Every Gun Handed Down To me Is Junk!

[boykinlp]

My family wasn't a "gun" family when I was growing up. In fact, when I was about 16 I wanted a gun to hunt deer with some of my friends. My mother bought me a Remington Model 742 in .30-06 for my birthday. When we brought it home, my stepfather said he wouldn't allow it in "his" house! So we returned it. My only gun at that time was a Ruger 10/22 that I had gotten for Christmas about 5 years before. I know my stepfather had a Browning Hi Power because we had shot it together before, so he wasn't completely against guns, but he wasn't ever a hunter and didn't shoot much. His father owned a hardware store that sold Browning products for decades. When his father passed away about 10 years later and the store was closed, he, unknowingly to anyone else in the family, actually brought the store's entire gun stock home.

By that time, I was an adult living on my own, and had a few guns and hunted deer, ducks, doves, quail, wild boar, etc. Surprisingly, he gifted me, and my younger stepsister's husband, each a Browning shotgun from the guns of the hardware store. Mine was a NIB 1973 Browning Auto-5 Magnum 12 shotgun. Over the next 30 years, he and I had shot guns together a couple of times. The guns were some that I had, and his Browning Hi Power and one of the NIB Browning .22 auto rifles that he had. He was interested in my guns.

When my stepfather passed away a few years ago, I inherited 3 more guns from the hardware store. All were NIB, and were all Brownings. They were a BAR-22, an Auto-5 Light 12 gauge, and an Auto-5 Light 20 gauge. In the end, while he wasn't really a gun person, he kinda turned into one. I wish it had happened earlier so we could have enjoyed it together more and longer. So, obviously, these guns weren't junk. I also inherited 2 guns from my grandfather, my mother's father, after he passed. He was born in 1887 and died at 94 years old. They were a Remington Arms Model 1900 double barrel shotgun with Damascus barrels and a Nickel 1906 S&W Safety Hammerless 2nd Model pistol. These 2 guns were well used and not in the best condition, but I will cherish them forever just because they were my grandfather's! So, while they are rough, they aren't junk to me!
Larry

 

[SBC1320]

I've got my Dad's old bring back Dou 44 large ring K98 German Mauser. I've cared for it since I was in grade school and wiped it down with Baby Oil. It's in excellent shape and he took it out of a German Warehouse brand new from the crate. He did the duffle cut so I restored it with another stock.

 

[walkin' trails]

It had those honkin' big target stocks. They were way too big for my hands so I took a wood rasp to them.

Yep, I did that to a set of light colored target grips that that came on a Model 19 I had acquired - my first handgun. That was also during the Reagan years. I still have the grips adorning a Model 66-1. Around that time, i bought a ratty looking set of Python grips at a gun show cheap and gave them the same treatment- finished them with clear polyurethane. I put them on my Python. They worked great. Sold them on the gun when I let it go.

 

[packard8]

I have Grandad's Belgian Sweet Sixteen (2 barrels & case), take-down .22 (Belgian, Grade II, with case), and an Argentine Mauser he bought at Sears for $20. Many more I've bought.

 

[JiminMaine]

I have my Dad's Model 10 4-screw, his Remington Model 81 35 Rem. and his Wards-Western Field SxS 12 Ga.

A friend of my father who had no kids left me his Savage Super Sporter 30-30 that I had borrowed to shoot my first deer at 13 and an old no name 12 Ga. single shot.

 

[Jim_Sl]

I know you were kidding when you said that but you know that old saying. One man's junk is another man's gold. My great great grandmother had a Winchester model 2. She use to sit on her front porch and shoot squirrels for dinner. That little single shot .22 had seen its better days even back then. The stock had been broken and a new one was made out of another piece of wood. It looked nothing like a new one would, but it still put dinner on the table. That little Winchester was handed down to my father and then to me. It's probably the ugliest rifle in my gun safe and not worth much to most. It's not to me and I will never sell it.

 

[M5741]

My dad brought back a Walther PPK 32acp surrendered over to him by a German officer in in the European campaign. Nice little pistol. I handed it down to my youngest daughter. (Interesting tidbit) My dad said the officer could speak better English than he could. I think he was eggagerating just a little. Although, my dad was an Okie, so maybe he just couldn't understand that man.

 

[Automag]

I have my grandfather's Winchester .22 in bolt action with a peep. My father in law, when he died I was given his Ducks Unlimited Model 870. I turned down the Superposed, because my brother in law thought he was trying to be fair, but grief was talking, not sense. It needed to be his gun, and thankfully, he still has it.

 

[Claymore33]

Guess I was more fortunate, Grandfather and Father had great taste in rifles and shotguns and the money to buy Brownings , Berettas, Remingtons and Winchesters. Now my two sons have them. I had to build my own revolver and pistol collection.

 

[chief38]

I inherited a bunch of guns from my Dad about 18 years ago. Since my Brother is not into guns he let me have all if them. My Dad almost always bought good quality, brand name guns but there were a few that were just the lowest trim model of that particular gun. My Dad never abused or beat guns up but he never fretted all that much about "honest wear", scratches or nicks so most of this guns have a few "beauty marks" or just "honest wear" on them. I tend to be a bit more careful and discerning about my guns than he. He was always concerned about mechanical functioning and always kept up with that.

There are only two guns of his that I had to fix. One was his 1946 made Marlin 39A. The bluing on that gun was half gone, the barrel kept rusting no matter how many times I cold blued it and oiled it and the stock had lost 60% of its finish and had some detracting marls on it. Since mechanically it was perfect I decided I'd have the metal professionally stripped, polished and re-blued. I sent the metal only to Midwest Gun Works and they did an incredible job! The rifle came back looking better than it originally did. While the gun was being re-blued I took that opportunity to strip, repair and re-do the wood furniture. Since I had 2 months to do that - I took my time and really did a beautiful job with it. The gun looks virtually new and probably better than new. I did not want to let this gun just rust away and that was my reasoning behind doing that - I'll never sell it anyway so the lack of originality on the blue and stock finish did not figure in.

The other gun is a 12 gauge High Standard semi auto shotgun. A very good gun but just the Plain Jane version of that model. While Pheasant hunting with it years ago I took a shot and the stock exploded into many pieces. Apparently there was a flaw in the stock and the grain had separated without my knowledge. One shot sent that stock into many pieces, never to be repaired. After 3 months trying to find a replacement stock I came up empty. So I had a decision to make. Should I spend a lot of money on having a custom made stock that was 10 times better than the original or just scrap the shotgun. Like a true nostalgic I ponied up, spent 4 times what the shotgun had originally cost my Dad in 1959 and had a gorgeous stock and fore end made for it out of a figured piece of Walnut. The stock-maker I used only had nice wood and did not have basic low end pieces so I did not have big choice in the matter. Other makers I found did not want to make one as the HS model was not popular and I guess they did not have any templates for it. Since it was Dad's favorite Pheasant gun and I was working and making good money at the time, I went for it. The gun is still used occasionally and still look better than it should - lol

All his other guns are in pretty good shape, maybe with a few small, fine marks here and there but all are good quality, name brand firearms I am proud to be seen shooting.

 

[robvious]

all firearms that I inherited are priceless... even if not valued by any others... I was given my maternal grandfather's only one.. purchased at the sale barn when someone came up 5 bucks short.. grandma was quite upset with his purchase.. lol... an old Stevens O/U 410.. was kept on top of the cabinets next to the sink in the mud room on the farm.. I was always fascinated by it and was given it when my aunt moved off the farm and into town... not for sale...

 

[JohnRippert]

I ended up with my maternal grandfather's Remington RAS(Remington Autoloading Shotgun) 12 gauge, which is what the Model 11 was called before 1911. Mom's sister-in-law gave me a Stevens 311 16 gauge several years back. It had been leaning up against the wall in a garage that flooded about 6 inches deep decades before. I took it apart and got it cleaned up.

 

[JimFr]

I've got my Dad's old bring back Dou 44 large ring K98 German Mauser. I've cared for it since I was in grade school and wiped it down with Baby Oil. It's in excellent shape and he took it out of a German Warehouse brand new from the crate. He did the duffle cut so I restored it with another stock.

 

[JimFr]

I sure hope you saved the original stock and the cutoff piece of the forend!
That ORIGINAL stock had a MATCHING serial number to the rest of the Mauser!
I've reattached these cutoffs very successfully on many occasions!

 

[raljr1]

Dad left my brother and I a few guns, most of them not worth a whole lot. I got an Enfield revolver, an Ithaca Featherlight 16 ga, a Ranger 22, an unfinished sporterized 1903, and a Remington 721. Brother got a 20 gauge Remington Model 17, a Savage 99, an old bolt action shotgun, a Savage 32 pistol, and a no name 22.

 

[duke2002]

I still have some family guns. Same story they got used to put meat on the table. Most are not safe to shoot but i wont get rid of them. Guns my grandpa had. Cheap guns my dad had growing up cause thats what they could afford.

 

[mauser9]

Some fantastic heirlooms from the past mentioned here indeed. Many quality made guns from the past.

 

[Stickgunner]

I'm kidding. My grand parents, and parents blah blah blah. Am I the only one?

The only one who creates bait and click threads?

 

[SLT223]

My parents never had firearms. My kids are going have it made. Lucky ducks….

 

[Enzo Rules]

My dad was not into guns so I did not inherit any. That's not going to be the case for my boys.

 

[Terry G]

My Parents home was a gun free zone. I was allowed to buy a Daisy BB gun when I was 12. When I was 16 I ordered a Italian 6.5 MM Carbine and 200 rounds of Military Surplus Ammunition for under $25.00. What my Parents didn't know couldn't hurt me. About 20% of the ammunition were duds with some interesting hang fires also. I did get some modern Hunting ammunition and the little Carbine was accurate with good ammunition. I still have it. The only gun I got from an inheritance was a S&W Model 10 that my Uncle left me. He was a high ranking Fire Marshall for the Chicago Fire department and the gun was given to him during the 1968 Riots. A little know secret was Mayor Daley issues a shotgun and Model 10 to each Fire crew after a Fire Truck was damage from a Molotov Cocktail. It was this Daley that gave his Police Officers an order "to shoot to kill or maim looters and arsonist's". It wouldn't fly today but the day after the order was given the riots stopped. When I got back from Viet Nam the pistol was gone as were a lot of my possessions. My Parent's had allowed a Cousin to stay with them after his Parents kicked him out. I never saw the Cousin again.

 

[venomballistics]

Dear old Dad left me a Western Auto Revelation R100b. Single shot bolt action .22lr. Apparently made by Mossberg. I love that little rifle.

had one, it didnt survive my young and dumb years unfortunately.
It was a real sleeper. Until very recently, I never had a 22 that would touch that things accuracy.

 

[BillyKframe]

My Maternal Grandfather was the only ancestor with any really nice guns and he left them all to my first cousin.

 

[cowboy94916]

I have been fortunate I inherited the m71 348 WINCHESTER. My dad ordered from Griffen and Howe the year i was born. After many years of use he stripped the stock and put a hand rubbed oil finish on it. It will go to my son and grandson all of us who bear his first name.
My neihbors widow gave me his M-15 Smith he had been an officer in the Air Force and knew I loved Smith's.
My two best friends passed in the last 3 yrs.,One left me a 625 3" the other an STI edge 40.
I would rather have them here to continue our range sessions, Sadly life goes on and at least this way I get to take them to the range with me or hunting trips. Gives me warm feelings to have them with me.

 

[Muley Gil]

I inherited my granddaddy's Stevens .22/.410 over/under when I was 15. My (step)dad bought a S&W .38 M&P a few years later. That and a reproduction .58 Zouave muzzleloader were his only guns until a close friend of his died and left him his guns. Dad sold a few over the years, but kept most of them.

When Dad died, I received what he owned, including the M&P. That one is my wife's bedside gun.

 

[raylesworth]

Ok, I am a sucker for this sentimental thread. Mine was a Winchester model 37, 410ga., given to me by my grandfather when I was about 10. A few years later I realized that it was my great grandpa's gun, with which I sat with when he had the 410 on his lap ready to dispatch any robin that dare invade his prized strawberry patch. He died when I was 8, and I was next in line. I had the great pleasure of passing it on to my grandson on his 12th birthday, along with a note about the family provenance. Not a big money gun, but .... yep, priceless!

 

[Glenn R. McMannly]

The joke might be lost on me but that seems very ungrateful.

 

[mckenney99]

I forgot that I also inherited my maternal Grandmother's old S&W revolver. I believe it is a .32 Double Action 4th Model S/N: 44427. This old revolver was found under her mattress when we cleared out her house. The gun was loaded with 5 different badly corroded rounds.
The story is that Grandma was given the revolver as a young girl (she was born in 1903) and she carried it until she & Grandpa married. I was told that Grandma was known to occasionally shoot moles in her yard with the revolver in her later years until it just wouldn't function reliably any more. (I'm sure the neighbors were relieved that Grandma wasn't going to be "busting any more caps" in the neighborhood.) I know that my dad took it to someone to see if it could be fixed but the best they could do was get it to fire every now & then.
After cleaning the gun up, the bore and cylinder chambers are heavily corroded. The cylinder does not lock up at all, but it does carry up when the hammer is cocked but its iffy whether the chamber will be lined up with the barrel. The gun retains very little of it's original nickle finish.
I did not offer this gun to my niece because I believe it is in an unsafe condition. I have tagged the gun as such and it is stored in the back of one of my safes.

 

[Sal1950]

My dad was a WW II Infantry vet, as am I a Viet Nam vet.
He left me his M1 Garrand, M1 Carbine, 1911 45 ACP and an old Lefever DB shotgun that was his fathers.
He ingrained in me a love of shooting and going to the range.
Thanks for everything pop !