Hard to believe .... but when I moved from Virginia to Colorado in 2000, only ONE center fire handgun made the move with me. I had sold off the majority of what I owned to help finance the re-location. My new wife and I loved to go camping and we went a lot. That center fire was my carry and camp gun for many years. It was/is an old Argentine Ballester-Molina .45 acp (shown). I had held onto it because it was utterly reliable, accurate, and shot perfectly to point of aim. I am definitely "sentimentally attached" to this old warhorse for all the time it shared with me in the great Colorado outdoors.

So, to what firearm might you have a "sentimental attachment" .... and the reason for it ?

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Y. B. Ord & A. Ree

The model 94 my uncle gave me as payment for putting in a new pasture fence for him. I thought I was putting in the fence just because he asked me to.
My model 70 30-06 my first rifle and shot my first of many deer with.
My model 17 I just love that gun.

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There are no bad pig parts!

Two I will die with and will go to my grandsons. Both are worn and has bluing loss. First is a 1948 vintage Winchester model 70 in 30/06 that has kept my family fed since 1990. Without checking my book, IIRC it has accounted for 27 elk, 27 antelope and 30 some mule deer. With the money I save on meat I was able to pay 2 years college tuition for one of my kids. The other is a much-worn prewar Colt Woodsman that has been my constant companion for more decades than I can recall. I have made some extraordinary shots with it on flying birds and several head of big game has been put in my freezer thanks to it.

My Model 19.
Bought it in Guam, took it to SEA, flew with it on three trips there.
Later carried it in different places stateside.
Like when those Hair Goats out in West Texas were sneaking me in the dark, I pulled down on them with my 19.
When I informed them that I’m a Gringo who loves Cabrito, they got out of there Pronto!

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

The M65-3 I bought Dad back in the '90s, that came back to me in 2013. Wish I had not gotten it back so soon.

Mid-1950s Remington 11-48 12 gauge. My father's quail gun. I learned to shoot on it. One day it'll belong to my oldest son.

A Steyr M9 that belonged to my first wife would be tops. I guess the first pistol and rifle that I purchased are also important to me.

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Release the Kraken

I have an SA-85M, a Hungarian under folder AKM. I got it when I was in high school. The guys at the LGS let me put it on layaway until my 18th birthday. When I went to pick it up, a week later (AWB waiting period) they gave me a tin of ammo and 7 mags as a B-day present! I was working at McDs at the time.

I have three handguns, same thing the guys at the gunshop let me put on layaway until my 21st B-day. The first one was a Beretta 92FS, Die Hard and Lethal Weapon sold me. They gave me three or four hi-cap mags as the AWB was in effect.

The second and third ones are two Colt Gold Cups that I picked up a year or so later. I walked in to an LGS and they had two, one brushed stainless and another is polished stainless. The brushed stainless is my shooter and been with me for forever. The polished stainless is unfired in the box. The movie, The Getaway remake inspired the purchase.

I won't ever part those, at least while I'm alive.

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Thread Killer.

All of the guns I inherited from my dad, to start. Because of my admiration for the Finns in standing up to the Russians, the next would be my L-35 Lahti pistol from Finland.

The only two I really have any sentimental attachment to are the Stevens 58D 20ga bolt action shotgun that Dad bought me, and the smoothbore percussion-cap that he hand-built 100% from scratch.

Neither of them have any significant monetary value, but they are both valuable to me because they remind me of my dad.

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

My wife bought me a Dan Wesson 15-2 pistol pack when we first got married and didn't have money for much of anything. Will never part with it and haven't really shot it much like my other guns.

A Colt 1903 in .32 acp that my father gave me.

Second might be my first revolver bought in 1983. A Python.

All that I inherited from my dad. The Double-Nine that I learned to shoot handguns with, the Marlin 20a pump .22 that was my rifle trainer and a Steven's 59A .410 with a Mossberg 500 20 ga. that we used to hunt with.

I hunted with my grandfather many times over 60 years ago. He had the only grocery store in our little mountain town and, during the late depression years, traded staples like coffee, flour, etc for fishing rods, guns, etc. He gave me a Winchester 20 single shot. He carried an H&R Sportsman 22 and a 16 gauge LC Smith. If the small game was not moving, he pegged it with the 22 and if it was moving, he dropped it with the 16 bore. He seldom missed. I learned to shoot a revolver with the 22 and carried one or more from 18 yrs old until I put it in a drawer before dinner tonight. When my grandfather passed I inherited the 22 revolver and my first cousin got the LC Smith. I still own the Winchester but the H&R 22 is where I am really attached. Every time i pick it up I hear my grandfather's voice say "FRONT SIGHT, FRONT SIGHT!".

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SWCA 3417 HF 642 NRA-TC

All my sentimental guns are touchstones to my ancestors and friends now gone... I have one grandfather's shotgun, one uncle's shotgun, my father's first pistol... I have had a few tribute guns made replicating ones that I didn't inherit... and a couple purchased from friends now gone... picking just one, it would be my late father's first gun.. a Ruger 22 pistol... with only a 4 digit serial number...

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I've got several, including some I carried on duty during a 40+ year career in law enforcement. Two of them I'm especially attached to. One is a 4" nickel S&W 15-3 that I bought new for my mother many years ago. It includes silver box, papers, and the receipt for $69.00. She passed away in 2007 at age 84. She loved to shoot and had several trophies she had won at matches with her model 15. The other is also a model 15-3. I gave it to my wife Jackie Sherrill when she joined the PD in 1974. At that time we had to furnish our own duty weapons. I couldn't find a model 15 anywhere. They were a popular police sidearm at the time and were in short supply. I found a police supply house in New Orleans that was supposed to have a few. I had just pulled into the parking lot of the supply house when a New Orleans officer pulled up. When he got out of his cruiser he pulled his nickel 15 out of the holster, opened the cylinder, unloaded it and started toward the door with the cylinder open. I asked him what he was going to do with the 15. He told me he had shot a guy the day before with all six rounds and he still shot back at him before he died. He was trading it in on a .357. I told him I would give him $5.00 more than they offered on trade. He went inside and almost immediately came back out and told me they offered $75.00. I handed him four twenty dollar bills and headed home. For Christmas a few days later, I gave my wife a large box with many smaller boxes inside. Each box contained something I knew she liked. The last box was the model 15. I got a big kiss for that one. A few years later the department we worked for issued model 66's. She kept the 15 with her when she wasn't on duty. On New Years Eve 1984 Jackie Dole Sherrill was shot and killed in the line of duty. Those two model 15's will go to my son after I'm gone. I turned 77 today. Google her name. You have to sort through a lot of stuff about Coach Jackie Sherrill but there are several interesting articles about her.

I'd have to say the same, except it was my stepfather.

All the other guns I currently own are guns I bought myself with no prior connections to anyone.

My stepdad was a WWII veteran and was a NCO courier. His CO gave him a Model M to carry concealed, in addition to the 1911 he wore in a belt holster. He gave me the Model M before he passed in 2000. I rarely shoot it, and it's in great shape, is a US Property marked gun made in 1944. I treasure it as much as or more than all my other handguns or long guns.

The only other gun I'd consider is a Remington Model 510 Targetmaster .22LR rifle that was given to me by a family friend when I was 9 years old (1963). I paid that gun forward 38 years ago to a guy who I worked with to give his son who was about that same age. He still has it and has expressed a willingness to let me have it back if I want it. We recently reconnected after not seeing each other for 30 years.

I have a sentimental attachment to all of my firearms. Some maybe more than others. I do not own any that I would be willing to part with.

I’ve been downsizing my collection a bit at a time.

Every month or so I go through my remaining pieces and pick out one or two to sell.

So far, I haven’t sold any that I miss after selling them but I’m getting closer. Of those that remain, I’m particularly attached to a Parker 16 ga DH, and two other 16ga sxs European guns. I have a few Colt 1911’s that I’ve had work done on so they have the features I prefer.

Several for me-

Two are S&Ws. An Aug 1944 shipped Victory Model that my grandad brought home from Europe in Dec 1945. He’d been there since Dec of 1944 and wasn’t a fan of his issued 1911 so he grabbed the Victory when he was able to and carried it the rest of the war. Even had a German POW make custom grips for it. It was his nightstand gun from then until summer 2000 when he gave it to my dad and my dad gifted it to me in Jan 2015. Got a letter which verified it was shipped to OSS Norfolk VA Aug 22, 1944.

The second is an early Model 17-3. Dad acquired it from my uncle around 1980 and I grew up shooting it. When I turned 17 back in 1998 it was my bday gift. Got it lettered and while it’s a -3 the yoke is marked “17-2” as S&W was using up -2 parts on early -3s. Shipped to Sturgeon Bay WI in June 1968.

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Some Might Say.

I don't get sentimentaly attached to "things" guns included, but I do have a couple of "things" that might qualify. One is the Sears-Roebuck 12 Ga pump I bought about 1977 (I had a 76 Bronco then I remember). I always thought of it as a Mossburg, but have come to believe it's a High Standard. I paid $99.00 for it, used, at the Sears Store at Cloverleaf Mall near Richmond. It was used because a previous owner had bought it back complaining that the 24" slug barrel didn't shoot buckshot well. Well, that slug barrel might not have, I don't know because I have never used it, but the included 28" modified barrel was a deer killer with number 1 buckshot. Every deer I ever killed was killed that pump gun, except one. I painted it camo, did a bubba job installing a sling (a hose clamp was involved) and it rode many a mile with me, on a gun rack, strapped to roll bar of my Jeep, or just slung over my shoulder. I've never thought about getting rid of because it wouldn't bring enough to bother. Besides. I might need a shotgun someday, and it will do the job.

Sorry. No picture.

One other thing that might qualify though is a fishing rod. It's a Mitchell 300 reel, on a 6" Garcia light action rod. It was the first thing I ever bought with money I made working on a farm for $5.00 a day when I was about 14? Maybe 15. IIRC that rod and reel cost $35.00 at the Miracle Mart store in Sandston, Va. That $35.00 was expensive in those days (mid 60's I guess). I've caught many a fish with that outfit. The reel has never had anything done to it except I had to replace the crank handle when the plastic on the original one broke. The rod had to be rewrapped and I had ceremic "speed guides" installed at the same time. I guess it will be here until they carry me out.

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John 3:16 .

The Marlin Model 93 lever action in 32 Win Spl that was my grandfather's primary deer rifle for 40 years. He gave it to me as my first deer rifle when one of my great uncles passed and left him his 30-30 Marlin Model 36.

A Remington model 582 .22LR bolt action rifle that I got for Christmas in 1972. Still shoots tight groups.

I've got a "Colt Cobra" "Dad Gun".. my Dad wanted a Colt Cobra like he had carried when working for MACVSOG, so I found the bedside gun of the "East Peoria" Chief of Police here in Central Obamastan, thankfully, that ended up back at my house.

It's amazing how many family members suddenly had "sentimental attachment" to my Dad's guns?? oh well, I hope they enjoy them!

Sentimentally attached to two revolvers, both 6” S&W M28-2’s. The first one was given to me by my Dad after I returned home from the Army. I put a lot of rounds through that revolver when I was in college. The second one was issued to me (used) in the Academy. I shot Master with it, thanks to all the practice with the first one and I purchased it when the department went to auto pistols.

I’ve gone through that too but life is to short to lower myself to the level of a vulture.

Absolutely!!! why just love one gun, if I didn't love it, it wouldn't be taking up valuable space in my gun safe!!!

Whats really bad, is when you fall in love with a gun that belongs to somebody else, I've got my eye on a triple lock that is for sale, but at an "ungodly price", yes I know they are all "ungodly", but I pray Jesus will forgive me!

Lord Help us, we pray we won't need these in the life to come!!!


you really have to watch praying folks, sometimes the answer is NO! LOL anyway, that gorgeous 4" triple lock, with the gold medallions has been sold pending funds, dang, dang, dang. I had held up on the triple lock just because of the substantial cashola involved, and it was well out of my comfort range, doable, but likely punishable by death if my very significant other.. yes, I do have some cash, yes, I do have a full time job, and yes, I do get social security, LOL

but, I do want to thank the Lord for his Love and Forgiveness, and this beautiful life, my beautiful wife, my gorgeous children and grandchildren... I looked at that Smith like the biblical "pearl of great price"??? but, I just wasn't sure I wanted to sell all the rest of my gun safe babies for that one?? so there we go,,, and yeah! it was listed as pending when I got home from church today.

I am going to ask anyone here who has one, or knows of a nice one to see my "Wanted" poster on the forum, anybody need a nice old 80 series Landcruiser??? my Son in Laws suggestion,, oh, and I'm gonna buy Momma a new washing machine tommorow morning when the hardware store opens,, the old one shot the kraps

I'll pick my Grandfather's Model 10-5 snub. He bought it as an off-duty gun, but quickly decided a Colt Cobra was a tad lighter!

The Model 10 went under the mattress as a nighttime piece. When we moved his stuff out, there was a perfect imprint of that snub on the underside of the mattress.

I don't shoot it, but I do load and carry it every Christmas Day when the family comes over. 158-gr LRN, of course....

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Because of the metric system?

My Dad asked me to make sure his guns went to where he wanted them: and NOT to fight over them!

So I have done that, so I have done the best I can to keep that promise!

They are my family, and I love them, (even if they don't always feel the same way about me). I even sold one back to the neighbor kid, that my Dad admired, and he sold to me for my Dad.

Wow! that is a story!

The Colt M1911 that came from the DCM in 1961. It has been many places with me.

Keep em coming gents, threads like these are some of my all time favorites.

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Some Might Say.

S&W Model 10 4" Blued, SB: Mom and Dad gave me when I started LEO
Colt 6" Targetman .22 : My wife gave me when we married
Browning Auto-5 12 gauge 3" magnum with 32" FC barrel: Mom an Dad gave me in 1962.
Marlin Model 39 .22 Rifle: Mom and Dad gave me in 1960

The last one I would ever let go.

Grandfather's Winchester Model 12, bought new in 1929.
It was his pride and joy. Pheasent and rabbit hunter,
with the M12 and his Beagle 'Bob'.

Carried a lot, many, many years in the field, it showed.
No rust anywhere, but blue about rubbed gone everywhere,
wood varnish worn through with dings and dents.
Like many hunting guns, relatively fired little.

Became too old to hunt, gifted it to me at 13 years old.
I had a 20 gauge, but this was my first 12 gauge.

Upland hunted it for years, retired it and moved to more modern for hunting.

Years later, restored it, Simmons blue, vent rib,
and upgraded wood.

It still comes out on occasion, and destroys clay targets
from the 27 yard line.

Gramps would be proud.

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As I have been reading this thread I have realized that I don't have a serious connection with my father & I didn't get to know my grandfather as he passed before I was born. My mother's father was WW2 and Korean Vet. I do not know much of his service but was told after the Big One he stayed in the marine's and did well then along came Korea and he came home very changed to the point my mother had to keep us kids away. We were later told after his passing that PTSD was the reason and he died in his living room chair watching TV. I was their to help my mother clean up and remove his property from his apartment I did see what I believe to be a Rand and 2 other revolvers. Unfortunately my uncle proved to be a snake in the grass and sold his 2 or 3 piece gun collection. My mother had all of his accommodations and military records which have been lost as she has Alzheimer's. Long story there. I have his burial flag and did not tell anyone as we all know how family can get. So my treasured piece would be a model 629-3 Classic with a set of blossom Culinas. On December 15 2021 a good friend was struggling with covid and finally passed away. His wife called me one day and asked me over that he husband had left something to me. When I got there she handed me the 629 I had shot 1 round with it when him and I were shooting one day. I parted the Red Sea on that shot darn near a down the center just above the nose on a paper target. I handed it back right away and said it was such a fine gun that I was afraid I would do something stupid like drop it. He laughed fired the rest of the cylinder off and he put it up. He wanted me to have it so I accepted it. He was like a 2nd dad to me and taught me a lot . He had quite a collection and most of the choice guns went to his 5 daughters.... yes 5 girls and they can shoot very well!!!!!
I want to say to all of you and those who passed Thank You for your Service whether it be Military, police or Fire! and the rest of us who are just good citizens who what I consider to have the best hobby ever.
Good luck and have a very Happy New Year.

Cities

This is an interesting Post, bigmtnman. I've been giving this some thought, and believe it or not, I cannot identify a firearm to which I'm sentimentally attached. I have inherited several rifles and pistols from my Dad that were WWII "bring backs", but I'm not really attached to them and they will be passed down to my sons very soon. My wife inherited an early 2" Model 15-2 that was her grandfather's EDC (California LEO and Chief of Detectives), but that's about our only heirloom gun. The remainder of my modest collection has been acquired over the past 30 years, from early Winchester lever action rifles and vintage S&W revolvers to modern S&W and SIG pistols. It would be difficult (but not impossible) for me to sell any of these right now, but I can't say that I'm sentimentally attached to any of them. Perhaps I'm in the minority?

I have 3 that I will never dispose of. The first is the 686 my late dad bought new in 1981 and i inherited when he passed in 1992. I used it to teach both my sons how to shoot a handgun. Number 2 is a custom built 1911 I was gifted by a close friend’s widow upon his passing. The final is a 1995 Les Baer 1911 that has been the best of the numerous Baers I’ve owned. I foolishly sold it, can’t remember why, but was fortunate to buy it back a few months later. Both the 1911s are in .45acp btw.

First Capt. Sherrill SO sorry for your loss. I hope her model 15 always remains in the family.
Some great stories and guns here.
Unfortunately my father didn’t handle a gun after WWII and my Grandfathers two .22 Winchesters (bolt and pump) were stolen.
Mine is a Ruger model 77 RSI in .308 my wife bought me for first wedding anniversary 42 years ago. Killed my first buck with it.
S&W would be my model 65 duty gun which I bought for $100 when they issued us Sigs. It’s since been done over like the factory “combat revolver package”

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My favorite hand tools are with the half-inch drive Power Kraft set I got when I was 16; my favorite shooting tool is an 870 12 gauge.

That said, I don't have a Smith revolver or pistol I don't enjoy shooting. Same-same a Browning High Power in 40, and every rifle I own.

Some good stories and a couple sadder ones here. I have a few guns that for one reason or another have a sentimental value. The first muzzle loader I built from a kit many years ago, a CVA Tower pistol. Bought it because I was reading the Hornblower novels and it seemed like the kind of gun he would have used in that era. Still gets out to shoot every now and then.

I still have a couple family pieces, old single shot shotguns, an Excel and a Bay State (Hardware store brands). Just old farmers guns but they put food on the table for years. A Couple nicer ones (Colt Police Positive & a Remington 721) have already been gifted to my kids. They'll get the others eventually. A Ruger Mk II Target, an Armalite AR7 and a couple old milsurps that my wife surprised me with as Christmas gifts over the years are also staying around till I'm gone. One of the grandsons is fascinated with old military guns so he'll likely get the military rifles. Quite sure the others have homes lined up too.

One other that could called a boomerang as I sold it twice and got it back twice. An old Colt Targetsman (cheaper version of the Woodsman) that I bought many years ago to replace my first good 22, a Ruger Standard Model, that I had sold to pay bills......... Sold it some years later to a friend who kept it for a while then sold it back to me. Didn't learn, sold it again.......... @ 2 years later the guy I sold it to was short on money and asked if I wanted it back. I said yes and it has been here ever since. Still a smooth, accurate little pistol. Would ask the wife to bury it with me but I think it will find a home with one of the kids instead.

I've posted this picture before, but this is the one to which I probably have the most sentimental attachment. It's my Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt. I've had it now for almost 40 years. It has gone with me on practically every pack trip I've taken with the pack string into the back country.

For almost 30 years I lived in an area with a very large population of black bears. I kept this gun loaded with some fairly hot loads...240 grain semi-jacketed hollow points going over 1,000 fps. Never felt under gunned at all.

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Pack light and cinch tight.

Glock 19 and my Buck 110 Slim. I carried both at work every night at FedEx and my last assignment as a Rover.

I never did anything with them but carry them. Maybe cut food with the knife but that's about it. I'm not sure why I feel an attachment but I do.

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Retired Career Security Guard

Two from my Dad. he called me to his house in1978. he gave me his Winchester 94 and a half paper sack of ammo. Some was marked $4.00 a box.....said he couldn't see the sights anymore.....We then bought him a 308 with a scope.
Second was his Winchester 12 ga model 12. 2 barrel set.......In his his prime he could shoot that mdl 12 like a machine gun on a covey rise. I've killed a lot of deer with it while dog hunting. When I take the dirt nap they will go to my son.

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S&W Accumulator

Here are my 3, quickie cell pic:

For those leaving a special firearm behind some day for a son or daughter or grandchild, etc., please let them know ahead of time and why it's special to you. In these cases, sometimes the story actually is worth more than the gun.

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Live long and prosper

Some folks may never understand an attachment to something like a Glock but if you spend enough time carrying one specific firearm, one develops an attachment (at least I would). To be fair I’m a shameless Glock guy.

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Some Might Say.

Lately, I've become nostalgic for the revolvers of my early days in law enforcement before we transitioned to semi-autos. I traded and/or gave away some I wish I had kept. Also wish I had been able to buy my duty issued 13-3 3" HB RB B and am now looking for a 3" HB RB Model 13 in mint condition (should have done it in the 90s). I like my current J-frames a lot though and here is my beloved 13-2:

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Regards,
Roy

I have two:

I got this 27-3 for my first police academy. It set me on the financially ruinous path of acquiring S&W revolvers!



I bought this Combat Elite the day I received my USN commission.

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No good deed goes unpunished.

The ones I carried went to my family members years ago. One treasures them and the other...who knows? May have sold them. The two that I have sentimental attachments to now are a S&W model 19-3. I bought it from a Deputy U.S. Marshal who got it from a Border Patrolman. I gave it to my father who carried it as a police commissioner. The other one is a Clark accurized "hard ball gun" that I used to get my Distinguished Pistol Shot badge. I have other 1911's in .45 ACP that I shoot a lot and could get rid of, but probably not this one.

I’m attached to several guns but these 4 are special. The Luger is a bring back and sat in a sock drawer most of its life. Thirty years ago my wife bought it for the first birthday I had after we married. It’s all original 1941 Mauser with all matching numbers inside out with correct proof marks. The original holster is with it in very good condition along with the two matching magazines.

The Python was a total surprise from my wife when I retired.

The M66 was my dad’s that I inherited when he passed. I have the box, papers and original grips. Beautiful revolver!

The M29-2 was a gift from my dad. I was leaving his home and he said wait a minute, walked to the back of the house and reappeared with his M29 in the presentation case with tools and all. I had no idea he was going to give it to me. I was speechless.

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