Getting older, what is your firearms endgame?

Slufstuff

Slufstuff

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I am posting this in the auto forum since I have mainly S&W 3rd gen autos and I do most of my reading and posting here.

I am 57 years old, retired from government service (mix of military and civil service) and I have accumulated a fair number of firearms. (about 70 or so) The majority are S&W autos, with a few revolvers, shotguns, AR-15's, US military, etc. mixed in. I have two adult children, but neither is a gun nut like me. I am doubtful of having any grand children. My kids are not anti-gun, but just do not look at them as much more than their old man's hobby. I do not shoot as much as I used too and have no real interest in shooting competition, so most of my pistols are just looked at and cleaned on occasion.

I am wondering what older S&W collectors/owners think about how to handle their collections. Are you going to keep them all and let your estate/family dispose of them? Giving them to family members? Other plans?

I am giving some thought to putting aside a few for my continued use and self defense purposes, and disposing the bulk while I am young enough to take my time and get the best price for them. I do not want my wife to be burdened with disposing of them, and as I said earlier, my kids will only want/need a couple. Honestly, on a government pension, the money I could raise would pay for some additional travel opportunities for me and my wife when she retires in a couple of years. I am not looking to create any controversy, mainly want to see what the consensus opinion is on this forum. TIA for any feedback.
 
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What I am starting to think about as well. Have a few to pass, a few I want to still get, and the rest I should sell off towards the new one or two. Don't have as large as collection as you, but it would make things easier in the end
 
I waver around on this a bit. At times I lean toward the dispose-of-now approach and at other times I think let someone else worry over it when I'm gone. :D I still shoot and enjoy shooting so normally I am in no hurry to liquidate. If something happened that I lost interest in shooting (not likely), or (more likely) something happened that I was just physically not able to shoot any longer, then I would probably kick liquidating into high gear, if I was able. Not much of a plan, I admit, but it's the plan I have for the foreseeable future. If you've lost interest, finding new homes for your old friends might be both profitable and fun for you. You will have the satisfaction of knowing your guns have (at least as far as you are able) gone on to another good home. :)
 
guns

it sounds that you have the right plan, as for myself i have a son and a grandson and a grand daughter who love my guns. i have told them just to do what ever they want with them, most of them they will keep except for a few mausers that they don't have much use for. but every gun i have has a very large supply of ammo with each caliber. i am sure they will keep all the older s&w revolvers, all pre-lock. but you are correct to not put it on your wife to get rid of, alot of people will take advantage.
 
oneounceload said:
What I am starting to think about as well. Have a few to pass, a few I want to still get, and the rest I should sell off towards the new one or two. Don't have as large as collection as you, but it would make things easier in the end
Click to expand...

Yes, even as I am thinking about my endgame, there are several 3rd gen's I would buy if given the opportunity. But I am definitely not in my old keep everything mindset.
 
Kind of in the same situation as the OP with adult kids having no interest and maybe grandkids but not counting on that. I'll be 60 in a few weeks. Collected for about 40 years now. I'll keep a few but probably will start within the next few years selling off the majority. My way of thinking is I will have as much fun or more selling as I have had when chasing and buying over the years. I want the pleasure of seeing someone that will appreciate them and be as excited as I was when I acquired them. Don't really like the idea of waiting until after I'm gone and the family doing a mass sell off to a pawn shop or gun store. It's hard to convey to your spouse or kids the real enjoyment you've had and the real value of each unique piece. So God willing I want to be in control of my collection now while I still can.
 
Kinda funny to see this because I have been thinking the same thing. I have a much smaller collection but the sum total is worth quite a few bucks. It bothers me that my wife - I'm older than her so she'll likely outlive me - will prolly just let some liquidator come in and give her a few nickels on the dollar of what they're worth. So, I'm still torn - I have maybe, hopefully, 10 more healthy years then most of them will probably have to go. I don't think they'll let me have a gun safe at the old age home!!
 
I'm 65 and planned on spending my retirement years attempting to wear out the barrel on every gun I own. Two years ago I blew a disc in my back that basically crippled me. Now I'm lucky to get to the range to sight in a rifle for hunting.

I have two daughters. One hunts but is not fanatical about it. The other one shoots, but is married to a guy that never handled a gun before their marriage. The oldest one has three kids, but shows no interest in having me teach them to shoot and hunt. They live eight hours away, anyway. The other daughter, the hunter, is childless.

Luckily, I spent my money mostly on US and foreign martial firearms. I don't have a single rifle that is not worth considerably more than I paid for it. I developed a fascination for S&W handguns back in college and still have the first one I bought. I don't believe in selling them. I also have a number of firearms that were purchased with Cabela's points and didn't cost me a dime.

I will give my hunting daughter and her husband the guns that I received from people that I cared about; uncles, aunts, etc. They will also get the guns that they were loaned and shot their first animals with. My daughter also has requested a couple that she likes.

The rest of them, save for a few self-defense firearms and favorite hunting rifles, will be auctioned off and the money go into my trust. If I spend it, and I thoroughly plan on trying, the funds will supplement my retirement or maybe one last hunting trip for something like antelope or deer from a blind where I don't have to walk more than 50 yards.
 
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I am 73. I shoot three or four times a week, several thousand rounds annually. I am still buying firearms, mostly handguns. I will have one on me when I finally go belly-up and my Son has promised I will have one (probably a cheap one like a Glock) in my pocket when they put me under the daisies. While my Son is not as fanatical as I am he loves guns and will get his share. My Daughter is a shooter and has two sons who are almost as gun crazy as their Grand-dad. My will says my Son gets first choice, then my Daughter gets the next choice.....they then rotate selection until all 100+ are divided up. That is my plan of disposal.
 
I have thought about it.
But I'm still buying guns.
First, I need to cease and desist acquisitions!
And I have a bunch of other fairly expensive stuff besides guns.
I don't really want to sell any of that stuff either.
The real 'risk' is your kids-heirs will just dump it cheap after you depart.
You can be in control in the here and now, let's hear an Amen from all you type A's.
But it's harder to do from the next level.
I have already started dialogue like- everybody take some guns.
And don't sell the rest too cheap!
I guess the real reason I don't want to sell is it would signify that I'm thinking of departing.
Well I ain't!
 
I've been kicking this issue around too. No family members that I want them to go to leaves the future of the collection in limbo. Bottom line is, I guess, should I convert them to something my heirs would enjoy more, or keep them because I enjoy them now? Perhaps liquidate the majority and buy a Corvette? But I really don't want a Corvette, or I'd already have one. I still enjoy the possessions in the safe, so loosing sleep over who gets them upon my demise seems like a cause just to worry about. Perhaps just have them auctioned off when I pass. That seems the best way to capture the value in my general area even with the auctioneer fees. All that said, it still bothers me a bit. Perhaps I am most saddened by the fact that there is only one person in my family that would enjoy them, and it will be over my dead body that he has a chance to do so (being a money grubbing scheister).
 
So far I have all of my duty weapons that will be gifted to my grandsons. I would hope after I pass they will cherish them and remember me. I have a few heirloom guns that will go to my kids. I have others that hold no sentimental value, are not connected to myself or past family members and will be sold for hopefully more than I told my wife I paid for them. I will eventually keep a few of my favorites with instructions for whoever survives me to keep or sell as they choose.

The problem is my kids think I will be keeping all for them to inherit and that won't be the case. Maybe a few if they express a strong interest, but other than the heirloom guns, this is just money I have tied up in a collection. I plan to enjoy or profit from it.
 
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Slufstuff said:
I am giving some thought to putting aside a few for my continued use and self defense purposes, and disposing the bulk while I am young enough to take my time and get the best price for them. I do not want my wife to be burdened with disposing of them, and as I said earlier, my kids will only want/need a couple.
Click to expand...

This^^^+1;)
 
I'm 64,with no interest in shooting any of mine,for a variety of reasons.Frankly,it was always more about quality stuff and nice wood,even for the handguns. No kids or wife,no friends with the interest,and I'm not going to saddle my sister with dealing with more than just a very few..I had a nice collection but I've sold most of mine.No regrets,except for one or two that I should have held for a better price.I'll probably sell a few more this fall.
Heresy for most of you,but one or two rimfire handguns,and one or two rimfire rifles will do me fine for the rest of the ride.
 
Plan to pass on two to my son. A clay target shotgun and his grandfather's bringback 98k. Rest I will sell
 
My circumstances are remarkably similar to the OP. I have kept two 4513TSWs and two like new 39XX series pistols in reserve, to get me to the end of my handgunning days.

I did keep my duty pistols, 4506-1 and 4566. They still see range time regularly. And I bought a cheap small safe which I keep my current carry guns in, 457, CS45 and CS9.

I am selling off my collec..........accumulation and am enjoying the proceeds from same with wife 2.0

I have some very nice and very scarce pieces which have given me triple the return on my investment. I plan to sell down to just my carry guns and reserve pieces. If or when, I can no longer shoot 45s quickly and accurately, I will sell them and probably just go down to the two 39XX series guns.

The rest of the revolvers will go by this time next year. And I plan to enjoy the vacations and other items they will provide for me. ;) :) Regards 18DAI
 
Funny this came up now.. I have been intending to thin the herd for several years. Sell one occasionally but usually buy two more.

Finally this week I decided to get serious. I gave a friend and fellow forum member a bunch to peddle on his gun show tables.
Didn't hurt as much as I thought it would.

I have some sentimental and special guns that will go to my Son and Grandson, but the rest will turn out to be a burden for my wife, so now it begins.

On the other hand, I also told him to be on the watch for a certain gun in his travels.

It ain't over until it's over.
 
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