Advise for Grandpa regarding handguns

[dschaupp]

Is this the appropriate forum for advise/wisdom on handguns for use by family members (six sons + twele grandchildren) for plunking and hunting?

The question revolves around would it be better to sell all or part of my collection and buy new specific handguns or keep what I have.

I have pictures and descriptions for each gun if this is the place to share the information - If this is not the place please redirect me.

Thanks in Advance
Don

 

[omega]

This is a fine place for the discussion and we would love to see your collection.

 

[sophijo]

Grandpa

Don.......one of the things I've figured out about having a nifty gun collection is that the kids and grandkids will lineup to kiss your butt to get in the will! It's a good thing. I've parleyed it into dinners, babysitting, going fishing with grandpa, getting help with chores etc......so don't sell a thing! In fact I take both little and big buggers with me to the gunshop. Note "wows" and try to add that gun to your collection. Oh....one other thing. Never loan em out. If they want to use them they gotta come out to the farm.......and grandpa loves apple pie!!!

 

[johnwilliamson062]

.one of the things I've figured out about having a nifty gun collection is that the kids and grandkids

and neighbors, friends, co-workers, me, etc.

I would not sell any of the guns unless you don't like to shoot them. If you look into the safe at a gun and say to yourself 'Uggh, I hate that POS, wish I never bought it,' sell it. I have sold a couple of my starter guns to budding shooters and have not been very happy with what ended up happening to them.

I wouldn't feel any responsibility to provide any of your younger children/grandchildren anything more than an H&R single shot to get started. For under $200 you can get an H&R single shot suitable for almost any hunting task.

 

[AirForceShooter]

Another granps here.
My rule is I give what I think they want and I'm doing it while I'm alive.
If I wind up with a .22 for my own and everything else is gone that's fine.

AFS

 

[aarondhgraham]

Ain't it the truth,,,,,

Someone said: "the kids and grandkids will lineup to kiss your butt to get in the will"

My "papa" had a veritable arsenal when we were little and we all would have sold any of the other cousins to the gypsies to ensure our favorite firearm went to us.

My gawsh but we were a greedy pack of young-uns,,,
I have no idea how Papa made his decision as to who got what back then.

I got his 8mm Mauser and the P-38 his older brother had brought back from Europe,,,
I think I got the best pair but the neatest thing is every time I see the P-38 or the Mauser,,,
I think good thoughts about my departed Papa.

The only advice I can give is this,,,
Make your own decision as to who gets what,,,
Don't do like my uncle and leave a closet full for the kids to fight over.

That led to a truly nightmarish display of greed and malice among the kids.

Aarond

 

[Cremon]

Aarond - thank you for that advice. I have a few guns and slowly add to the collection from time to time. I have 3 kids but they are still young (teen and preteen). I'll be sure and be specific about who gets what later. I like customizing my guns to make them truly special so I'd like these to be family heirlooms.

 

[Buzzcook]

If you don't have one, buy a .22 for the kids to learn on. You might get a Stevens Favorite for the full old gun effect
Aside from that keep what you've got.

 

[LHB1]

I think one of the smartest things my Dad did was to distribute his guns among 3 sons well before he died. This way there was no quarreling over who got which gun and of course Dad was always welcome to use whichever of "his" guns he wanted during his last few years.

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

my wifes dad, was a pretty big collector, his son died when he was 16, & my wife tried as best she could to fill her big brothers shoes... her older sister, & her husband had no interest & hated guns... I think he was pleased as punch, when my wife & I started dating... & I think he groomed me to take care of his collection after he was gone...

I took to the responsability as best I could... 1st thing I did, was give all his shooting buddys, cousins, & other family members the chance to buy at current market prices, any gun that held special memories to them... only 5-6 family members took me up on the offer, & we lost all 3 of the 30-30 lever action rifles, along with several other interesting guns, but I was comfortable all of them went to good homes... next I sold off the "junk", & any of the pieces that didn't seem to follow some sort of theme... next, I used that money to add to the collection, & help incorporate the guns I'd bought before he died into "the" collection...

Honestly, you never know what your heirs will attach themselves too... some of what means the most to me, are guns that meant the most to him... if you do not have a couple "jr." guns, I agree with adding them, in the format of your particular collection, to get them shooting & interested... those 1st guns might mean the most to them down the road, or it might be the rifle they borrow later in life, that they shoot their 1st deer, or the shotgun they got their 1st pheasant, or whatever with, & they ask to borrow every year after that ???

 

[rburch]

Oh....one other thing. Never loan em out.

Good advice there, and on that note I need to get my grandfather's GP-100 back to him.

It's been in my cabinet for about 6 years...

I think he's shot 2 rounds out of it one of the times I was up at his place shooting, even though he's had it for about 12 years.

He really doesn't shoot much anymore though.

I've put a lot of rounds through it, and really he's glad it's getting some use.

In any case I've kinda staked a claim to it.

 

[Pyzon]

I think the advice of gifting the collectible stuff before going the trip might be good advice, whether it be guns or whatever if fear of siblings or whomever fighting over it later exists.

But now that I write this, maybe selling everything now would be better too, when you realize how often bad behaviour shows up soon after somebody passes.

I'm amazed and saddened when kids or others get really interested in things after somebody dies that they showed absolutely no interest in before, especially things that the use of gave so much pleasure to the owner as a hobby. I'm so glad I went out of my way to do some of the things that brought a smile to my dads face while alive, but we had a number of hobbies or interests in common.

 

[schutzen]

Passing Guns On

When my sons married and moved to their own homes, I gave them a good start on firearms; shotguns, rifles, and handguns. I have 2 daughters who are not interested in firearms, but I have given each of them a quality defensive handguns. If they take up shooting before I am gone, I will insure they have a selection similar to the boys. As the Grandchildren come along (4 so far), I will see that they have safe reliable firearms to learn with.

Now what happens when Dad is gone? Hopefully that will be many years in the future, but you never know. I have my Great-Grandfathers rifle and my Grandfathers rifle. Those will go to a family member or members who 1st) is a rifle shooter, and 2nd) carry the family name. My hunting rifle goes to my oldest son, because he has made some awesome rifle shots with it. My shotgun goes to my youngest son because he won the 4-H State Trap shoot with that gun. My service pistol (no it is not US Army issue, but yes I did carry it, regulations were not as tightly enforced then) goes to my youngest son because he is a soldier and served in the same division as I did. My son-in-law and my future son-in-law (2nd daughter) then get 1st picks. From then on; they get to chose starting with the oldest to the youngest, then youngest to oldest, and switching back and forth until the guns are gone or none of them want to keep them as remembrances of Dad. The remaining guns, if any, will be sold.

Along with this, Dad is thinning out and up grading his gun collection. I have dropped back from roughly 100+ guns to 50-60.

 

[BigJimP]

Another Grandpa here ....... 3 boys / 1 girl / and 10 grandkids now ( from 6 mos - to 18 yrs old ). I'm only 60, so there is a ways to go before I die, I hope ....

For my kids (this year ) - I've set them up with a quality S&W revolver in .357 mag, a semi-auto handgun in 9mm, a semi-auto .22, a Trap gun ( Browning Citori XT) , a Skeet gun or general purpose shotgun (Browning Citori XS Skeet ), a Browning BPS pump gun ....and a safe to put it in.

For the Grandkids - I tend to keep it simple / like a good Browning BPS pump gun in 12ga if they show an interest when they're about 16.

The rest of the collection will be earmarked for one of the boys - but if for any reason my wife or I need the money ( it will be sold )...

 

[dschaupp]

Wow!! Thanks for all the good input.

You suggestions have been very helpful in helping me organizing my thoughts


Here are a couple of pics

 

[dschaupp]

And a few more

Here are a few more

 

[Coltman 77]

Beautiful Handguns

Very nice collection dschaupp!

The Hi Powers are especially beautiful.

 

[aarondhgraham]

Are you interested in adopting a grandson?,,,

I'll be more than happy to be your devoted 58 year-old grandson for a shot at those Hi-Powers.

I'm potty trained and generally acceptable in polite company,,,

Your future grandson,,,

Aarond H. Graham

 

[dschaupp]

A Full Quiver Thanks

With six sons, one daughter, and twelve grandchildren my cup is full.

Here are a few others

 

[dschaupp]

Ballistics question

What level of 9mm can the Colt 380 pictured above safely handle?