Gun Show Last Nite..............UPDATE

[.45colt]

My Wife has had a close Friend for many years. I have talked to Her Friends Parents many times at picnics ar other Family events. Her Father has been a lifelong NRA member,and all around Sportsman His entire Life,and We can sit and talk for hours.These people are the Salt of the Earth,worked, raised their Kids right and retired.they are now pushin 80 and have decided to downsize. I got a call from ..I'll call Him Gramp, last week that He was going to go thru some stuff and would I like to take a look.sure I said I'll be there.
We arrived and the Girls took off to the Craft Room and I was led to a couple of bedrooms where laid out were more than 30 leverguns. I was nearly speechless. 16 Savage 99's, 11 Winchester 88's and 4 early model 94's. The Jewel was saved for last an original 1895 Winchester SRC 30-06 with a Lyman reciver sight that was olmost like New. One early 99 30-30 was in unfired condition I would have bought but had allready been promised to a Family member. I looked at the Guns and talked for hours and ended up not buying anything,but Thanked them for the evening. They are truly a Blessed remarkable Couple.
Update 7/9 .... Gramp and His Wife had an estate auction yesterday, attended by I would guess several hundred people. the small stuff and contentents of the barns took all morning. the Guns were laidout on tables in the garadge and were previewed at 1:00 so all could see what they were bidding on later.
The gun auction started at 3:00 with a group of about 100 in attendance. of the 94's the lowest price I rember was $475, a golden spike commeritive brought $700. The Win 88's and Savage 99's were in just about every calibre and configuration.there were 18 rifles in this group and the lowest price of the group was $575 for a 99eg, several of the 88's went for more than 1k and even the old 99's in 303sav went for more than $600. on some of these the bidding was fast and furious.
All in all 25 guns were sold in 40min. I was amazed at the prices many of the guns sold for.it is clear to Me that old Leverguns have a tremendous following away from the big city.It was a Happy/Sad day but something that needed to be done. I am priveliged to know these fine folks

[Mescalero]

Sounds familiar, with no one to leave my guns to; I have stared to give mine away.
Three so far, but still; there are few viable, suitable people to give to.

[stickfred]

Great story there .45colt. Looks like the type that'll have some wipin' the drool off their keyboards.

[AJMD429]

Sounds familiar, with no one to leave my guns to; I have stared to give mine away. Three so far, but still; there are few viable, suitable people to give to.

I'll send a mailing label to you later this week...

Seriously though, it's like parting with pets - they need a 'good home'. Worst would be some punk who'd just saw the barrel and stock off and stick it under a truck seat (granted, there ARE guns that wouldn't have a better use), but even if someone just sort of "didn't appreciate" the wonderful old .32-20 you'd repaired, re-bedded, and got a load to shoot 1" groups with, it would suck. They might just stick the gun in the corner to rust away, preferring to shoot their AR-15 or whatever.

I think the BEST solution is often to find younger people and spend enough time hunting or shooting with them to be sure they appreciate the right things, and give/sell/bequeath to them.

I had an older gentleman give me a very nice viewfinder-type Zeiss camera when I was only about 12 years old, and even at the time, I couldn't believe he thought I'd appreciate it and/or take care of it. I guess his judgement was sound in that I still have it and took good care of it. Gotta admit I don't use it now though, since I have a digital one that is SO much easier to take the kinds of photos with I like to take (close-up wildflowers, in particular).

[J Miller]

Sounds familiar, with no one to leave my guns to; I have stared to give mine away.
Three so far, but still; there are few viable, suitable people to give to.

Um me, me, pick me!!!! See Joe waving his hands, I'm suitable people

Joe

[MrMurphy]

I carry a Glock and shoot an accessorized AR-15. Mostly because i've spent half my life with one in my hand including 3 years on duty.

But some of us "young" guys (33 going on 34) still appreciate the old stuff too. I have a 3 (and growing) rifle collection of Lee-Enfields, a Marlin the same age as me, etc...

I've known some 'old' guys who don't appreciate stuff properly either. Just mindset.

I'd love an old '73 in .44-40 or something. Odds of being able to afford it, even a replica? Probably not.

[earlmck]

I have some friends who have wonderful gun collections, but haven't shot most of these in many years. And they have no one special to pass them on to and I feel bad for them. So I have come to realize how lucky I am to have grandkids who think many of my old guns are really really neat. So I take advantage of these upstarts: once a year I open up the gun safe and make them choose something to go home with. They think this is great, and I make room to acquire something else to play with for a while.

I've got considerable enjoyment out of watching grandkids try to figure out the ins 'n outs of old guns I've long since enjoyed my own figuring. I recommend doing some passing along while we are still "in the game" rather than waiting for the reading of a will. Kinda' doubles the pleasure, so to speak.

[Griff]

I have some friends who have wonderful gun collections, but haven't shot most of these in many years. And they have no one special to pass them on to and I feel bad for them. So I have come to realize how lucky I am to have grandkids who think many of my old guns are really really neat. So I take advantage of these upstarts: once a year I open up the gun safe and make them choose something to go home with. They think this is great, and I make room to acquire something else to play with for a while.

I've got considerable enjoyment out of watching grandkids try to figure out the ins 'n outs of old guns I've long since enjoyed my own figuring. I recommend doing some passing along while we are still "in the game" rather than waiting for the reading of a will. Kinda' doubles the pleasure, so to speak.

I have yet to be disavowed of the notion that "giving" is better for the giver than the givee. Having only one child, my decision is pre-ordained. And since he enjoys them as much as I do... I feel blessed that we get to share them now... rather than just him reminiscing. Time enough for that in 30 or so years when I'm gone.

[Richard]

I have some friends who have wonderful gun collections, but haven't shot most of these in many years. And they have no one special to pass them on to and I feel bad for them. So I have come to realize how lucky I am to have grandkids who think many of my old guns are really really neat. So I take advantage of these upstarts: once a year I open up the gun safe and make them choose something to go home with. They think this is great, and I make room to acquire something else to play with for a while.

I've got considerable enjoyment out of watching grandkids try to figure out the ins 'n outs of old guns I've long since enjoyed my own figuring. I recommend doing some passing along while we are still "in the game" rather than waiting for the reading of a will. Kinda' doubles the pleasure, so to speak.

What a wonderful idea. You can't takem' with you but you can 'send them ahead' so to speak, enjoying the smiles and eyes of your grandchildren. Long after you're gone each one will reminisce fondly about their grandfather.

[smokenrust]

"Great story there .45colt. Looks like the type that'll have some wipin' the drool off their keyboards."
I was not so lucky, I had to buy my grandfathers and my uncles guns. The 25WCF before the auction at appraised value and his early >-336-A-< during the auction... ouch bidding against gun collectors and I had to let the others go.
On the othe hand, I got to share the guns my dad had and My guns with him. Eventually his were left to me in his passing. I miss those days when his guns were used while hunting with him.
He talked about trading an 1886 40-65 octagon barreled rifle off for a 1894 32WS Oct. barreled rifle. I thought one day I would find an 1886 like it and bring it home to see what his reaction would be. Alas that day never came. But I still watch for an 'affordable' 1886 that was as good as the one he was holding in a picture with a big racked buck on the fender of his old model A Ford car.
If you don't have kids, maybe you got nephews or nieces, or great nephews that might get a hankering to target shoot and hunt with you. I gave my nephews several guns as they were growing up, And they still have them.
Anyone know where theres a nice 1886 40-65? Maybe even to hold it and shoot some powder in it?

[Mescalero]

One niece, no interest.
Not the type you want to give a gun to.I still owe YK a pistol for his daughter.
Still have not found the barrel YK, I know I have it...........somewhere.

[awp101]

I've got it fairly easy. Two stepsons and a nephew. Number One Son has a passing interest in shooting (which I hope to expand when he and my DiL move back to Texas), The Boy is more interested and is working on his own stable of pwoder burners and my nephew has been introduced to shooting by my Dad, my sister's boyfriend and myself. At 10 y/o he seems to have developed an affinity for the .22 AR my sister's boyfriend has.

For certain the boys will get the couple of things my MiL gave me when my FiL died (who was never really a shooter) and my nephew will get the .22 my Grandfather taught me to shoot with. The rest of the combined accumulation will probably be passed on as earlmck described.

The Para LTC (including .22 conversion), Rem 1858 5.5" and .357 Marlin may go into the ground with me though...

[.45colt]

BTT.

[Hobie]

Thanks for the update.

[Dave]

Sounds like your friends have things figured out. It is always is nice when special guns go to special people. It can be a challenge to find the right people to give them to though. I think a man should try hard to find someone in the younger generation whether they are a family member or not who is worthy and help them get in the game.

Only one of my kids is really gunny and she is not even close to an actual gun nut. I have met a boy who is a bona fide gun nut, nd he reminds me of myself at his age very much. As long as he stays on the right road I will likely slide him a gun or two and have already helped his Dad find him very good deals on some guns he wanted.

It is always special when someone gives you something you really admire that you could not afford to buy.