I am seriously considering leaning my collection down to a few guns that actually I use.

I have already dispersed many to my boys, and desiring perhaps a little more portability aligned with my re-emerging wanderlust.

Just curious if anyone else in the near '60' bracket is having such thoughts, or did I catch a dart meant for Tusko?

Hell I'm 72 yrs old, and was just over at Chriss's (NEW GUY) place yesterday, and was almost tempted to buy a little 9.3X74R Merkel LUX model side lock O/U double rifle. Made back a few yrs ago, and is still tight to open like it just came off the assembler's table!

However I need to unload about 50 rifles too!I've only got four kids, and they don't need them any more than I do! BUT I can't make myself start the process!

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
Hell I'm 72 yrs old, and was just over at Chriss's place yesterday, and was almost tempted to buy a little 9.3X74R Merkel LUX model side lock O/U double rifle. Made back a few yrs ago, and is still tight to open like it just came off the assembler's table!

However I need to unload about 50 rifles too!I've only got four kids, and they don't need them any more than I do! BUT I can't make myself start the process!

I fully appreciate the anguish--obviously, as I am truly wrestling with departing the collector/accumulator mode.

Dang ! They are works of art , aren't they though?

If you guys are getting older, I will gladly take any guns you don't want to sell and would continue to use them and would sign a trust document promising to never sell or trade them, only pass them on when the time came.......... Im 26, so they would get plenty of use.....

I wrestle with this issue all the time; I'd like to convert WAY TOO MANY guns to a usable collection of about 15-20 rifles/shotguns that represent the same monetary value as my current collection - example: 20-some pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters into one $2X,XXX .416 Rigby bolt rifle. How does a lazy bum like myself get from here to there ??? I'd gladly do it if it was easy, but I don't know where to start unloading the current collection to build the new picks. And, I only have one son & one grandson.

Hi Frank

I know where you are coming from, I have cut the numbers to about 10% of what I had, but everything is unique or sentimental.

It can be done, and is fun....I got used to using gunsamerica, the classifieds here and gunsinternational and gunbroker. Certain items sell better on particular sites, but priced reasonably and they will move fast, priced for top dollar, they will hang around a bit but will sell.

So take the plunge- it can be done.

What a coincidence Frank. I just put myself up for adoption. Mac I can double time it if you need help with dispersal. I'm working on my collection, if you wanna call it that, but it's coming along slow, just like my income these days.

David

These days I try to sell two guns before buying one of the same or greater value as the two.

The goal is to end up with a few valuable and useful guns.

Its gradually working and I dont miss the mediocre guns I rarely used.

Hand loading and working up loads is simplified, cleaning is simplified and choosing a rifle for a hunt is simplified.

I regret I did not know enough earlier in life to more carefully choose guns.

Man, that's depressing thinking about selling my guns that I grew up hunting with. Is that the price you pay living to a ripe old age?

I am 56, it takes 45 min for me to load every thing when I leave for a hurricane. I have 4 custom center fire bolt rifle for shil, and 4 rimfire for shilo. Most of witch I haven't shot since Katrina. I don't know how many shot guns. I have 2 sxs and a o/u rifle. and 2 large bore bolt guns, with a montana ph action on the way. I am not even going to talk about the stuff I have to shoot my way out of town if the shit ever hits the fan again. I am tempted top sell most of it and buy 10 acres next to some national forest I can hunt. The thing that worries me is my wife or daughter would never get what they are worth. I have a file telling them what they are worth but they would not know how to market them.

JD

quote:

Originally posted by DuggaBoye:
I am seriously considering leaning my collection down to a few guns that actually I use.

I have already dispersed many to my boys, and desiring perhaps a little more portability aligned with my re-emerging wanderlust.

Just curious if anyone else in the near '60' bracket is having such thoughts, or did I catch a dart meant for Tusko?

I am only halfway to that age bracket, but I have downsized several times in the past. I get in a "rational" grove and sell everything that I don't need. Then over the next few years I buy all the things I want, until I am again overstocked.

The good news is, my tastes run cheap and I usually get all my money out when I sell.

Yeah I'm like that too Jason. I get rid of a whole slew of them that I'm not attached to and then gradually build the roster back up. The stupid thing for me is that I keep the ammunition, thinking I'm gonna buy the same caliber one day. Not! I don't know what I'm gonna do with all this .300 Weatherby Magnum ammo! If anybody wants it, email me at sabletp@aol.com and I'll send it to you free. I got a bunch of .577 N.E. ammo too, don't need it. I have too many shotguns too, but I just can't bear to let them go. Drove to the Cabela's store, had an appointment with the gun guy in the high end gun room, and got a lump in my throat when I handed him my Winchester Model 21..original made in the '40's...lump got bigger when I gave him an old Westley Richards .30-06. He even met my asking price and wrote the check right there at the counter. I ended up not accepting it. Put my darn guns back in the cases and walked out of the store.

No matter how infrequently men use some of their toys, they're nearly impossible to get rid of. Wife asks me all the time, "What are you gonna do with all those when you get older." I tell her, "I'm just gonna look at them."

Should just buy one big safe, but now I have three safes full.

I may be committting an even greater heresy: keeping the arsenal small so that I never have such decisions to make.

Rifles I have 243 win, 300 Win Mag, 375 H&H, 404 Jeff, and a 50 cal muzzleloader. That's all I need.

The again I could sure see needing to add on a 22lr on the small end, and a big bore double on the larger end.......

I've been going through the same thing. Neither of my kids hunt. A number of my friends have kicked the bucket in the last few years and I've had to help sell off their prized pieces. You come to realize a bunch of them are just stuff. That may be heresy. But have sold off a number and will being doing so with some more. It doesn't mean there are no new ones, just a different approach. I operate on the principal that old girl friends can be jealous. Two old ones must leave before another can come to visit.
Bfly

The worry about family being left with guns they do not have licences for, do not understand the value of, are scared of or whatever other reason may make them uncomfortable is a common one.

As a gun dealer, I have a number of clients who have put instructions in their will that I am to come and clear the gun room at the necessary time.

I will inventory everything, value it and sell it for the best price possible - 10% payable to me upon relisation of the monies. I present bills of sale to the estate and the money in full - they then pay me my 10%.

This way the family get the market value of the guns without having to stump up 35% of the sale value to an auction house or worry they are bing ripped off by a dealer offering a lump sum for a collection.

I suggest you make similar arrangements with a dealer you know and trust.

In terms of downsizing a collection - hard to do for many people as every gun represents a time in life when it was 'the one' and to let to go can hurt.

With me guns come and go all the time. There are only two I would never sell: My Dad's Webley 700 12-bore and my Thompson hammer 12-bore, rescued and renovated by me over a number of years.

i'm taking mine with me

I'm 62 bought a Bernardelli 8X57JRS earlier this year. Hopefully will add a 22 Long Rifle double later this year or next. Just got an 80 series Colt and waiting on a Taurus 1911.

I'll let my kids worry about them when I'm gone.

I'll tell you, gents, the more of them you sell, the easier it gets. When I decided that I would aim for quality rather than quantity, I began selling off guns that I rarely used, and the first couple of times it was tough. Up till that point I hadn't sold one in over 20 years! I'm 52 now.


When I decided to finally bite the bullet and book an African hunt (now less than 2 months away!!!) I started selling even more. I found that it became much less painful a process as I watched the gunsafes gradually empty out. How nice to be able ro remove a gun from the safe without having to move five others!

During the process I also picked up a few much better quality guns that I'd always lusted after. Another bonus!

Now the African hunt is paid for, most of the old iron is gone, most of the new stuff that I wanted is here, and I can't really say that I miss all those guns that I rarely if ever shot! I can sell one now and hardly shed a tear.

Take the plunge. You'll love it.

John

Not only should you give all of your gun collections to your children and grand children....give all your money and property too! And anything else of value.

What kind of parent are you? Are you one of those greedy old cantankerous pricks?


dale

quote:

Originally posted by daleW:
Not only should you give all of your gun collections to your children and grand children....give all your money and property too! And anything else of value.

What kind of parent are you? Are you one of those greedy old cantankerous pricks?


dale

No, but I'm learning fast

Exactly. Love your style

Don't give your kids anything. Make them earn it on their own.


dale

quote:

Originally posted by Palmer:
These days I try to sell two guns before buying one of the same or greater value as the two.

The goal is to end up with a few valuable and useful guns.

Its gradually working and I dont miss the mediocre guns I rarely used.

Best advice I have heard on this thread. Quality, not quantity.

There will be guns in all of our safes that can not be liquidated due to sentimental value. Most of those (mine at least) are not worth much anyway, so it makes the decision easy!

Oh God Noooooooooo!!!

I dread the day I come to this crossroad!

But really, I am getting into the Q vs. Q mindset a well.

JW

Well, I'm in the same boat. I have three sons and two son-in-laws. Unfortunately, only two of my sons are interested in hunting big game and all three sons enjoy bird hunting. I could not possibly offload all of my big game firearms on my two sons, as there just are too many. I have, however, inventoried each and every firearm on my computer, with specific descriptions of each one, including scopes, rings, bases, slings, cases, etc. etc. etc. and am just now getting around to putting values/ prices on each. My problem has been that I have been an orphanage for fine and/or custom guns. I have tried, over the years, not to purchase any firearm that is a piece of crap and is not desirable by those that really know and understand firearms. So, with that in mind, it is very hard to even consider getting rid of one of them. What a dilemma!!

I used to buy one every month. sometime two. One daughter does not hunt. I wised up. Hoping for a grand son one day. I will make him happy if he likes guns. I agree don't spoil the children but can't wait to ruin the grand children.

Glad to see this thread. I'm glad I'm not the only one with the accumulation obsession. I think that I'm just going to keep mine and let some one else take care of them or I might just leave them to NRA with the hopes that the next generation will have some 2nd Amendment rights.

If you think you have friends/family who'd enjoy them, give 'em away. I've actually given away more guns than I've bought for myself in the last few years, and it seems to be appreciated, and I get to keep playing w. new toys while I get them sorted out enough to give.

Maybe donate them to a youth hunting program? Most guns, esp. once they've been sorted, seem to be worth more as a gift, to me, than the money they'd sell for...

the first time my "then to be wife" came over to my house she saw 30? guns leaning in the corner and asked
"how many guns are there"?
"i dunno,30 maybe"
you own 30 guns?
no, the other pile are at my parents.
they are not worth enough now, but some day they will be priceless.

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
i'm taking mine with me

That's the spirit!! Like a Viking warrior.......

Here in Oz , the bloody things are so hard to get in the first place that nobody sells anything...............

Then of course if you are a knife and antique sword collector like myself, it gets even harder

What is Saeed going to do???????? The mind boggles

I applaude your thinking. I am 56 and sold all but three rifles 5 years ago. I have never looked back, and am really happy to only have rifles that I use for hunting. Just have a philosoply for a good battery of guns. My goal was portability and firepower.

I kept my double in .458 wm, a varmit in .222, and a takedown with two barrels--.338 wm and .458 Lott. If I did not own a farm, I would have sold the .222.

I wanted to have travelling rifles that fit into very small cases. The above rifles fit my needs perfectly.

quote:

Originally posted by x2mosg:
What a coincidence Frank. I just put myself up for adoption. Mac I can double time it if you need help with dispersal. I'm working on my collection, if you wanna call it that, but it's coming along slow, just like my income these days.

David

Amazing!! I'm going through the same thing!

I'm 66. I lightened my load several years ago when I moved aboard a sailboat for a couple of years. I now have six bolt guns, all lefties, and a daughter who could care less. I still have a batch of hanguns, but I shoot them all. Actually, I shoot everything I own, and I have friends designated in my will for my stash.

My father decided a few years ago he'd rather hand down his guns to me,my son, and my brother-in-law while he could watch us enjoy them. I have a hard time accepting such generosity, so I bought him a "fishing gun" (.44 Mag, of course) for our Alaska trip and had it engraved with his name and the rank at which he retired.

I've pretty much culled my herd down to guns I know I'll use and guns that have some sort of family history to them.

Heresy? Perhaps. I just keep a file on the computer, and a back up in the safe deposit box at the bank with gun and accessories list and current market value. Selling is nigh-impossible task for me. I'll be sixty in September. What else am I going to spend my money on? The stock market? HAH!! Gold and silver coins? Try asking the grocery store to take either at spot market value...

Guns and trips to Africa. It will give me something to talk about at the nursing home.

Rich
Buff Killer

On the flip side of this forum my first first born son is 6 months old and has acrued a pretty good start on his gun collection between myself and family LOL!!!!! A nice little .22 to start and a .243 Featherweight when he gets a little bigger. I figure he will enjoy the .458 Winny before long as well

I trimmed my arsenal down after I retired in 2006, and I will be 60 next year.

I did it for a couple of reasons.

1. Being retired I was not going to be able to afford to hunt as much as I had been.

2. Since 1998 or so, for all of my hunting, I had started using just two rifles for everything, my 375 H&H and my 35 Whelen.

I did keep 4 other rifles for my use, a 300 Weatherby, a 6.5x55 Norwegian Krag, a 38-55 Model 94 Winchester Chief Crazy Horse Commerative, and the Model 94 Marlin in 44 Rem. Mag. I carry on my javelina hunts.

Also I hung on to Lora's 257 Roberts, and shortly before I retired, I purchaed a 1907 351 Winchester Self Loader that I am working up into a carry gun on the javelina hunts.

While it sounds like I still have several guns, I did pare down my collection by a half dozen or so.

I think a lot of times it is just phases and stages all of us go thru.

Sable, I tip my hat to you for turning down the Cabela's offer! Gotta have something to look at when we get to old to hunt. Hooray for you!!!!