When my father died somehow my brother got all three of his guns....and i got squat. We are not close. When my grandfather realized he wouldn't be hunting anymore he gave me his 1942 M94 winchester 32 special. I was heading out the door for my first deer hunt, 12 years old. The next day i killed a whitetail buck with it, first time i ever fired it. I'm 62 and i shoot that gun most every time i go to the range. They'll need to put this rifle in my box when its time for my dirt nap......Mike
Do You Have A Heirloom Gun Given To You By Your Dad
- Thread starter NevadaDan
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mule69
US Veteran
My dad left me a Smith and Wesson 38/44 Outdoorsman. He bought the gun while he was going to flight school at a hardware store in Grand Island Nebraska in the early 40's.
American1776
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My dad is not a gun guy. But back in the 1970's he bought two guns (in a state where gun possession required finger printing and interviews with the local police). They were for home protection.
One of them is now mine, and it is an original Browning A-5. It will stay in the family.
One of them is now mine, and it is an original Browning A-5. It will stay in the family.
As an only son I got all my Dad's guns....... as a retired Police Captain ...... his needs changed over the years..... but he kept his guns.
Colt New Service 1938/39 6inch .357magnum with King Sights and action job.
S&W M&P 4 inch .38spl. dating to 1946 when he returned from the S Pacific.
Colt Detective Special 2" from the 50s
S&W early 60s Model 41 ....he shot on the Dept Pistol Team in the Pittsburgh Police League....
and lastly his S&W 640 he asked me to get for him after he saw mine.
Oh Ya....LOL.. my 4" round butt 686-nuttin that spent a decade at the retirement cabin on a "long term loan"
Colt New Service 1938/39 6inch .357magnum with King Sights and action job.
S&W M&P 4 inch .38spl. dating to 1946 when he returned from the S Pacific.
Colt Detective Special 2" from the 50s
S&W early 60s Model 41 ....he shot on the Dept Pistol Team in the Pittsburgh Police League....
and lastly his S&W 640 he asked me to get for him after he saw mine.
Oh Ya....LOL.. my 4" round butt 686-nuttin that spent a decade at the retirement cabin on a "long term loan"
HOUSTON RICK
Member
My grandfather (a WWI combat veteran who lost part of his left lung to Mustard Gas) hunted and owned guns, but like a lot of stuff he sold them in the Depression for food after "every animal that was not on a farm" in his area had been eaten. In the 1930's my uncle got a high school job and bought a Red Rider BB gun. My uncle gave it to my Dad when my uncle left for WWII. My uncle was in the Bulge and Germany and made it back. My Dad was the youngest so when Dad was called up for Korea, it was left at my Grandfather's house. My father stayed stateside due to the timely death of Joe Stalin. Both my Dad and my uncle were quickly married and started families and jobs. My Dad rediscovered the BB gun when my Grandfather passed in 1983. Unfortunately, though glad to get this BB gun, I inherited it last year from Dad. It still works. It is known as the "family gun".
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Targets Guy
US Veteran
My dad bought this K-22 in 1947. It shipped in Nov 47. He taught my brother and I how to shoot with it. It became mine when Dad passed in 1965. He used to carry it in his pickup glove box when he was on his rural mail carrier route. He would shoot pheasant, rabbit and crow with it. Fortunately we never had to eat the crow. The revolver even makes me a pretty good shot.
nachogrande
Member
SUPPOSEDLY
The "rumor" was Dad brought his 45 back from WWll. It was in Africa/ Italy/ India/ Burma/ China. He would never confirm nor deny he had it, & I wish I had the years spent searching for it back. Knowing how I was (still am) he likely sold it (smart thing to do). I do have his machete & bayonet.
The "rumor" was Dad brought his 45 back from WWll. It was in Africa/ Italy/ India/ Burma/ China. He would never confirm nor deny he had it, & I wish I had the years spent searching for it back. Knowing how I was (still am) he likely sold it (smart thing to do). I do have his machete & bayonet.
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nachogrande
Member
The "rumor" was Dad brought his 45 back from WWll. It was in Africa/ Italy/ India/ Burma/ China. He would never confirm nor deny he had it, & I wish I had the years spent searching for it back. Knowing how I was (still am) he likely sold it (smart thing to do). I do have his machete, medals & bayonet.
I am in....
I have inherited a few of my late father's guns... there were 5 kids in my family so they got scattered around... and have inherited ones from previous generations too... I have my father's first pistol... a Red Eagle Ruger 22 with a 4 digit serial number he had him mother buy because he was a few months too young when they came out... I have a 19-4 he gave me on my birthday and I have his Browning Hi-Power he carried and shot in IPSC in the 70's... I bought my late uncle's Rem 1100 that he carried on every hunt of my youth at the estate auction... and was given my maternal grandfather's only gun by my aunt... a Savage O/U 410 he bought at the cattle sale barn when someone came up $5 short. - grandma was mad he wasted the money... they will all go to my son... and he knows what they are and why they are special... none of them are worth a fortune... but they are priceless to me...
I have inherited a few of my late father's guns... there were 5 kids in my family so they got scattered around... and have inherited ones from previous generations too... I have my father's first pistol... a Red Eagle Ruger 22 with a 4 digit serial number he had him mother buy because he was a few months too young when they came out... I have a 19-4 he gave me on my birthday and I have his Browning Hi-Power he carried and shot in IPSC in the 70's... I bought my late uncle's Rem 1100 that he carried on every hunt of my youth at the estate auction... and was given my maternal grandfather's only gun by my aunt... a Savage O/U 410 he bought at the cattle sale barn when someone came up $5 short. - grandma was mad he wasted the money... they will all go to my son... and he knows what they are and why they are special... none of them are worth a fortune... but they are priceless to me...
The "rumor" was Dad brought his 45 back from WWll. It was in Africa/ Italy/ India/ Burma/ China. He would never confirm nor deny he had it, & I wish I had the years spent searching for it back. Knowing how I was (still am) he likely sold it (smart thing to do). I do have his machete & bayonet.
Reminded me I've got my Dad's handmade Bowie style knife he carried while in the Coast Guard in the S Pacific/Philippians .
and both my Grandfather's single shot shotguns.... but don't know which is which...........LOL you used to be able to hunt in Mt Lebanon (a Burb of the Burgh). My Father's Dad use to hunt rabbits across the road in what is now the main Twp. Park/pool......
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Yes the last revolver my father carried as a patrolman. His model 19
Found in a shoebox wrapped in a towel in the bottom of a spare bedroom closet after his passing. With the rest of the items show below:
I put the original stocks away, gave it some dress up with Grashorns, added a tyler-T and sent it to Nelson Ford for an action job.
Carrying it and taking it out and shooting it makes me feel like he is with me at times. It shoots great at 25 yards.
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I have my father's Marlin 39A, my grandfather's Colt M1877, and my grandmother's Frank Wesson single shot 30 RF which happens to be serial number 1. The latter appeared in American Handgunner a couple of years back.
1. Ward's Westernfield copy of Mossberg 500 w/30" fullchoke barrel (I swapped it for an 18" for home defense). He used it for a few Dove hunts.
2. JC Higgins single shot .22 rifle. It's so cheap that the firing pin/ejector is a piece of sheet metal. He used this as a kid to hunt rabbits.
He still has a Remington Nylon .22 rifle under his bed I hope to inherit one day.
My dad was very frugal and doesn't like to spend $$, so he never bought any big $$ guns.
2. JC Higgins single shot .22 rifle. It's so cheap that the firing pin/ejector is a piece of sheet metal. He used this as a kid to hunt rabbits.
He still has a Remington Nylon .22 rifle under his bed I hope to inherit one day.
My dad was very frugal and doesn't like to spend $$, so he never bought any big $$ guns.
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VaTom
Member
Dad wasn't a gun guy but did leave me a couple of firearms not necessarily heirlooms.
Winchester Model 94 - NRA Centennial Rifle, unfired and in original box. Made in 1971.
Beretta BS950 .25 automatic with original box/papers
He has been gone 6 years now. Navy vet (at age 18) of WWII and Army Combat Vet from Korea (780th FA BN). Picture of dad in 1945 after Navy Basic. Picture of Dad's 8" howitzer gun crew in Korea 1951.
Winchester Model 94 - NRA Centennial Rifle, unfired and in original box. Made in 1971.
Beretta BS950 .25 automatic with original box/papers
He has been gone 6 years now. Navy vet (at age 18) of WWII and Army Combat Vet from Korea (780th FA BN). Picture of dad in 1945 after Navy Basic. Picture of Dad's 8" howitzer gun crew in Korea 1951.
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I inherited a Harrington and Richardson "Expert" .22lr target pistol that Dad bought around 1938. He lived in the middle of Chicago at the time, so I don't think he had many chances to shoot it. He married Mom in 1939, and I don't think he shot it again after that. It went unfired for about 75 years, but it works perfectly. Trigger action is about 15 lb. DA and 3 lb. SA. It has a horrible rear sight, maybe 1/16" high, with a 1/32" wide notch, so it's for bright light use only. I suppose I could put an aftermarket sight on it (it would be really accurate with a red dot), but I don't want to drill into it and destroy its originality. I've attached a couple of photos including one of my targets from my rules-violating single action attempt at Rastoff's Challenge.
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Ranger17
Member
only a couple items i'd consider 'heirloom' though more based on emotion over some collectible value.
Years back after my step dad passed, i got his old Bear compound bow. Took up bowhunting that year and got my first deer that fall. Bow made a couple trips to the stand then became a bowfishing rig until now it just hangs in my shop as a momento.
And 5 years ago (i was 50 at the time) my inlaws gave me their dad's old Colt Challenger ('51 model) which initially was their grandpa's. That old Colt started me in this hobby i so enjoy, and even now when i take it out to play (only occasionally) it still is fun to shoot.
Years back after my step dad passed, i got his old Bear compound bow. Took up bowhunting that year and got my first deer that fall. Bow made a couple trips to the stand then became a bowfishing rig until now it just hangs in my shop as a momento.
And 5 years ago (i was 50 at the time) my inlaws gave me their dad's old Colt Challenger ('51 model) which initially was their grandpa's. That old Colt started me in this hobby i so enjoy, and even now when i take it out to play (only occasionally) it still is fun to shoot.
I am the keeper of the Family guns, I have stuff from about every
war except Spanish American. When one of old timers in the klan
passed I always got the guns because they knew I wouldn't sell
them. My oldman bought me a Marlin 1897 for my 5th birthday,
for my 6th he gave me a Stevens 94 12g shotgun. We bought a
lot of guns in my family, most had no sentimental value, they
came and went. When I came home from Army, I bought the old
man a Brn 20 O&U at which time he gave me his old Brn A5
which is the gun he always carried for rabbits when I was a kid.
war except Spanish American. When one of old timers in the klan
passed I always got the guns because they knew I wouldn't sell
them. My oldman bought me a Marlin 1897 for my 5th birthday,
for my 6th he gave me a Stevens 94 12g shotgun. We bought a
lot of guns in my family, most had no sentimental value, they
came and went. When I came home from Army, I bought the old
man a Brn 20 O&U at which time he gave me his old Brn A5
which is the gun he always carried for rabbits when I was a kid.
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