Accumulating guns after a serious diagnosis

bushmaster1313

bushmaster1313

Bronze Supporter
Joined
Feb 1, 2011
Messages
6,859
Reaction score
17,178
Location
PRNJ
This past year I received two serious medical diagnoses. With the help of the Creator, my family and medical professionals i am trying to get well.

In the face of my medical issues i did wonder if it made sense to still be on the lookout for guns I may want to acquire.

My answer was: Yes!

Anyone else care to share what they did hobby related following momentous news.
 
Last edited:
Register to hide this ad
If your continued collecting brings you joy then keep on keepin' on.

After my last life altering events I embraced the belief that the Pearly Gates Placement Center is a gun-free zone and will not accept U-Haul returns so this past August I purchased a new home and am using my remaining funds and time to dote on my family.

So I've got that going for me . . . which is nice.
 
With my health problems reminding me that I ain't gonna live forever I was reminded of how much "stuff" my parents had to be disposed of after they passed. They lived through the great depression and had a lot of stuff.

I wanted my fathers guns, none of my children wants my guns. So I have decided the best thing for me to do is go in the opposite direction. It
isn't easy but I am trying to decide what is the minimum level I will keep. My heirs have no idea on what the value of firearms & related items are worth.
I also need to apply that mindset to tools, toys, car stuff, extra lumber, ect,ect,ect.
 
gjgalligan said:
With my health problems reminding me that I ain't gonna live forever I was reminded of how much "stuff" my parents had to be disposed of after they passed. They lived through the great depression and had a lot of stuff.

I wanted my fathers guns, none of my children wants my guns. So I have decided the best thing for me to do is go in the opposite direction. It
isn't easy but I am trying to decide what is the minimum level I will keep. My heirs have no idea on what the value of firearms & related items are worth.
I also need to apply that mindset to tools, toys, car stuff, extra lumber, ect,ect,ect.
Click to expand...

Ah yes the lumber…….. reminds me of the commercial where guy is holding on to some crown molding because " you never know when you're gonna need it". His life coach says I know. And it's never.
 
Being in my mid-70's and having no children i made the decision to slowly down size my inventory so as not to burden my wife with it all, should "something happen to me ". I base my decisions as to what I shoot the least { safe queens } and go from there. I have guns that have sat in my safe for years without seeing the light of day. There is a large gun show coming up in a couple weeks, so there are 3 handguns that will be making the trip.
 
As I look back on more years than I have to look forward to, I have started to downsize so it will be less work for Herself if I go first. Every month I visit an auction house and leave with less items than I came with. Every month, they mail me a check! I am converting steel into cash. Hopefully, the new caretakers will get as much enjoyment from them as I did.

Kevin
 
None of us are getting any younger are we? :o

I need to do some downsizing too.

But my experience is that a gun show is the worst place to try selling guns as a walk-in.

The Forum Classifieds might be a much better place to start. Then there are members here that handle collections or finally the big auction houses.
 
Jack Flash said:
None of us are getting any younger are we? :o

I need to do some downsizing too.

But my experience is that a gun show is the worst place to try selling guns as a walk-in.

The Forum Classifieds might be a much better place to start. Then there are members here that handle collections or finally the big auction houses.
Click to expand...

I find I do better at gun shows than online. No hassle with shipping, etc.
If the price isn't right, I bring it home with me, and don't have to pay any fees or commissions.
 
A couple months back I bought a cool revolver and decided that will be my last firearm acquisition...until last night when I sent an "I'll Take It". Every time I look at my small collection I try to see what I should sell off. I'm only 67, but luckily I haven't been diagnosed with any serious life-changing illnesses. Just basically working all my life has beat my bones up. Another MRI scheduled for my neck/back is scheduled for this week. I have the guns to figure out who wants what and a boatload of record albums dating back to around 1970. And a bunch of music CDs. The record store across the river would probably give me maybe $1 apiece for the lot, if I'm lucky. It's just all the memories that go with them. Like the song says, "You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory." Nobody in my family has a turntable, and even CDs are now pretty much extinct. At a buck apiece, that should be more than enough to pay for the gun I bought yesterday. I will need therapy afterwards!
 
I disposed of most of a small collection — coupla dozen handguns and a half dozen rifles in 2015 or so, primarily because I decided then that I was unlikely to make Hawaii, where the collection was, my main home in retirement as long planned.

Gave some of the guns to my little brother, and used the cash from the others to help pay for a master's degree in education for my second son who at 30 had decided to ditch corporate life for a teaching career. Kept a few favorites that I'd had customized.

When we wound up in Oregon a few years later, I started to again acquire guns of interest. Trying to keep 'em down to a reasonable number, I've even sold off some. My wife worries about them if/when I check out. I've told her she can give 'em to my brother, who'd be happy to take 'em, as the easiest solution. I am also thinking to set up instructions on now to contact and work with an auction house.

Frankly, i don't think a dire diagnosis, which I had in 2017 and thankfully recovered from, has much to do with it. Dire diagnosis or not, death comes to us all, and sometimes unexpectedly. As we age, best plan for what needs planning in advance of that inevitable event.
 
Why does this all sound familiar? The dilemma for me is of course age and I, like others don't want to burden my wife. When my kids come (2) there main comment is, "you have so much stuff." I grew up extremely poor and did I mention I am 70?

I shoot competitively at my local indoor range so I made the decision to trade/sell three handguns for a really nice competition pistol. I won't get the price appreciation out of the competition pistol like others but I did accomplish two goals.

For someone like me who grew up dirt poor, finally having the collection I have AND the means to pretty much buy whatever I want is weird. In the end I just have to tell myself it is all just stuff - and that God is not impressed with it. He is, however, concerned about my heart!

Now, having admitted I have too many firearms that I love to look at the fondle with reserve parking places in the safe, my biggest concern is the myriad of reloading equipment and supplies I have. In my current quest to remodel my man cave I have vowed to have all my single stage, LNL and SDB parts separate so they can be gathered as a lot and sold. The reloading stuff will definitely be the last to go! Well, after me of course!
 
Collecting in the "Golden Years".

Like others I have downsized my collection to the guns that I shoot and hunt with. I have made meticulous records of those that I am keeping complete with pics and values. All of this is in a ring binder that I have made both my wife and the executor of my estate aware of. The reloading stuff along with contents of my gun room will be auctioned and will go to the highest bidder.
 
I'm inclined to believe that one needs three things in life:
- something to love
- something to do
- something to look forward to
I ask myself regularly how being a S&W enthusiast satisfies the above. So far I think the hobby at least partially satisfies all three requirements for life. As the old saying goes, "everything in moderation, and then not to much ". Have fun while you can.

Tom H.
 
I've stopped accumulating stuff for the most part unless it's a tool to work on the car.I have plenty of other tools and sporting goods which I mostly don't or can't use anymore.Stuff is fun,but can easily become a burden
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

5
K22's SAD RETURN HOME AFTER 56 YEARS
Replies
12
Views
1K
45Smashemflat
4
StrawHat
My Wonderful Wife (March Update in Post 1)
Replies
16
Views
2K
StrawHat
StrawHat
Kiwi cop
Well it is finally over (almost)
Replies
7
Views
762
DirtyShirt
D
RM Vivas
The small world of my NYPD Commando
Replies
13
Views
687
RM Vivas
RM Vivas
A
Thoughts on Sight Adjustment Tool?
Replies
2
Views
773
Green Frog
Green Frog

Latest posts

Back
Top