Selling heirloom guns. Stop feeling guilty about it!

[Bekeart]

Relatives WANT the "family treasures" ...

Relatives WANT the "family treasures" ...

I have no wife or children.
My sister and her offspring THINK that THEY are ENTITLED to "family treasures".
I inherited a boy's target rifle and 25 acres through my grandparents estate.
The 25 acres was bought from government by a son of a Great Great Great Grandfather back in 1839. (yes 1839)
Sister also received some acreage.

She has suggested that I leave the land to her offspring and keep it in the family.
I would not recognize her offspring if ran into them without an introduction, but they EXPECT an inheritance.
I have told her that it can be bought any time at fair market price.
It will likely be donated to some charitable cause.

Bekeat

 

[BAM-BAM]

Everything is not a heirloom..........Dad had accumulated a number of guns over the years...... the only family heirlooms are the three 'duty" guns he carried from 1939 till he retired in 1978, and his Model 41 from as long as I can remember (early 60s)

 

[Golddollar]

My sister and her offspring THINK that THEY are ENTITLED to "family treasures".

I used to come across a lot of estates when I was examining titles to real property. I came away with the premise that Pop didn't owe me a dime. That kept me working hard to be a success on my own merit and helped me get into a position to be able to retire when I felt I had to retire earlier than I expected. When Pop stated that he wanted to give my brother an additional bequest off the top of his estate, I told Pop absolutely to do it, because my brother put his life on hold to take care of Pop and literally kept our dad alive for an additional 10 months.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

My heirloom gun is an original Red Ryder BB gun, It does not take up much room in the safe and is far more valuable in memories than money.

 

[misswired]

Relatives WANT the "family treasures" ...

I have no wife or children.
My sister and her offspring THINK that THEY are ENTITLED to "family treasures".
I inherited a boy's target rifle and 25 acres through my grandparents estate.
The 25 acres was bought from government by a son of a Great Great Great Grandfather back in 1839. (yes 1839)
Sister also received some acreage.

She has suggested that I leave the land to her offspring and keep it in the family.
I would not recognize her offspring if ran into them without an introduction, but they EXPECT an inheritance.
I have told her that it can be bought any time at fair market price.
It will likely be donated to some charitable cause.

Bekeat

EXACTLY....me too!
Maybe I'll have enough sense to know when to sell... heirlooms and all!

 

[CCHGN]

MY Dad had a Percussion cap and ball revolver and a old 6mm rifle. Meant nothing to me, traded it for 9/11, BO Gear. I kept his Gold plated 45-70 lever and chrome Sig220.


Btw, I thought this was a Antique guns for sale....lol

 

[Golddollar]

Stop and think how amazing this is. How many things are so well made and so useful that this problem will come up generation after generation?

 

[walkin jack]

That's how I feel now. If I consider selling a gun my dad had for decades yet it doesn't really have the sentimental value like some other ones, I don't feel guilty about selling it anymore. Some stuff are cherished and full of memories, others are just dead weight to pack around through your life. A couple years ago I sold the Weatherby Mark V I bought my dad. He loved it but it just sat in the gun rack looking pretty. But now a guy with young sons in L.A. has it, shoots it, and it's their family heirloom. Look at it like dog rescue. A dog is now loved, appreciated, and part of a new family. I know that Weatherby feels the same way. It took me a while, but I'm free of guilt trips. Lots of our guns and other stuff are recycled heirlooms that travel from one family to another. And sometimes there's nothing wrong with that.

Excellent post and well stated. For me this issue has one more consideration to to deal with; All of my friends and family members that would have even the most remote interest in a gun are deceased or they are of the age/poor health w/no need or desire for another gun and have sold or are selling theirs.

I have 4 guns with sentimental value.

In order of their age they are:
1. My grandpa's S&W top break .38 circa 1885 (not in shape to be fired)
2. Webley MkI top break .455 circa 1941 Given to me by a dear friend. It shoots just fine.
3. My dad's Colt 1903 circa 1943 He carried in WWII. It's a shooter.
4. Ruger Blackhawk .38/.357mag. 1973. Given to me by my best friend in life. Another good shooter.

I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do with them. Miss Pam doesn't want to fool with them.

 

[Whitwabit]

Or any heirloom !!

I gave my daughter the topper covered with pins of my best friend when he past suddenly .. His sister gave it to me for something to remember him by .. He was like a second father to my kids .. It will mean a great deal to her while I still have all my memories of the motorcycle trips we had been on !!! It would have set in a drawer but my daughter had a shadow box made and its now on a wall where she can see it daily !!

 

[lkabug]

My gun accumulation will become heirlooms only if my kids deem them to heirlooms.

 

[TheHobbyist]

I agree Wyatt. When my grandmother died, she left me a solid gold pocket watch that belonged to one of her extended family members.

I had no use for it, didn't know the man, but appreciated the sentiment.

My nephew, her son's kid, didn't inherit anything and was good to her in life. A couple of years ago, I gave the watch to my uncle to give to my cousin to remember her by.

When she passed, shortly thereafter, as they were clearing the estate, they asked me if there was anything I wanted. I said yes, the potato spoon. Everyone looked at me like I was nuts...

I said, "all the good memories I have as a child growing up with grandma and grandpa and the holiday meals we all shared as a big family, Grandma would always serve potatoes with this spoon, which didn't fit her silverware/utensils because it was old, probably 1890s". It was silver plated...but the silver wore off from use. "I want this spoon as something to remember all the good times and memories we had together as a family during the holidays".

My uncle got up and said, that's mighty smart of you. I personally do not think even Goodwill would charge more than $ 1.00 for it, but it's memories are priceless to me and brings back simpler times.

 

[Whitwabit]

When my Mom turned 90 she asked each of us 7 kids what we wanted from the old house .. We all went with our 2 request and believe it or not none of us asked for the same thing .. and then we chipped in to have Mom bring each of us our cherished prizes .. She got to travel the country from Florida to California to Michigan and Illinois .. stay with each of us several weeks that summer .. She loved it and talked about her trip until the day she died ..

I have an old 1900's or before kerosene lamp turned into an electric globe lamp that was a wedding present to my Mom and Dad.. and a pull toy that is a dog I had given to me by my Aunt when I was just starting to walk some 66 years ago .. still has the red wooden ball on the end of the string .. to hold on to .. makes a irritating barking noise !!

The lamp might be worth something but it will be my daughters when Me and my wife pass .. the dog may be gotten out and played with by my great grand children .. If I live long enough and my grand kids have any kids ..

 

[chief38]

I inherited my Dad's collection most of which were high quality firearms. There is one gun I just "hate" but have not come to grips about selling it yet. It's a Marlin bolt action Goose Gun in 12 Ga. Kicks like hell, cheap Birch wood stock, only holds two in the Box Mag, and is slow as hell. Truthfully I hate the damned thing and wouldn't mind selling it even though it's still in great shape and functions well. I just haven't gotten around to listing it - because it was my Dad's. Silly too, because I have plenty of great others to remember him with.

 

[Golddollar]

I have 4 guns with sentimental value.

In order of their age they are:
1. My grandpa's S&W top break .38 circa 1885 (not in shape to be fired)
2. Webley MkI top break .455 circa 1941 Given to me by a dear friend. It shoots just fine.
3. My dad's Colt 1903 circa 1943 He carried in WWII. It's a shooter.
4. Ruger Blackhawk .38/.357mag. 1973. Given to me by my best friend in life. Another good shooter.

I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do with them. Miss Pam doesn't want to fool with them.

Probably the best thing to do is to locate a good firearms auctioneer now while there is no urgency, and leave instructions for your estate to turn those guns over to that auction house for sale. Your estate will probably realize the best return for a minimal amount of effort and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that they will go to people who will really want them.

 

[Protocall_Design]

Where there's a will, there's a relative! There always seems to be plenty of vultures in a family that are ready to grab anything they can from the estate.

I finally figured out what I'm going to do. It's quite simple, really. If I can't take it with me - I'm not going!

 

[BC38]

I inherited my Dad's collection most of which were high quality firearms. There is one gun I just "hate" but have not come to grips about selling it yet. It's a Marlin bolt action Goose Gun in 12 Ga. Kicks like hell, cheap Birch wood stock, only holds two in the Box Mag, and is slow as hell. Truthfully I hate the damned thing and wouldn't mind selling it even though it's still in great shape and functions well. I just haven't gotten around to listing it - because it was my Dad's. Silly too, because I have plenty of great others to remember him with.

I have the 20ga version of that same gun!
Its not for sale - because Dad bought it for me to replace my Stevens 22/410 O/U that got stolen when our home was burglarized in 1976.
BTW, from what I've read, they make a great slug gun if you're in a state that doesn't allow rifles for deer hunting.

 

[walkin jack]

Probably the best thing to do is to locate a good firearms auctioneer now while there is no urgency, and leave instructions for your estate to turn those guns over to that auction house for sale. Your estate will probably realize the best return for a minimal amount of effort and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that they will go to people who will really want them.

Thank you sir. That sounds like a very good idea. Better than anything I can come up with.

 

[Arizona Commander]

I think this is a scam post. The OP is just trying to get the rest of us to give up our heirloom pieces so he can snatch em up!

 

[sar4937]

OK, I sold an heirloom firearm once. Please pm me with what you have available.

 

[Truckin]

During the last 10 years of my dads life he gave us four boys guns, knives etc as gifts. Things that meant something to him and to us. When dad died none of us wanted any of the remaining guns so we sold them for mom. Dad knew which guns meant something to us boys and each of us cherish them. And when the time comes we will do the same for our kids.