Why would you sell grandpa's revolver?

[BC38]

I have two sons who will inherit my firearms. The older one will almost certainly keep the ones he gets. The younger one, possibly not. Hopefully they will be able to "trade" stuff back and forth so that they older boy ends up keeping most of them. I'm not bothered by the the fact that the younger boy probably won't keep them. They just aren't his "thing".

For myself, I'd gladly pay two or three times market value to get any of my dad's or granddad's guns. Unfortunately, that is unlikely to ever happen. I'm thankful to have the smooth-bore black powder rifle my dad scratch built (just for grins) after he retired. I couldn't put a price on that one.

 

[Tom_R]

My sons have my express permission to sell whatever I leave them.

Guns, art, cars, coins you name it.

We get too wrapped up into things.

That Model 19 is beautiful and it found a great home.

But it is just a thing. It's not a relic, it's not the Holy Grail.

But I am glad that it ended up in a good home, like I said.

 

[daddy bear]

Both SILs are wealthy enough that selling my stuff is not a priority. One of them covets my engraved custom Springfield and I intend for him to have it.

The daughters and grand daughters like to shoot. They all want a shotgun and a .22. The daughters already have their shotguns, and I have a ..22 for all six of the ladies. Oldest granddaughter already has hers.

Two daughters have long had their personal protection handgun. One chose a M60 and the other picked my 1908 Colt pocket .380. I also have J-frames for the other ladies.

Wife has instructions on how and where to sell the rest.

Shifting gears. I bought my first year Marlin 336 ADL minutes after an ungrateful hippy sold it to a dealer for a rediculous low ball price because his hippy girl friend did not want it in the house. The gun had honest wear but no rust. My price $200 OTD.

Some folks are that way. Dad gave most of his guns to his only grandson bearing his sir name. Sisters kids got one each and my oldest daughter got one. I went out to visit him in later years. His second wife was a good Democrat and was having a garage sale while Dad had gone to the farm to see about things. She had sold his remaining guns except two and most of the ammo. I rescued what was left after a few harsh words. She did not like guns!

We have a fine .32-20 S&W hand ejector from 1919 in excellent shape, both in finish and mechanics, and a LC Smith hammer double that is well used, but mechanically sound that belonged to her grandfather, father, and brother in succession. FIL was a great quail hunter, and we hunted together until he just could not go any longer, well into his eighties. Now I'm getting there myself. Those guns are more memories than hardware. The LC rests in our home in the antlers of a way past prime mule deer that I consider a real trophy.

Takes all kinds,

Jack

 

[gwpercle]

When you're young you're foolish , some gain wisdom with age and some just stay foolish their whole lives.
Plastic Wonder Guns....yeah , one day he might realize just what a dumb deal he made. I made a few , but thanks to my Dad's good advice , I didn't make many.
Nice score , don't feel too guilty...thank of it as a teaching experience !
Gary

 

[22hipower]

Interesting discussion, wish I had some guns from my dad and grandfather, unfortunately neither of them had an interest in firearms or hunting. On the other hand, I do appreciate that other's have parted with their grandad's guns. Over the years I've acquired quite a few, most from pawn shops, which I figured showed up when grandad passed. Some of those are a Model of 1926 Wolf and Klar, a pre 23, a pre 21 Military, a pre 24, a couple pre 26s, several pre 17s/18s, and a pre war 1st Model Colt 38 Super. Many thanks to those unknown grandads and to their heirs who made it possible for me to temporarily care for some very nice firearms. I know my son and grandsons will keep a few.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[Watchdog]

Look at it this way. At least the gun is now with someone who cares about it.

 

[sandspur6]

Neither of my Grandaddies owned a handgun, but I have both of their shotguns. My son wants them when I'm done with them. He also loves my guns as much as I do and knows the values of them. My wife knows to defer to him should they ever decide to get rid of any of them. Some of the newer stuff might get sold, but I'm betting that all my Smiths, Colts, Remingtons and Winchesters will go straight to his house. I am comforted by that thought.

 

[Snapping Twig]

I have my Grandfather's 12ga SxS Fox Sterlingworth. My Dad wasn't a gun guy, didn't want me to have it, but after he passed, I moved mountains to get it.

All my handguns have a card with them including the date I made the card, what the gun is by model number and the value and features at the time I made the card.

I need to make some cards for the long guns.

 

[Absalom]

My dad wasn't into handguns in later life and didn't own any when he passed several years ago, but we didn't keep any of his rifles and shotguns. I'm the only other gun guy in the family, and he had nothing I really needed. A doctor friend of his had expressed interest in buying the whole batch to equip his budding teenage-hunter sons, and we all agreed that Dad would be happiest if those guns continued to be used. Since he always took good care of them, they should serve well for a good time longer. That's the best legacy.

 

[JohnRippert]

I have 4 firearms out of about 30 guns that I plan to pass on to the generations to come. They are going to be listed in the will. The rest I will recommend a local auctioneer family who did right by me when I cut my collection in half. Even if she does not want to shoot my guns my eldest niece is steady enough to keep them until the next generation and find someone to pass them on to.

 

[jswizzle]

That revolver is beautiful. I'd trade my plastic glock for it any day of the week.

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

Even if grandpa was unsavory, no way would I trade a classic wheelgun like that for a plastic bottom feeder. Even looking at it in the strictest sense of value and investment, it was a dumb move on the part of the kid. That Glock will never hold it's value the way old wheelguns do. Nice score OP!

 

[ISCS Yoda]

That is somewhat sad but it is not a great rarity in the overall world outside our gun fraternity. A lot of people don't get attached to family guns simply because of lack of interest, never mind hoplophobia.

My family would in all likelihood sell my guns because even the ones that love guns live in anti-gun jurisdictions and coming into possession of my firearms would likely be a big hassle for them. Maybe they might keep one or three but that's it. Maybe.

When the grandsons are old enough and can possess guns I will try to make arrangements to give guns to them because if I can facilitate it that might be easier for them.

 

[wundudnee]

I am fortunate that my son knows and appreciates good firearms. I also just finished tagging all my guns and numbered them to a matching card with notes on collectability, value and condition. Many will be shared with family, the rest will be consigned to a trusted dealer.

 

[Lee's Landing Billy]

Charles Darwin said....I spent my youth in a blunder..my middle age in a struggle..and my old age in regret. It's just stuff. I am firmly convinced some local moron will one day be digging fish bait with one of my many Randall Knives. Hmmmm, now that I think about it, that's what they were made for!

 

[retiredbadge8091]

My grandpa (maternal side) left behind a few guns. It was my living grandma who actually gave me the 16 gauge Ward's Triumph side by side. Still, it was my grandpa's gun and I'll pass it down to my son, who I hope will be able to pass it on to my grandson. Some folks just aren't sentimental, for whatever reason.

 

[flyfishinjunkee]

Would I? Sure why not if I didn't like it... I don't see why some around here make SUCH a big deal out of things like this...

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[686-380]

I hate to admit this but I first stumbled on this site, looking for the value and history of my mom's 15-2.

I have since acquired a 686-6, Governor and M69...And I still have the 15-2!

 

[cmansguns]

Some of the reason I collect (or more accurately "accumulate") guns and the wife antique furniture/glass ware is seasoned with a healthy dose of nostalgia but not for things we wanted, rather things owned, and used by our parents, grandparents, or people of those "eras".

My interests in Military long guns and handguns came not from my time in the Army in the late 60's, rather from listening and talking to real WWII and Korea vets. They taught me things in my own trade in life as well as taught me my first "Garand thumb" (and afterwards...how to avoid it). My wife has learned the differences of 1930's, 40's handmade North Carolina furniture to machine cranked out big store stuff.

So.....I don't even want an M14 like I carried, but I always look twice at anyone's Garand up for sale, same with Smith's even though one was never "handed down". The wife doesn't look at Christy's or Southbey's for a Louis the whatever parlor table but show her a Mersman 1950 Harp and she's all over it.

Like the other posters..........some of the kids love the guns and will appreciate them, others take it or leave it. I have the book with all details, and the will has the appropriate bequests where desired....the rest.....are just things.

I just remembered.....my wife was bequeathed from her Mom, her Great Grandmothers huge (1.5 Carat) Grade H diamond ring from the 1800's somewhere. The family never had a pile of money and no one ever wrote down any history but that "thing" still sits in our Bank Safe Deposit box, just like it did in my wife's Mom's box at the bank for years and years...so, another "thing" that nobody will sell, but it also hasn't seen the light of day for literally centuries so go figure.

to the OP: a great snag as always

 

[kthom]

Paragain,
That Model 19 is better off with you! It will be appreciated. Most of what I've still got these days are guns I personally appreciate. I realize that others may not feel the same way about them. My solution has been to lay them all out on the floor in front of my two son's and their sons, let them look, and then ask them to write down on a piece of paper which ones they particularly like for any reason. I've mentioned that I'd hate to sell or trade one if they even might be interested in having it for a keeper.

All of them participated with, as you might guess, some overlap in the ones each likes. Since I can no longer see the iron sights on my lever guns, I have already passed them along since preferences were identified for each of the boys. I still have a couple. My two oldest grandsons have graduated high school, and after confirming that they still liked the gun at the top of their lists, I gave each of them that gun for a graduation gift. And I told them, if your mind changes about it in the future, it's your gun. Do with it what you like. I don't want them to think they have to keep it just because it came from me. However, I suspect they will keep them, and I'm glad. I gave each of my son's a very nice 1911 which I enjoyed owning, but which I really did not and would not likely use. They were thrilled.

What I'm trying to say is that I'm not waiting for them to get some of my guns until after I die. That may happen too, but the ones that I have given before that time comes, I have a good feeling that they really wanted and will appreciate them. Bonus for them, and bonus for me!!!
The value of my guns is their worth to me ... not so much to anyone else. My two sons both have some pretty old rifles that were passed down to me by their grandfathers. They prize them because of their history and the stories their grandfathers shared with them. Those are keepers for sure, and I'll have a few when the time comes they will feel the same way about. And I've suggested to them more recently that I may just pass them along one of these days before I pass along myself just to keep them from fussing about who gets what. I told 'em if I get wind of them having any hard words over my junk, I will find a way if I can to keep them awake at night!!! These things can certainly have sentimental value, and that's great, but they are just things. I've enjoyed having, shooting, and owning them. They have paid their way. What they are worth, if anything, after I'm gone won't be any concern of mine!! And I am twice blessed that my sons and grandsons share my love for shooting, hunting, and target shooting. Two of my grandsons and one of my granddaughters brought home their first deer and turkey way before their graduation date. I suspect more of them will as they get old enough and have the opportunity, and they will likely have the opportunity. That makes me happy!! What we give away, especially if an interest is shown or a desire is expressed, exponentially increases the value of such things to us!