Family or Inherited Guns

I have a pre model 30 in 32 S&W, a Remington model 41 Target Master, and a Steven Favorite in 22 that was my grand dads on my moms side. A Stevens Favorite in 25 rimfire that was my great grand dads on my dads side.

A 4" polished Judge that I bought my dad when they first came out, and his old Remington Wingmaster...I got them in 2001.

A good friend gave me a S&W 4" no dash 66 that he hand engraved a few weeks before he died.

All my guns will go to my daughter and son in law.

I was supposed to inherit my Grandfathers two .22 rifles he grew up with on the farm but they were stolen by the home health care workers. A Winchester pump and a Marlin bolt rifle as I remember.
I did inherit my father in laws Marlin 336 .35 Rem., Ithaca pump 12 gauge and his Ruger Security Six.

My eldest brother (before he passed at age 26) gave me his Remington Model 66 for my Birthday. I still have it and cherish it.

Nobody in my family had much interest in guns. My grandfather-in-law did but he only ever had one and it was long gone. I did take him out shooting a couple of times which made him extremely happy.

He did eventually give my wife some grips he had that he had kept. Genuine MOP and some really nice old school stag. When my wife got them she handed them to me and told me to go find the gun that they fit and buy it. I knew it was a Colt. Turned out they were from an old model Colt Agent. I figured that out by a process of elimination. Then I had my LGS find me one. I added a T-Grip.

The knife was his too, but we got that later. The knife is almost more interesting than the gun. You don't see a whole lot of Case leverlocks. Grandpa was a playa.

Ive got the opposite issue...

Bunch of guns and never had kids. Im an only child so no nieces or nephews.

Told my wife if I go first, sell em and throw one helluva bash

Dad didn't have any guns to leave me, never big into hunting and just didn't have a lot of interest in guns after getting out of the service. His oldest brother had grandpas shot gun and since he had no children passed it onto me as I was the most interested in it. Had more guns from my wifes family than mine. A shotgun from her dads father, a Remington 721 from her dad and a Colt Police positive from her moms dad. Those go to our kids, both of them are shooters and will appreciate them.

I guess I’m lucky. I have a few from various branches of the family. Over time, I have made repairs to those in bad shape and keep all of them in “shootable shape.” I have taken some time to document the history of them as best I can, as I have learned that stories fade with age. I have made some PowerPoint slides with photos and text giving the history and stories associated with some of them.

I’ve also worked to “replace” specific firearms that disappeared at some point. While they are not the “actual gun”, I’ve put the same vintage make/model into the collection for nostalgic reasons.

For some reason unknown to me my father got rid of his guns when I was still quite young. No one else in the family was really into them and neither of my brothers hunted or shot for fun. So no family heirlooms for me...however, I have been the recipient of quite a few guns gifted to me over the years from friends living and passed, neighbors, even fairly casual acquaintances. Handguns, shotguns, rifles, a bit of all, some modern, some old. All appreciated and lovingly taken care of.

I inherited all of these:

SnidelyWhiplash said:

After my dad passed away my mom simply wanted his guns sold...most had little value anyway. I did keep two...the M1 Carbine he bought through the NRA is the mid-1960s...still have the sales invoice. He paid the princely sum of $17.50+$2.50 mailing costs. The other I kept was my grandfather's Iver Johnson .38 S&W.
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Move the decimal point on the carbine price a couple spaces to the right.

I was given a 1895 in 30-06 by my grandmother, my dad and his father had used it for deer hunting. Later my moms dad gave me a nice arisaka. Otherwise, nothing, until my father in law died unexpectedly, inherited about 10 guns, none were too special, I sold a number of them. My son has the Browning A5 and a Springfield 1911.
My son lives in Switzerland and likely won't live in the USA later, if so, thats up to him, he's an only child.

The story I like to tell about family guns is how one day I was visiting my dad and he said, "You're into cowboy shooting. Take the Trapdoor Springfield home with you." So I did and I carried it in one of the movies I was in. The big thing is that having this gun from my dad made me realize that I needed to upgrade my storage with some quality safes, particularly with high fire protection ratings. It occurred to me that if I lost that gun in a house fire, certainly I could buy another Trapdoor Springfield with money, but it wouldn't be the gun my dad gave me. That was five safes ago.

I helped a friends family do his estate after he unexpectedly died and they gave me this.
7mm Baby Nambu - I knew immediately what it was.

I have my own humble story to share, and I have thoughts and concerns to throw out there.

My Grandpappy on my Mother's side was like...the living inspiration for the old comic character "Snuffy Smith" Even looked like him! My Father is an amazing man, but he was busy working to keep us fed and sheltered. My Grandfather was the one primarily who taught me how to shoot, fish, sharpen a knife, work with leather, etc. Shooting, knives, and playing cards was always our connection.

He got old, things went to heck, and he eventually died. As is tradition in poor, white trash Southern families, when he died friends and relatives came out from all over to say how close they were, how much they loved him, and how he wanted them to have his truck, tools, etc. Once the buzzards got through picking away, I got three things:

A fine condition Smith & Wesson 586. That was the first magnum/big bore pistol I had ever fired, and it was the last one I had ever fired with him.

A Linder fixed blade knife he'd carried througout WWII. He'd replaced the deer foot handle with a big chunk of hickory broom handle, He'd made a sheath for it out of an old bayonet scabbard and some boot leather. He carved every place the war carried him to on the sheath.

The American flag that had covered his casket.

In a monetary way, I lost out hugely. I didn't get any cars, trucks, shop tools, etc. In a spiritual way, I was the indisputable winner. Each time my eyes or hands fall upon those items, I remember him, and the time I spent with him as a child. I taught my kids to shoot handguns early on with that 586. I woulda swore, I felt his happy presence with us as I taught his Great Daughter the fundamentals with that gun. Of course, to be fair, I think I can feel his presence face palming and shaking his head in amused disapproval whenever I'm geeking out sharpening a knife and busting out the 25K grit diamond emulsion compound, fixed angle sharpener, and the microscope to better examine my attempts at a flawless edge.

Now, my thoughts...As far as dying folks go, more so than folks not getting anything firearms related, I am more familiar with people dying and their non gun nut Widows and children getting ripped off while selling off his gun collection, reloading supplies, ammunition, peripherals, etc.

My wife enjoys guns some. My kids are both shooters, but nobody to the extent that I am. If I die tomorrow, they will have a couple truckloads of stuff to try to figure out. I have a couple friends that will try to help, but that's not a simple task to saddle a true friend with. Sometimes I think I should just start pairing my stuff down now, so that there's less of a ...errr....show when I leave this celestial plane. Problem being, I'm only approaching my mid fifties, and I still enjoy alot of things.

When my dad passes, my older brother and I inherit everything. As sad as that day will be, it will not be the dishonorable skullduggery and backstabbing this post started with. Just love and respect among family. As far as his guns go, my Father envisions us getting together socially and taking turns selecting guns and tools one at a time. Some of his guns mean the world to me, some are neat, but lack sentimental value, and some I couldn't care less about. Consolation prizes, each and every one of them, but there are some good memories buried in that safe, some that I may share at a more appropriate time.

I have four, a .32 top break Iver Johnson my great uncle had, my uncles 1911, and my dads 30-30 and his 38/44. They'll all go to great grandkids. Any others I still have it will be up to whoever is after me to decide.

There were no guns in my family, except for the duty weapon of my great grandfather, a policeman in Youngstown, Ohio.

I do have one gun of considerable sentimental value, given to me by a fellow club member here on the Cape, when he and his wife moved to a state not as friendly to gunowners as Massachusetts.

It is an H&R USRA Model, with a ten inch barrel with adjustable sight radius, and Roper grips. He had a few other USRA pistols, but they, like his many other guns, went to his several children AFAIK.

Not leaving anytime soon.

I have two-the first the 4” 686 no dash my dad bought new I. Sept. 1981 (AAB serial prefix) and a custom built 1911 from the widow of a late forum member. My dad was a first generation American, served in WWII and the only gun owner in his family. No one on my mom’s side had any interest in firearms.

My sons enjoy shooting so my meager accumulation will be split. My older son also has 3 kids, so far only the oldest at 11 has gone shooting and he loves the 1980 S&W 63 I bought specifically to teach them how to shoot.

My father lived in New York City until he was around seventy years old, so he didn't own any guns. Once he moved to Florida, he was able to explore his interest. However, he didn't have the funds to buy much. I have a Colt .22lr SSA he got from the widow of a friend, and the AR we built together.

I did inherit from my uncle his sporterized Lee Enfield and Winchester Model 74.

I also inherited a few guns from My Wife's stepfather. An Astra 2000 in .22 Short, a Hopkins and Allen break top in .32 Short, and a 1903 Springfield that he sporterized back in the 1950s.

Nothing of particular monetary value, but great emotional value.

I have guns from my great grandfather’s, grandfathers, dad and grandmother. Some junk, some nice but are all priceless to me and my family. They will be split between my sons one day. Plus what I’ve added.

My dad passed his model nickel 29 in the presentation case to me shortly before he died. It’s one I’ll never get rid of.

When he passed I inherited his Remington 3200 12 gauge and his Remington 1100 light field 20 gauge and his 2.5” 66-2 with the box, papers and original grips. I had no interest in the shotguns and traded them but kept the 66 which is another I’ll always keep.