What do you do

rodmkr

Temecula California
with your guns and gear when you can no longer shoot?
As a stroke survivor I am partially crippled and have trouble walking sometimes.
The wife has Dementia and requires a sitter if I go anywhere,
The sitter was charging $10 an hour, now wants $15.
That makes a 3 hour trip to the range after paying range fees almost $100.
Now the range where I shoot has said they will 86 me as I am unable to meet their gun safety standards. ( sometimes impossible to walk with muzzle up and maintain balance) so am contemplating selling it all.
It's not that I can not afford it , it just chappes my posterior that it has all come at one time.

So I guess the question is where is the best place or way to do it?

rodmkr
 

MW65

Wetside, Oregon
I have thought about this on occasion... And my thoughts and wishes are that I would like to share my guns and gear with the friends and family who feel the most passionate about the hobby, and willing to carry the torch. When I get to that point, I don't know... But I do have a gift list, and then values just in case something happens.

-Andy
 

Hawk

North Central Texas
This post has hit me hard. I have been worrying about the same thing. I have no sons to pass all my guns to and while my daughter shoots, she is not interested in hunting or most of my rifles. Brothers and nephews may buy a few, but not all of my guns and especially not the reloading and casting stuff.
While my wife can afford to give most of them away, I don't feel it is fair to her to make that decision for her. She can give or sell as she sees fit after she and my daughter decide what to keep or give away.

I have actually put off buying suppressed stuff because of the issues with her transferring it after I'm gone.

I have a friend that is an FFL and sells guns at Gun Shows. I have already had this discussion with him.
He will advise my wife and sell what she doesn't want on consignment or buy it outright from her at a % of fair market value. I hope he outlives me!
I've told her this site has the best group of guys I have ever been associated with. I hope you dont mind, but, I told her to come to ya'll for advice regarding pricing and selling molds and reloading equipment. Offer it here first and other sites later.
I know this is not possible in your case, due to your wife's condition.
I would encourage you to have hope that things will work out for the better.
I'm sure the guys on this site will be proud to help you out, if you are determined to travel down this road.
Have hope that things will get better!
Do you have children or relatives that can help you?
 
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RBHarter

West Central AR
I've begun a full inventory with value vs purchase price and when that is complete I will begin complete disposal information and load data books for each . I know that some of them will just be sold off and that some of them will be treasured for another lifetime or 2 maybe more . I have had a few that I could just dump for a house payment and have as much remorse as swatting a fly on the wall . Most of the loading gear is just tools , there are a few pieces that have significant attachment .

Friends and family rule the day , more so with interest beyond how much it's worth .
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Rodmkr, thank you, sir, for bringing this subject to the forefront. I'm sure we've all thought about it, and many interesting and informative discussions will ensue.

It is a subject that my wife and I have discussed several times. In my case, the guns and all their related paraphernalia will go to my son. Fortunately, my physical and mental health are not of immediate concern, however stuff can happen at any time.

Dementia does not run in my family, but if the first signs were to show up, the guns go immediately. My wife took care of her dementiated mother for 10 or 11 years, and conducted monthly caregiver meetings, at the local Alzheimer's chapter, for five years, thus she is very familiar with the symptoms.

I keep a running detailed inventory of my gun accumulation, so that base is covered. I've been meaning to write biographies about several rifles and at least one revolver -- maybe this discussion will help push me in that direction.

Last year, I gave my son two rifles, and sold three others that had outlived their earlier interests. I foresee an 1896 Swede, an 1891 Argentine, and an 1895 Chilean Mauser sitting in the local gun store's consignment carousels in the not too distant future.

Rodmkr,
I wish you and your wife all the best.
Michael
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Yes, a problem. I have a LOT of "stuff", and will probably need to stop my accumulation phase and
start on the dispersal phase of my life. WAY too much for the nieces to deal with, no kids.

Bill
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
first off your range is run by a bunch of jerks.
instead of berating you they should be encouraging your participation.
how hard is it for one of them to come help carry a rifle or two.

I know how I'm going to handle most of my stuff later.
some of it will be given to another younger struggling person I will find to mentor.
the kids and SIL will end up with the rest and they have been flat told they better learn to use the stuff, or it's gonna be given to someone that will appreciate it.
 
F

freebullet

Guest
Bummer, sorry for your challenges. I'd wait till the next panic & sell what I didn't need. The panics come every 4-8 years it seems.

I like the mentor/pass down ideas. Trouble is the younger generations than me are more interested in Pokemon than freedom preservation & firearms.
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
This is at Tough Thead! Sorry for anyone that has to go through it but I think we all will eventually!
I have decided to enjoy it all now! Because I have no idea what to do. I have one son who I dearly love....but because he was a rock muscial for years he has some bad history...... Everything is all back to normal now that he is in his mid 30's but I'm not certain that things can be passed on !
I have many fine custom flintlock rifles that I have over the years managed to build for myself between customers work! Not easy to put a price on these because I went all out to appease the insanity in me! I have my Dad's guns, My FIL 's guns and My guns also!
Not sure what will all happen to that!
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Damn guys, I am only 53 and this has me thinking. My daughter isn’t that interested.
At some point I will need to thin the herd. For now I want to enjoy them all.

You range needs to get a clue. Someone there could easily lend a hand. Helping an older guy who wants to continue shooting isn’t a burden, it is an honor.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Amen on the range being run by morons. I put it much nicer in print than I would in person! Idiots.

I need to start thinking about this stuff. I know my sons and daughters would want some of the "stuff" but a lot of it has no value or meaning to them. I'm sure my wife will out live me by 10-20 years, so maybe I should get going on it.
 

Jeff H

NW Ohio
I wonder if there isn't some young(er) person who would be willing to be your "gun bearer" at the range - go along, carry the guns, set things up for you. Not always easy to find someone interested, but t would be a good learning opportunity for someone and you'd have at least one person to leave at least one gun to.

Ideas are great, but are worthless without the resources to implement them. I can't think of anyone near me I could recruit for such a relationship, but maybe it's different in your area. Anyone 18 to 60-somethin'?
 

Jeff H

NW Ohio
Got pulled away before getting to this - I cut way back on what I have. I'm not yet sixty, but I started ten years ago. As a caregiver for a loved one, time for this stuff is catch as catch can - fifteen minutes here, maybe an hour or so at a time in the winter for casting. Plan, put off, try again later, get half done,....

I just finally gave up on my "perfect rifle," an 09 Argentine I built as a 6.5x55. Can't hunt deer with it here, don't get time to hunt wood chucks and can't afford jacketed bullets. And they no longer make the ones I liked to use in it. So, what I have left is one Mauser custom my dad built me (257R), some revolvers (personal protection necessities) one 20 gauge and a few Contender Carbines for a few old-fashioned, easy and cheap to cast and load for cartridges that won't beat a guy up in a 5 or 6# carbine.

I have always kept my reloading stuff to a bare minimum anyway as a matter of preference. I've come up with ways to do what I need to do over the years without a lot of specialized equipment. I don't shoot tens of thousands of rounds per year either.

What I have left will not be a major hit even if some dirt-bag (I know a few of these guys) who swoop in after a "friend" passes and offers the widow $150 for a $2k gun and then brag about it. If my daughters want my stuff, great. If they don't, it can be sold easily or if someone does rip off my widow, it won't be for much. I would at least like to see the casting and reloading stuff go to someone who could use it but can't afford it, even thought it's not a room full of stuff. I've always thought I wouldn't mind if someone picked that stuff up cheap at a sale. I've picked up that kind of stuff that way and have always treated it with some reverence and respect, hoping I'm doing the other guy right by keeping it in service and thinking about how he used it.

One last acquisition I'd like to make is a can - 35 cal. I have looked into the disposition after death issue, but as far as I'm concerned, if I only had one, I woldn't care if someone could legally carry it to the SHeriff's Office and simply hand it over for them to worry about. If I had $40k worth of Class III stuff (I know those guys too), it would be different.

rodmkr, PM me if you want. I've dealt with this for several years. Our situations are not identical, but maybe bits and pieces of what I've figured out could help. I don't mind discussing openly here for anyone's benefit, but if you'd rather e-mail or talk on the phone, I'm up for that. For at least a couple weeks, e-mail would be better. Just sent my dad to a city hospital for stroke, so I've got a little more on my plate as of yesterday.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
I don't have a huge number of arms in the safe, and having faced this question in a stark manner about a year ago I came up with some resolutions that are under way as a write this. I got much better results from the surgery in October than anyone has a right to expect, but I have no illusions about my longevity's potential either. I fully did not expect to still be here in May 2019, but I'm not disappointed by that outcome in the least! :cool:

One of the greatest complications in this process is distance--none of our children live anywhere close to us, all have had to leave California in order to find good careers--BECAUSE THIS STATE IS IN ITS DEATH THROES. This includes my two sisters' kids as well. Our daughters have mild-to-moderate interest in gun use and ownership, but none embrace it as a hobby or passion. One nephew might have an interest in reloading, and he and I need to talk seriously about the hobby stuff. He has opportunities in TN to hunt, fish, and shoot that no longer exist in this place. If he doesn't have interest in the hobby side of the matter, I will likely donate the tools in some fashion. It beats having to pay someone to haul them off. Harsh-sounding, I know--but if the ammo/components shortages and panic buying over the past few years taught us anything it is that most of the sellers and buyers in this hobby field are the polar opposite of altruistic. I would rather that my tools and toys wind up in a landfill--and my firearms get melted in a foundry--than have those Captain Menshevik buccaneers make a dime from their disposition. That is not a fitting end for things I have enjoyed and in some cases loved--But I also don't want to spend the last few months of my life dickering with vultures over the shreds and shards of my life's accumulations. I have seen that in real time--more than once. I don't want to inflict that on my wife or myself--ever. Investment worth? Collector value? You can't take it with you. A bit of Tolstoy, a short story to illustrate the matter--How Much Land Does A Man Need?
 

popper

Well-Known Member
I'm trying to use it all up before I expire. Cast stuff that is. Don't have that much in reloading stuff but guns and optics are a problem. SIL and his kids will probably get it and get to dispose of what they don't want. I did find a group that aids vets with fishing stuff so I know where that will go. I keep a cost inventory but not really for any reason but insurance. Yes, not many 'shooters' are altruistic. A fellow who recently passed had a FULL bedroom sized walk-in gun cabinet. Family basically got pennies on the $ to a auction broker. Real nice collection of leverguns and revolvers. Treat it like your car when you go, nobody want it, off to auction.
As to the range, I have a small dolly to carry stuff but it is still hard to get in and out of the car. I've seen several with a 4 wheel foldable cart, even golf type carrier for rifles. They help some but yea, when you can't see or think right, time to stop. Saw an older guy try to go get his target when the range was hot. Not good.
 
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KHornet

Well-Known Member
I have been thinning my hurd by giving one firearm to
Brad each Christmas for the past few years. If I live to be
90 he will get 10 more.

Paul
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
I have been thinning my hurd by giving one firearm to
Brad each Christmas for the past few years. If I live to be
90 he will get 10 more.

Paul

There are far worse methods than this for these dispositions.
 
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Intheshop

Banned
Got 4 sons and 1/2 dz Gbabies,they've already started getting stuff.

The point of post however;

We just got back from one of the nicest traditional bow roundevous(of about 10 a year). There are "pro" vendors in huge tents and trailers. But there's more,what you could call "street vendors"..... in that,there's a 200 yd line of them selling all manner of archery,and right much gun stuff on both sides of the rds inside the parks.

These shoots are open to the public(non shooters) but you could count them on one hand...... everyone there is into bows,guns,fishing,outdoors,etc.

What happens in a lot of these cases is the street vendors are buying out "lots" or inventory from businesses or private estates. Then as part of their weekend shooting they are selling off the "stuff". Old fashioned horse trading on some of the bigger ticket items,give away prices on "consumables". It's almost exactly like gun shows USED to be,back when it was worthwhile to actually buy guns and stuff on the cheap.

Not suggesting necessarily going to a bow rondy..... but as a brain jog. There may be some muzzle loading,"big event" worth inquiring about? I can tell you with 100% certainty that folks at the bow shoots appreciate the vendors.... both,big and small!!
 
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RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
My shooting buddy and I have just done 154 guns on Gun Broker, from our shooting partner. Find someone you can trust that can sell them on GB. It is easy and you get a reasonable, but not top dollar, price. Because of this, I am 71 and selling.