packed away gun friends

[Ivan the Butcher]

I moved 9 years ago. I had most of my long guns in storage for about 2 years. (My F-I-L has a walk in gun vault and was nice enough to let me keep about 125 guns there.) Then I was busy and didn't get to uncrate several for a few more years. I opened one case of lever actions, it contained: Marlin First Year Guide Gun 45-70, 1986 production Browning 1886 45-70, Uberti 1873 24" 44 Special, and Marlin 1980's production 1894 CL in 32-20.

I couldn't believe how glad I was to be in the presence of 4 of my favorite rifles! Some guns seem to have a personality and a couple of my bolt guns do. BUT it seems almost all lever guns become personal friends. This crew of guns feel like they are always trying to help me shoot well.

I know I'm weird but does anyone else have guns that feel like family?

Ivan

 

[Yaworski]

I know I'm weird but does anyone else have guns that feel like family?

I don't even consider dogs to be "family."

 

[Rustyt1953]

My cats are family. My guns are cordless hole punchers.

 

[bwade]

(My F-I-L has a walk in gun vault and was nice enough to let me keep about 125 guns there.) Then I was busy and didn't get to uncrate several for a few more years.

Ivan

The old saying goes "if you haven't needed it for the past year, you need to get rid of it" Are these guns now on the market?

 

[AJ]

If you have not had them out for that long it is time to get rid of them.

 

[murphydog]

You guys are a bunch of old sentimental fools.

Personally I like seeing old friends after a long absence, animate or mechanical.

 

[LVSteve]

The old saying goes "if you haven't needed it for the past year, you need to get rid of it" Are these guns now on the market?

Please do not say this to my wife!

 

[Muley Gil]

Please do not say this to my wife!

Are you talking about your guns or you?

 

[STORMINORMAN]

Are you talking about your guns or you?

Uh, could also be the "party of the 2nd part"...?

Cheers!

 

[A10]

to the OP's question, yes I do. First revolver I owned is my Single Six, first I shot was my Dad's Heavy Duty, first rifle I shot was my Dad's '94 Winchester. Every time I handle one of them they feel so familiar. I shoot each of them well....

 

[CH4]

Working overseas all the time, I often go months without seeing my guns. First thing I do after picking up Dude from his surrogate family, is to open the safes - even if it’s 3am. I miss Dude and my hole-punching friends.

 

[kmyers]

A fair number of them are, but those are ones inherited and passed down from parents, grandparents. Heirlooms, ours to have custody of until they go to another generation within the family.

 

[LVSteve]

Are you talking about your guns or you?

I guess the answer is YES.

 

[Truckman]

I have a closer relationship with my guns than with any remaining members of my family......Ben

 

[Echo40]

Literally every one of my firearms is like family, which I feel is perfectly natural seeing as they provide comfort and are always there when you need them.

Which is unfortunately less than I can say for the majority of humans whom I just so happen to have genes in common with...

 

[NFrameFred]

Have a couple that don't know if I would elevate them to 'like family' but sad to say I like them better than some of my extended family.
But I understand the sentiment. I have mentioned before that after almost 50 years of collecting I went through the phases of trying everything that interested me . . . until it didn't. No longer needed competition guns went away. Certain hunting guns no longer needed - they went away. Eventually I pared down the collection to heirlooms and personal favorites. The 'personal favorites' include carry guns I prefer and pieces that each have a 'story' or 'need' that makes me look at them with satisfaction and sentiment. That's why at this stage of my life it's so hard to send them to their next owners/caretakers even though it's time. So I guess in some slight sense I have sentimental attachments . . . but at the end of the day they're "stuff" . . . "things" . . . not family.