would hope they would respect, treasure and keep them forever and ever.

One truth stands out that dictates how I SHOULD look at things though. One I give them away, they belong to them, not me. I learned long ago to never, never attach strings to what I gift to someone. If I do this I really do not give it to them at all.

What if what I have is really or will be valuable, and because of a desperate need they would sell them to provide for their families? I truly believe things are given with the heart and should be received in like manner. What my Dad has given me is out of his love for me, and nothing material can surpass that.

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Endeavor to persevere. <><

I think the 1986 vintage crested titmouse is akin to the dash 4 686's the pinnacle of the Franklin Mint titmouse series.

My dad years ago gave me a pot load of depression glass from my grandmother. I left it in the box outside on the porch for ages. One day I went to open it to decide what to do with the glass and a nest of yellowjackets exploded upon me. After I retreated screaming, counter attacked with a can of wasp spray and cleared out the enemy, I just threw it all away. So much for memories Never liked that stuff anyway

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Forum consigliere

It's only stuff, I don't care what my son does with everything when I leave. What counts is the memories when we were alive.

Over the past several years I have cleaning out my collection of guns and giving one or two to my son every year or so. He is more than happy to get them and I know that he will never sell them. He loves guns like I do but having a family with kids getting ready to go college he just can't afford to buy many. I am lucky to have such a wonderful son and grandkids who respect family. I often wonder how that happened because I am a crabby old sort some of the time.

same story here, father died when I was 6. He had about 6 handguns and a few long guns that I remember. mother sold them and gave a few back to the PD he was on.
He was also heavy into ham radio back in the 60's. I will never forget the image of the garbage collection truck coming down the street and picking through all the stuff my mother put at the curb and taking the good stuff and putting it in the cab of the truck. I never let my mother forget any of that.

I was at an estate sale, noticed a beautiful wooden box for sale, but was curious why there was no opening or lid. On the bottom read: "Contains the remains of..." Put it down and was out the door immediately.

I love it when the kids sell off heirlooms, otherwise I would not have gotten a 1931 K22 OD with King super target sights back in the 90’s for $100. I owe a lot of my current collection to those kind of kids.

I have mentioned specific guns to be given to children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces and my wife. If half are still owned by them in a year I will be shocked.
While guns are important to their owners, if I were to inherit a collectible car it would be gone in a week.

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Front sight and squeeze

I don't think we should be so hard on them. People have different likes. They have a right not to care about inherited guns, don't they? Like Sig said above, parents have things that don't interest us, like bird figurines. My mother collected glass shoes. She had a wonderful collection built over many decades in a very large display cabinet. I'm just not that interested.....


Another side of the coin-
Decades ago, a very prim and proper old lady, very well dressed, walked into my shop. I asked if I could help her. She said "Do you know anything about guns?" I smiled and said I might be able to help her. She plops her large purse up on the counter and pulls a 1911-A1 Rem-Rand out, in a very nice custom calf shoulder holster. She says "This was my husband's in WW II. Officers were allowed to keep their pistols and he brought it home." I said "Uh-huh"
She goes on- "He had this holster made in Italy during the War. Here's a picture of him wearing it." She had a pic of him sitting in a jeep with the holster and 45 clearly visible, dated on back with location and his name.
Her- "So, do you know what it is?"
Yes, ma'am.
"Do you buy such guns?"
Yes, ma'am.
"What would you pay for it?"
$450 (this was decades ago, and I WANTED the gun. It was GORGEOUS)
"My nephew wants it, but he said it was worth $300"
Well, ma'am, family comes first, so maybe a nephew should get it at a discount.
"Humph! I'll see if he wants it for $400." She put it in her purse and stomped out.
A few days later, she brought me the gun and holster. I asked for the pic.
"NO, I'm not giving you the pic." I explained the historical significance of keeping the provenance with the gun, and offered to pay her $50 to let me have it copied. No dice, but I bought the gun.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Yep!

Sometimes I am thankful for the decisions others make. Here are two pictures of a Missouri State Highway Patrol .38 Combat Masterpiece from 1952. I bought it several years ago. I'd been looking for one. The trooper who carried it on duty bought it from the department when he retired. After he passed away, his son sold it to me. He didn't particularly want it, but he was glad to find a collector who wanted it and would appreciate what it is.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

My buddy were talking about guns one day. He was whining about not knowing what to do with them because his health wasn't too good. I said Man, you have a grandson. I bet he would cherish them. His reply was that his SIL would not have a gun in the house.

I guess the wife will probably go to Cabelas and take whatever they offer.

one of the greatest experiences was being able to take a buck with my grandfather's Winchester model 70 made in 1952.When I inherited it I wanted to know how much it was worth,but I would never sell it.hope to pass it on to my son when my hunting days are over

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Larry

I can surely relate to this. After ma-in-law#1 passed, nobody wanted to get rid of her stuff. Some of it went to a niece but the rest of the stuff ended up in our house and storage.

Three years later, wife#1 passed from cancer. Do you you think I could get clearance to move on what was then her stuff? Nope, her sister expected me to keep my home as a museum and everything in storage. Applying pressure for the sister to come and "help sort this mess out" was only partially successful.

Then my sister-in-law passed. I told the niece and her son "what you cannot take is off to Goodwill". They weren't thrilled, but why should I be the curator of all that stuff.

As for my guns, if there are still any left after I'm gone most of them will be converted into black stiletto pumps if I know wife#2 at all.

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Release the Kraken

That situation describes mine, but with a very sad twist. My grandson, who is in his mid-teens, lost his mom (my daughter) to a DV murder by his very new stepdad with a handgun. No one in the extended family, including him, wants anything to do with guns, so I've instructed my surviving daughter where to take mine to get best consignment dollar once I'm dead or demented.

Not to call you out jmace as others have posted similar things, but as a general question as I really don't understand it:

How does it happen that kids of a gun collector wind up being "anti-gun"? My kids shoot guns in my collection and the older ones have started getting their own- each of them has their faves, but all of them like guns and shooting.

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SWCA #3356, SWHF#611

^^^Easy - peers in a a more urban and suburban society.

??? We live in the 'burbs. So do our gun owning friends.

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SWCA #3356, SWHF#611

My own father is knocking on 83 and has a modest collection of 20-30. He has taken the time to visit with each grand child and asked them if there is anything particular in his safe that they would like to have upon his passing. My siblings either have their own or are not gun people so he bypassed us and went right to the grand kids. My son being the wisest of the group said he would like to have the safe (nice Fort Knox). He has a decent start at 24yo, but no safe yet. He also piped up about an old civil war musket that has traveled down the family tree. Last I heard dad was on the fence with that one---either my son or a museum.

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"Tastes just like chicken"

I have My dad's only gun. His 1960 Browning A-5. Those I have will go to Grandsons of Friends as I have no family in this Country. Unless I find a woman I can live with who has kids who like to shoot. When the time gets close I will probably offer most of them here first.

My father passed 3 years ago August.
He had about 35+ years active law enforcement.
As you can imagine he accumulated quite a few firearms.
I was tasked with his care and I ended up selling many of his guns to help keep the lights on as well as pay for his care.
I did keep several for myself and gave some to my sons so they have a memory of him.
I did what I had to do and have regrets on several of the guns I sold but I had no choice and the "collectible" guns were the ones that brought in the money.
My father is on the left in the photo.....this was his first year as a county Sherriff

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Regards
Paul

I ended up with an old Remington tube-feed, bolt action .22 from my Mom's side of the family. Her dad divided up his few, well used, guns amongst the son's and one didn't want one so my Mom was able to take the .22 rifle. It sits in my rack with other .22s I've bought.

My dad's side of the family weren't gun people but had one on the farm for putting animals down. I'm told it went in the farm auction when the family moved from Maryland to Ohio. I still have most of my dads uniform (8th Air Force) which I could never sell. My dad worked as a carpenter after the service and after he passed I had to cleanout the old home. You think I could get rid of his tools in the toolbox he made and carried to the job every day? Couldn't do it. Dad's old hand saws and mismatched sets of planes, screwdrivers, chisels, etc. aren't worth much today - except to me!

if every family kept all the guns passed down thru the family... we would not have many in our collections now would we.. my house is full of objects that only have sentimental value... and I have created a spread sheet for my son that has keeper and not listed... only the family guns are really keepers... he is my hunting and shooting buddy and understands the true value of some of them... both money and memories... but in the end they are just stuff... and if he or the next generations sell them it won't make me sad... I will be dust by then

My dad worked hard his entire life for his 6 kids to do better than he did. Never had anything of value.....but the trinkets and few tools I have kept.....I benefited from his hard work....y’all have seen a lot of my guns. He made it so that I could be the first generation to be able to pass my firearms on down the line.

Just remember, that your most prized possession will someday most likely be in somebodies yard sale.....

I have way more guns than relatives. I don't want to see them dumped for nothing. Hope some of them USE them and think of me. But if they are not going to use them, sell em.

I would rather see some kid who needed a good hunting rifle get my little Mohawk 600 308 and take it hunting than have it end up tucked away in some closet or safe to sit unused just because it was mine and that particular gun has been with me a long time and been many a mile with me. Same goes for my favorite finish poor model 18. I enjoyed them and they made me happy. Hope they do it again for someone else too.

If my wife, kids, step kids and grand kids all take 2 or 3 there will be some left overs.

I think different people are wired differently concerning sentimentality. I happen to be in the middle. There are things I was fortunate enough to inherit and feel blessed and there are things that I was UNFORTUNATE enough to inherit along with them. I think it depends on whether or not you have that connection to a particular item or items. It’s not practical to keep everything sometimes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have a lot of experience from that scenario in my other life which is antique motorcycles. Dad/Grandpa/Uncle had a collection that no one in the family cared about. It all ends up on eBay or an estate auction. Sad but the reality of life.

I have a really nice Model 81 Remington in .35Rem that I got from a neighbor a few years back. She called one day and asked how to tell if a shotgun was loaded! I told her to leave it alone and I would come over when I got back from town. She responded that she had it in her trunk and was headed for the UPS store to send it to her SIL. I agreed to meet her there and check it for her. While we were talking I mentioned I did not know that she had such a thing (her husband had died about a year before) and she said it had been her dad's and that she had another old rifle of his. I asked about it and she said we should get together and look at it. A couple weeks went by and she called and asked my wife and I to come over, and by the way could I install a new light switch for her and get the sliding door back on the rollers. For year my wife has called me "the neighborhood husband" because everyone calls me to help. Anyhow, after the switch and roller accompanied by a nice glass of red wine she says "would you like to see the rifle". I begrudgingly answered "sure" , so she went to get it. Old sheepskin case, and when I started to pull it out I thought it was another shotgun when the Browning hump came into view. Then I saw thew rest of the receiver. I asked why she had it and she said her dad kept it in his cabin in the UP and after he died no one in the family was interested in that "old" rifle. She asked if I wanted it and I said sure, so she told me just to take it. It dates to 1937 and is in great shape. But she, her brother and sister, their kids, the in laws, no one was interested in it. And that is a sad part of our world these days.

Eh. I did it. It's how I got to this forum. My father had well over 100 firearms when he passed. My brother and I only kept about 25- 30 each, so we had a lot to sell. We didn't need or want the rest of the inventory, they certainly had no sentimental value, and my mother continues to enjoy the proceeds from the sale.

I can't help that your life circumstances differ from mine. Don't judge me. I'm not judging you . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Personally, I would hope my children would want to save one or two of my guns as keepsakes; but frankly, neither one is very interested in guns, and if they need the money more than the guns I'd be perfectly happy for them to sell them all. I can't take 'em with me, and at that point I won't care...

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Pisgah

My only son has 20 or so of his own guns...he says he'd never sell mine, but what will he do with all of them? Many of them have little real sentimental value as I've collected about half of what I own in the last 8 or 10 years. I will let him know which pieces are dear to me in hopes that he will keep those. I will also let him know which are most valuable and let him do as he will with those...only one grandson so far and it's hard to tell what he'll be into.

Robert

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

I'm O.K. with it, but then I guess I have to be. Perhaps they have other things that belonged to their father, and just weren't into the guns.

You can't keep everything.

I took my first deer with a model 100 Winchester .308 my grandfather "loaned" me. I returned it with a nice roast, he said "son, you didn't have to return it." I just told him that it was a loan and not a gift, he may still need it. He owned about a half dozen rifles, a little .410 shotgun and a couple pistols. One of the pistols was always referred to as "Grandpa's Forty-Four" even by my grandfather, he never showed it around but there were stories about it. A decade passed, I had my own rifles but when grandpa died my mother was the executive of the estate. I was the eldest grandchild and felt I was entitled to a shot at one or two of his firearms and inquired of my mother "What is the story on grandpa's guns." She told me "Your aunt Doris took them all and gave them to Jim's boys." I was irate and said "Hell, Jim ain't even family and his brats ain't blood." My mother just said "Thats what she wanted to do." Doris's son did not have any interest in guns but at least he was a cousin, her third husband Jim was a hunter and all his boys were also so I guess from that respect it was better than them going to a pawn shop, which is what would have happened if my drunk uncle would have got them.

I don't cry one bit. The dead are beyond caring, and the ones dumping at the local shop are adults who have the freedom to make their own decisions.

The only scenario I don't like is one where the beneficiaries have gun nuts "down the line" as it were but refuse to hand them down and sell them to fund their own hobbies.

I do not miss living near Seattle, but one positive aspect is the stores usually have a constant stream of nice old guns owing to the factor described above: the largely progressive/gun hating beneficiaries dump them for a quick buck. Now that I live in the American Redoubt, mostly full of conservative country folk, vintage guns for public sale are a rarity.

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Psalm 27:2

I've been actively looking for one just like it. The prices have gone through the roof lately. It was the first commercially successful semi-auto rifle manufactured in the US. Designed by the great JM Browning.

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Where we go one, we go all

When my father in law passed away we inherited his 4” Model 28 and still have it over 30 yrs later. Our youngest daughter keeps it for home protection and shoots it w/me from time to time.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Perhaps you should sale them and enjoy the money before you go!
With each restaurant visit you can thank one or your guns.

No, you can't keep everything. But guns are special. A very personal possession.

I cannot be mercenary enough to be happy about inherited guns being sold because I can buy them.

I understand not everyone is interested in a gun. I always say ask before bequeathing a gun.

I realize this is a personal thing with me. Because I wish I had one of my dad's guns it bothers me when others are so cavalier about them.

Here's my dad in 1949 shooting a 7.5" Colt SAA along a Missouri road.

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No life story has happy end.