"Borrowed" Guns?

My 22 yo son is the only one I lend guns to. He took a Savage 110 30-06 and a old Remington .22 bolt gun to college for hunting. They made it back home in the same condition when he came home for Christmas. I may "lend" him a .40 Glock when he sets up housekeeping for himself after he graduates this May.
 
Shakespeare summed it up it best:
quote-neither-a-borrower-nor-a-lender-be-for-loan-oft-loses-both-itself-and-friend-and-borrowing-william-shakespeare-39-0-085.jpg
 
I have some very good friends, to whom I'd happily lend a gun. But they wouldn't ask. I have some not-so-good friends that have asked, but I declined. Those not-so-good friends seem to think "what's mine is mine, and what's yours is mine too."

I see a pattern.
 
My new rule, if I load a gun to someone I will take a vibro engraver and write Property of Ed Fowler (city) on the action.

#1) This will prevent me from loaning out a great firearm.
2) the person borrowing it will know it is not a gift.
3) just maybe the pawn shop will call me and I will not have to hunt for it.

I have found that when you play it straight with a pawn shop they will sell it to you for what they paid for it and it will be cheaper. If they don't want to play that game, go to to the law and they will get it back for you and the pawn shop is out their money. You will have to press charges, but that does not bother me in the slightest.
 
There's a very short list of people who I'll loan a gun to and an even shorter list of people I'll borrow a gun from.

My best friend is also a gun accumulator. Every now and then when browsing each other's safe, one of us will remark "Man, I really like that!." So the other will say "Take it home with you. Shoot it some and bring it back in a month or two." The gun always makes it back home in a reasonable time, clean and in the same condition it left in.

Some years back, my younger son was selected to represent his National Guard unit in a shooting competition. Rifles were no problem as he qualified expert and was his unit's designated marksman. However, he was also required to shoot the M9 which at that time he had never even touched. I knew a very good friend of mine had a Beretta 92fs and asked if I could borrow it for a while so my son could get some practice. He was more than happy to do it and wished my son good luck.
When it was time to return it, he just offered to sell it to me at a dirt cheap price which I just couldn't turn down. He said he preferred it be put to good use rather than just sit in his safe.

And like many of you, when my older son got his first apartment, I loaned him an old K-38 that I had. I know its in good hands and don't expect to ever get it back.
 
I have never loaned a gun to no one and probably never will unless it was one of my kids. ;)
 
My 1st FIL and BIL wanted to go deer hunting with me. They knew my Dad my Bro and I hunted together and had since dirt was new. They care. Then they wanted to borrow a deer rifle. I had 3 at that point. All pre 64 m70 wins. All pristine. Well I had bought a Buck knife display caxe frm our grocer. While at work my ex let them both pick out a k ife. I told them to give them back, no was the answer, my ex gave them the knives. I said they were not hers to give and noe I wpnt break even when the rest are sold.

bot had rough 20 gauges. They did not take care of them, I could imagine hoe mine wojkd be treated. I told them nope use your shotguns. That relly ticked off my ex. I told her why and how much damage might happen to a hand that lemds them any more of my stuff. They borrowed a drinking buddies guns. I took themscouting and said be here before daylight. Yhey wounded one doe. I was huntimg a county over.

my ex did many things to finally work her way I to divorce court. Later she lent ner bro my camping kit. Tent, high dollar cruising axe, CAST IRON COOKWARE, and other stuff all carefully packed I. A USA duffel bag. Any guesses? Storm came through, he put my tent in his car trunk and forgot all else there. Weeks later he came by and pulled the ruined mildewed tent out. I sort of went off. Threw the temt back in his ftunk, wanted the Nofars and cookware. The idiot just then remembered he left them. I told him I wanted them replaced. 10 years later st divorce he still had not replaced any.


I do have a plan, 40 years in the making. My son stillfishes with him o. Occassion. Now that im retired I fish more my son. When we go to pick up the feller im gonma borrow his cast iron cookware. Yep he did yard sale up some nice stuff.

some tbings do require an eye for an eye.
 
I have given guns away. I have sold guns I no longer wanted or won in raffles to friends at ridiculous prices. But, I have never loaned anyone a gun. Never will.
 
Lent one of mine years ago to a friend. Nice over and under 12 ga. He kept it too long and finally asked him to return it. Found he put it away wet and it now had surface rust. This was 30 years ago. Still pisses me off to this day. Reminds me of the time my neighbor friend asked to borrow my car to teach his son to drive a manual transmission. No way in hell. Will never lend any gun, power tool, car, tractor, mower, or chainsaw to anyone no matter how well I know or trust them.
 
Flattop5 said:
My sister borrowed a S&W model 15 .38 Special revolver from me about a year ago. I haven't seen it since. I'll probably never see it again. :D

Has anyone else experienced such gun "borrowing"? I'll bet so. An aunt, an uncle, a friend, a wife, an ex-wife - who "borrowed" your gun?



-------
Click to expand...

Don't have that problem here in California. It's actually a felony to let somebody borrow a gun for more than 30 days.

No, not kidding.
 
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ugh

Gold Cup NIB
Ruger gp100
Mossberg Cruise Pistol Grip
Speedmaster 552

All back in 1999 when we had our first kid and my wife didn't want guns in the house. My best friend of 30 years, he won't give the guns back but he has certainly treated me and my family well in ways that easily compensate for the guns. Plus I negotiated with my wife to buy a BMW GS1150 for giving up the guns. And I now have more than a few guns and NFA Items. Funny but I miss the 4 inch blued Ruger with the inlaid stocks that I bought used for about $250 the most. Anyone have one? Can I borrow it?
 
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I get put on the spot "in family" to loan guns. A long time ago my
Brother in Law, who never manages to hold on to guns, didn't
have a rifle for deer season. I had a couple dozen classic deer
rifles. Instead of one of them I lent him a spotless 742 Rem. he
Brought it back all skinned up. I have kept that gun for over 40yrs, to use for lend duty,I've got a beat up Sears 12 g pump
that is shotgun loaner. Handguns,no way....they want to dance
they can pay the band. The same with loading dies and bullet
moulds.
 
I never let anyone borrow a gun! Learned a long time ago if you loan out your CAR or your WIFE. Chances are real good they both come back to you with a rod thrown in them. This goes for you GUNS as well.
Just a thought!
 
I have loaned a specific M&P .38 to my sister one time (lasted 6 or 10 months), and my dad one time (lasted a year or two). Couldn't have done anything to the finish. Sister never shot it, but it made her feel safer. Dad put a couple hundred rounds through it, and carried it quite a bit. I was very clear with him that it was a loan and not a gift, and when his finances were such that he could get his own, I wanted it back, and if that never happened, I wanted it back when he couldn't use a gun anymore -IOW, he could hang on to it as long as he needed to - but he was not to sell or trade it, ever.

It was a gun stamped with his department logo that I bought for next to nothing, and it's back in my safe now.

I am currently babysitting a gun for a friend who is overseas. I haven't shot it, and don't really care if I do. I am also babysitting his truck (that he is still making payments on). The gun is not insignificant, but compared to a Chevy 2500 HD Duramax? I worry more about the truck. I have to drive it once or twice a month.

There are a few other people I have borrowed and loaned guns with, but the list isn't long. Worry more when someone wants to borrow a guitar - they're easier to damage.
 
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