When do you'all consider hanging it all up or at least start to slow down and pack some of it away and/or make plans on what to do with the inventory.

I don't get to the club or the range like I use too, wife is gone, kids are somewhere out there.

Getting into other things besides those gun related and seems like time to thin the heard and get rid of some of it.

Damn sure (probably) won't be building anything new. Most of it just sits now.

Just thinking to my self.


Phil

I think about it quite often. At 64 with 2 sons that don't hunt & one lives in Hawaii where it would be a pain to ship them along with the red tape involved.
Probably need to sell some.
IT'S EASIER SAID THAN DONE!!!
I have some that I haven't shot in years but I just can't seem to pull the trigger on selling them.
I did sell one last year to a friend, but it was he that ask for it.
Good luck.

I've had members of the family asking me lately when I'm going to start the process of getting rid of not only my guns, but everything else. Go figure! It's not like they're getting anxious or anything for my demise!

I think about where my "valuables" will eventually go. I would like it to flow down my "line", but in fact I believe most will flow down my brother's line. He has three sons and two grandsons with the family name. I have one son, one stepson, and step-grandson. Only my son carries the family name.

Unfortunately my brother's sons tend to value something strictly by how much they can "get" for it. The history of "something" is important to me. I don't think they give a shit.

I've printed detailed instructions on the disposal of my guns. One copy to my son, backup here at home.

Dave

You should have a will stating who gets what.
Also an executor you can trust to carry out your wishes.
Also have an advance directive for medical decisions.

Important stuff for your peace of mind...

That's quite true. A good Will is really important. I have seen over the years family members going for blood against each other over just stuff. I have 3 sons + yes they get along just fine but I don't want to put any one of them in a position to cheat the others. Not that I think they would but as I said I have seen several occasions of family members going greedy nuts. In the final analysis, if you don't have specific pieces you want to leave to anyone in particular, sell them + equally devide the money.

I have thought about this a lot lately. I am 48 not married no kids.

I have stopped buying guns. I will probably buy 3-5 more guns in my life. I will start selling guns soon. I have too many guns.

I have started giving away books. I plan to give away 5 books for each new book I buy.

I will buy and use some more fishing tackle. I also plan to gift away stuff. I don’t have the same accumulation of fishing tackle I have with guns.

Taxidermy - I need to make a decision on my lion. I personally don’t like taxidermy in my house. But I feel I owe the lion to be mounted.

My hunting trips to Africa have basically allowed me to slowly get rid of all my excess clothes. I plan to take 100 pounds of clothes to moz in next two weeks.

I am staying away from buying a hunting property and a offshore boat.

I slowly want to reduce my material stuff 50 percent in next 10 years and another 50 percent in 5 years after that.

I have gotten tired of stuff. Getting rid of stuff is actually liberating. Probably makes an exception to a consumer driven society.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:
I have thought about this a lot lately. I am 48 not married no kids.

I have stopped buying guns. I will probably buy 3-5 more guns in my life. I will start selling guns soon. I have too many guns.

I have started giving away books. I plan to give away 5 books for each new book I buy.

I will buy and use some more fishing tackle. I also plan to gift away stuff. I don’t have the same accumulation of fishing tackle I have with guns.

Taxidermy - I need to make a decision on my lion. I personally don’t like taxidermy in my house. But I feel I owe the lion to be mounted.

My hunting trips to Africa have basically allowed me to slowly get rid of all my excess clothes. I plan to take 100 pounds of clothes to moz in next two weeks.

I am staying away from buying a hunting property and a offshore boat.

I slowly want to reduce my material stuff 50 percent in next 10 years and another 50 percent in 5 years after that.

I have gotten tired of stuff. Getting rid of stuff is actually liberating. Probably makes an exception to a consumer driven society.

Mike

At 48? Mike, you're still a mere babe in the woods at that age.

You've got a lot of years remaining. My Dad lived to be 90 and he was mentally alert and physically capable until the last couple of months before he passed. I called him one day when he was 86 or so, just to ask how he was doing. Told me he was sore all over from swinging a 15 pound sledge hammer the day before, trying to dislodge a big limb stuck in his bush hog mower. I told him he needed to act his age and slow down, reminding him he wasn't 80 any longer! LOL

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:
I have thought about this a lot lately. I am 48 not married no kids.

I have stopped buying guns. I will probably buy 3-5 more guns in my life. I will start selling guns soon. I have too many guns.

I have started giving away books. I plan to give away 5 books for each new book I buy.

I will buy and use some more fishing tackle. I also plan to gift away stuff. I don’t have the same accumulation of fishing tackle I have with guns.

Taxidermy - I need to make a decision on my lion. I personally don’t like taxidermy in my house. But I feel I owe the lion to be mounted.

My hunting trips to Africa have basically allowed me to slowly get rid of all my excess clothes. I plan to take 100 pounds of clothes to moz in next two weeks.

I am staying away from buying a hunting property and a offshore boat.

I slowly want to reduce my material stuff 50 percent in next 10 years and another 50 percent in 5 years after that.

I have gotten tired of stuff. Getting rid of stuff is actually liberating. Probably makes an exception to a consumer driven society.

Mike

At 48? Mike, you're still a mere babe in the woods at that age.

You've got a lot of years remaining. My Dad lived to be 90 and he was mentally alert and physically capable until the last couple of months before he passed. I called him one day when he was 86 or so, just to ask how he was doing. Told me he was sore all over from swinging a 15 pound sledge hammer the day before, trying to dislodge a big limb stuck in his bush hog mower. I told him he needed to act his age and slow down, reminding him he wasn't 80 any longer! LOL

my grandfather was same way to 92.

I just don’t want to own stuff.

Stuff makes life more complicated.

I am looking forward to packing for Africa on Sunday. I am going to find 100 pounds of stuff I don’t need and take it with me to Mokore in moz and leave it all behind.

Mike

I read a book in the early 70s by a woman named Barrie Stevens. She worked with Fritz Perls (the founder of Gestalt therapy). She came to the opinion that if she had not used something in 6 months she got rid of it. I'm not quite so severe. I sell ome guns but keep some as well. I DO NOT sell tools; at least not yet. My sons like most sons really don't care about Dad's business although they have learned to use the machinery. That is the plus, however. If one can start even doing weekend side jobs on equipment that is already free gratis, one would be a fool to sell any of it. IMO.

I packed 98 pounds of clothes to give in Zimbabwe.

It has near zero impact on my stuff or clothing.

Just getting rid of my stuff will be a major undertaking.

Giving away stuff on trips to Africa won’t cut it.

Need to stop buying stuff - I have cut down going to gun shops And any impulsive purchases of guns.

Mike

quote:

Need to stop buying stuff - I have cut down going to gun shops And any impulsive purchases of guns.

Me Too

At 68, having been involved in cleaning up after a few who have passed, I'm thinking similar thoughts.
It's a puzzle, where to give things away that shouldn't be thrown away...

I think more along the lines of not passing down onerous burdens.
Valuable planes, boats and cars can be sold and profited from quickly by heirs. Valuable land may turn a profit by the heirs retaining ownership of sold profitably. A recreational cabin in an appealing are can be vacation rented easily.

I have a lot of taxidermy and I think most will end up in the dumpster. I've told friends and family to help themselves.
I'd like my daughter to have not just books, but good books. Literature for her to consider.

Unfinished projects, be it junk cars or old motorcycles or gun parts may we'll not interest heirs, I think it best to be conservative.

In my experience knife collections are given away and coin collections are used for face value. My father left car trophies and awards that went in the dumpster.

I have a friend here in town that if passed on today would leave his lovely wife and adult sons two well maintained airplanes, a nice house, two we maintained cars and I assume a well maintained financial portfolio. Definitely not a burden.

quote:

Originally posted by TomP:
At 68, having been involved in cleaning up after a few who have passed, I'm thinking similar thoughts.
It's a puzzle, where to give things away that shouldn't be thrown away...

Africa - i wish it was easy to do container to Africa.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Scott King:
I think more along the lines of not passing down onerous burdens.
Valuable planes, boats and cars can be sold and profited from quickly by heirs. Valuable land may turn a profit by the heirs retaining ownership of sold profitably. A recreational cabin in an appealing are can be vacation rented easily.

I have a lot of taxidermy and I think most will end up in the dumpster. I've told friends and family to help themselves.
I'd like my daughter to have not just books, but good books. Literature for her to consider.

Unfinished projects, be it junk cars or old motorcycles or gun parts may we'll not interest heirs, I think it best to be conservative.

In my experience knife collections are given away and coin collections are used for face value. My father left car trophies and awards that went in the dumpster.

I have a friend here in town that if passed on today would leave his lovely wife and adult sons two well maintained airplanes, a nice house, two we maintained cars and I assume a well maintained financial portfolio. Definitely not a burden.

Taxidermy will end up being tossed or hopefully sold to a bar or outdoor consumer place.

Have space you will fill it with stuff - even if you are a minimalist.

Bigger houses = more stuff.

It’s a lot easier to buy stuff than to get rid of it. Often getting rid of stuff is an excuse for buying more stuff.

One of my range officers at the gun club moved from a 5 bedroom house to 2 bedroom apartment. He said he finally had to call some junk removing guys and throw away stuff that was perfectly good. It’s tough getting rid of stuff.

Mike

Kinda on + off the subject. I recommend the short story "A careful Man" by Frederick Forsyth in the book "No Comebacks" concerning a wealthy man with worthless relatives who is dying of terminal cancer + how he takes care of his estate. A great story + book.

Probably wind up putting them all in a couple 55 gal. drums and burning the phuckers…

Phil

I’m 68 years old. Son and daughter. The son hunts and shoots, though not as much as me. I’ve slowed down a lot on acquiring guns. And I sell a few at times, probably net -5 last couple years. Wife and I have a will and trust, but I intentionally did not put my guns in the will.
If I knew I was going to die next week, I’d give my four brothers one gun each, five to my son and sell the rest. Taxidermy, don’t want to think about it.

Have one of those long hex barreled engraved and smoke charcoal casehardened Marlin Cowboys in 45-70, Burnin that prick might give me a little hesitation. That and a custom Win Stainless in 358 STA. Hell I'd have them throw them in the box with me, but want to save as much room as possible for all my dogs when time comes.

Phil

I own a decent bit of property in the Hill country outside of Austin that is moving this way daily + the land prices are through the roof. Everything I have is paid for. My boys are gonna come out O.K. just on land + buildings alone. They can decide who gets what guns from the vault. Also everything in my loading room. They never took the time to learn to use the equipment as there was always a supply of ammo there. The same goes for my shop full of tools + equipment. I have tried to instill in them that you NEVER sell tools, they can always make you money. When I'm gone it won't matter anyway, but we do try to do our best for those that follow us.

quote:

Originally posted by NormanConquest:
I own a decent bit of property in the Hill country outside of Austin that is moving this way daily + the land prices are through the roof. Everything I have is paid for. My boys are gonna come out O.K. just on land + buildings alone. They can decide who gets what guns from the vault. Also everything in my loading room. They never took the time to learn to use the equipment as there was always a supply of ammo there. The same goes for my shop full of tools + equipment. I have tried to instill in them that you NEVER sell tools, they can always make you money. When I'm gone it won't matter anyway, but we do try to do our best for those that follow us.

I'm 50 and my daughter is three.

I have high blood pressure and cholesterol but am working on both. Regardless, I aim for her benefit whether I pitch over tomorrow or 40 years from now. So the " junk"? I'm collecting no more of it. I'm investing in the two properties we have and intend to make them as profitable as I can. Not some Tower of Babel or Winchester Mystery House, but something useable, saleable, something that can generate income.

I've got a shoulder mount giraffe here in Dillingham.
Fine, sure, but I won't be adding a second or sixth.
The guns I have are low end mass production and mass production semi custom. Hopefully all gone quick on GunBroker if need be.

Until my recent heart problems. I hadn't given it much thought.

The wife and I had trust made up our finances and property are taken care of.

My firearms and reloading stuff is still up in the air.

At 63 I still hope I have a few more hunting, and back country trips in me.

I am hoping my grand children take a interest in reloading.

I need to make a list of my children's favorite firearms.

They have expressed interest in a few of them.

The rest I told the wife and them sell them at auction. Firearms seem to bring premiums at them.

I have started giving some of them away to worthy people.

A firearm here and there a few boxes of ammo really helps turn some one away from being a anti.

Several non-gun owners have become mutable gun owners and pro firearm defenders because of one gift.

I know when I was youngster getting a box of ammo was a god send.

I just turned 65 and cleared out several hundred items via auction that were just in the way here at our home plus a few machines and supplies from my coin shop when I retired in August this year.
Any item or piece of furniture that I thought was worth less than 25 bucks went in front of the shop with a sign FREE next to it or for household items, at the curb for the garbage man.
It felt good to help out the local folks and also to get rid of all the dead wood, free up lots of space and clean properly.


In the past, I've sold unwanted rifles, excess inventory and personal property at auction several hundred times, maybe more over the last 45 years.

If you go that route, spend the time, do some research, visit several auction houses that specialize in your items and settle on an auction company within 35 miles of your home if possible. Some will send a truck to pick the load if it is big enough at a nominal fee. Finding one that only charges a seller fee might be a plus. 15 to 20% commission is fair. Local publications that have ads for their auctions can be a big help. Look for auction houses or auctioneers that have several listings and call for their seller rates and ones that also don't charge a buyer fee. If they charge for load pick-up, pay it and let them load it up.

Be willing to just wait for the auction check or checks if the house separates the items for several auctions which includes a print-out of each sale or lot as watching the auction in person might cause some stress. Some will go dirt cheap, others could do well. Be willing to 'let go' and you'll be happy you lightened the load.

Advice on saving specific items for family members - Give them their gift before you pass. After you're gone, inheritance tax and a lot of appraisal BS can come into play that can be exhausting for the Executor. Oh and the sibling envy factor "could" show it's ugly face as I've seen many times in the past after 35+ years in the rare coin shop business.

Hope some of this stuff this helps someone.

Great thread and great comments.

I’m 48 and already am wanting to downsize. My youngest is graduating from high school this year and soon it will just be the two of us.

Time to get serious. Where did the time go?

I was just recently struck by this question. My buddy took a turn for the worst, dementia. He pass away about a year after it started affecting him.

He was 73. I helped the widow sell 40 rifles. In NYC that is one PITA, luckily she had a rifle license.

Made me wake up too. I sold about 5 of my rifles over the last year. Plan to sell a few more (at 58 y/o)

Oh yea, sold about 60 pocketknives too. Only 200 to go.

It's also equally important that whoever is your executor of estate knows where the will is + your wishes for individual placement of some items before they go into the legal system. That in itself can save your kids on inheritance taxes. And you're right about folks getting ugly when items are to be passed on. I recall as a child seeing some relatives wives (the husbands were all WW1 vets) arguing over a china hutch with blood in their eyes + even as a kid that was a lesson that I remembered that I would NEVER be like that. And I never have been. Family is more important than stuff. I believe I have instilled that in my boys but its always best to avoid temptation. In my case property mainly. The selling off of collectible firearms especially in this anti-gun blitzkrieg that the opposition is doing their best to put in effect makes me want to give them the guns to put away that may never be available again. I don't mean to sound maudlin but I would NEVER have dreamed in 1968 that we would be where we are now.

I have new neighbors. Retired doctors from India via Kenya and Cincinnati.

My neighbors brother lives a mile from me and asked me to help him around the house. He is 84.

I changed a ton of light bulbs on this custom home to led. Then his wife wanted to save the old light bulbs if she ever needed them again

That is the issue with most people - they just can’t get rid of stuff. There is some inherent desire to own and hold on to stuff. A security blanket in owning stuff that will never be used.

Mike

quote:

A security blanket in owning stuff that will never be used.

So, so true! By the way, some free legal advice for you all. Set up a revocable trust, pour over will, and powers of attorney for general and healthcare decisions. If you just set up a will, your beneficiaries will be in Probate Court, because a Will has to be Probated, and all of your creditors notified, including the State, whether or not Medicaid was used, a personal representative will need to be appointed by the Court to handle your estate(i.e. your executor/executrix) and report back to the court, etc. etc. etc. A Trust, if properly funded with your real and personal property, along with a Pour Over Will, allows you to avoid Probate Court and needless thousands of dollars in attorney's fees. I have so many stories of those who followed my advice and those that didn't. Moreover, if it can be titled, it should be placed in the Trust. Anything outside of the Trust that is not properly taken care of through the Trust (unless it's a death beneficiary under an insurance policy, bank account, or the title to your real or personal property is in your name OR theirs (i.e. John Smith or Jack Williams), so on death of one it belongs to the other, will likely have to be probated.

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:

quote:

A security blanket in owning stuff that will never be used.

So, so true! By the way, some free legal advice for you all. Set up a revocable trust, pour over will, and powers of attorney for general and healthcare decisions. If you just set up a will, your beneficiaries will be in Probate Court, because a Will has to be Probated, and all of your creditors notified, including the State, whether or not Medicaid was used, a personal representative will need to be appointed by the Court to handle your estate(i.e. your executor/executrix) and report back to the court, etc. etc. etc. A Trust, if properly funded with your real and personal property, along with a Pour Over Will, allows you to avoid Probate Court and needless thousands of dollars in attorney's fees. I have so many stories of those who followed my advice and those that didn't. Moreover, if it can be titled, it should be placed in the Trust. Anything outside of the Trust that is not properly taken care of through the Trust (unless it's a death beneficiary under an insurance policy, bank account, or the title to your real or personal property is in your name OR theirs (i.e. John Smith or Jack Williams), so on death of one it belongs to the other, will likely have to be probated.

Good advice. I need to make a will.

Mike

I don’t get why people don’t like downsizing earlier in life.

My new neighbor and his brother. Both retired doctors in their early and mid 80s have decided to downsize to 5000-6000 square ft homes. Makes no damn sense. The houses are too damn big even if they are moving down from bigger houses.

I have become their new errand boy.

My new rule is no buying new stuff unless 2x old stuff goes out.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:

quote:

A security blanket in owning stuff that will never be used.

So, so true! By the way, some free legal advice for you all. Set up a revocable trust, pour over will, and powers of attorney for general and healthcare decisions. If you just set up a will, your beneficiaries will be in Probate Court, because a Will has to be Probated, and all of your creditors notified, including the State, whether or not Medicaid was used, a personal representative will need to be appointed by the Court to handle your estate(i.e. your executor/executrix) and report back to the court, etc. etc. etc. A Trust, if properly funded with your real and personal property, along with a Pour Over Will, allows you to avoid Probate Court and needless thousands of dollars in attorney's fees. I have so many stories of those who followed my advice and those that didn't. Moreover, if it can be titled, it should be placed in the Trust. Anything outside of the Trust that is not properly taken care of through the Trust (unless it's a death beneficiary under an insurance policy, bank account, or the title to your real or personal property is in your name OR theirs (i.e. John Smith or Jack Williams), so on death of one it belongs to the other, will likely have to be probated.

Good advice. I need to make a will.

Mike

Mike, a trust, as explained above. I assume Florida estate laws are similar to those in Texas and Nevada.

I don’t have anything myself. I’m single and without any children (that I know of), but it makes sense. I will address this with whatever assets I do have to make it easier should something happen to me.

quote:

Originally posted by DCS Member:

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:

quote:

A security blanket in owning stuff that will never be used.

So, so true! By the way, some free legal advice for you all. Set up a revocable trust, pour over will, and powers of attorney for general and healthcare decisions. If you just set up a will, your beneficiaries will be in Probate Court, because a Will has to be Probated, and all of your creditors notified, including the State, whether or not Medicaid was used, a personal representative will need to be appointed by the Court to handle your estate(i.e. your executor/executrix) and report back to the court, etc. etc. etc. A Trust, if properly funded with your real and personal property, along with a Pour Over Will, allows you to avoid Probate Court and needless thousands of dollars in attorney's fees. I have so many stories of those who followed my advice and those that didn't. Moreover, if it can be titled, it should be placed in the Trust. Anything outside of the Trust that is not properly taken care of through the Trust (unless it's a death beneficiary under an insurance policy, bank account, or the title to your real or personal property is in your name OR theirs (i.e. John Smith or Jack Williams), so on death of one it belongs to the other, will likely have to be probated.

Good advice. I need to make a will.

Mike

Mike, a trust, as explained above. I assume Florida estate laws are similar to those in Texas and Nevada.

I don’t have anything myself. I’m single and without any children (that I know of), but it makes sense. I will address this with whatever assets I do have to make it easier should something happen to me.

I don’t even have a simple will. In Florida it all goes to my parents. I am single with no kids.

I have simplified some of the financial structures - partnership I own stuff thru. Unwinding those could be a mess.

Mike

Mike, you need at least a will, if only to name an alternative to your parents should they predecease you. Yes, accidents do happen. The assest are also all distributed at time of probate (ie. all at once). A revocable trust allows you, through a trustee that you name (it could be an institution, or lawyer etc.) to distribute your assets over time eg. so much a year for "health, education and welfare". You could also consider donating to charities, creating a foundation etc. Having said that, feel free to leave me your firearms!
Peter.

A bit morbid in title but pretty good approach to stuff

https://www.amazon.com/Gentle-...B074ZKHG4K/ref=nodl_

Swedish Death Cleaning

I am going to start with books - I need to donate 1/3 of my books to the library.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:

quote:

Originally posted by TomP:
At 68, having been involved in cleaning up after a few who have passed, I'm thinking similar thoughts.
It's a puzzle, where to give things away that shouldn't be thrown away...

Africa - i wish it was easy to do container to Africa.

Mike

Maybe we should start an AR-sponsored container, to fill one up enough to make it worth the shipping...

Very interesting thread. I guess it’s a rite of passage as we cross the age of 50 (or thereabouts). I want less stuff not more.....but I still want my 2 boats and all my guns! Just ordered a .308 to replace my .300mag and I’m about to buy a piece of land in MT.

I am closer to 70 than I am 65, and I considered selling off some of my guns but the kids didn't want me to and said just leave them to them when I'm gone. That is fine with me as we aren't rich by any means but don't really need the money from them. It would kind of depress me to see all my gun stuff go, even though I don't shoot much any more.

quote:

Originally posted by TomP:

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:

quote:

Originally posted by TomP:
At 68, having been involved in cleaning up after a few who have passed, I'm thinking similar thoughts.
It's a puzzle, where to give things away that shouldn't be thrown away...

Africa - i wish it was easy to do container to Africa.

Mike

Maybe we should start an AR-sponsored container, to fill one up enough to make it worth the shipping...

Would be a great idea and I have looked at charities but found none.

I have simply started using my safaris as a means to do that. I pack my full 100 pounds Emirates gives and leave it all behind.

Tried to figure a way to send my books to some university in zim - no luck.

Found a place in Ghana for computer equipment but they had very specific needs.

The reality is most family members or people in general don’t want other people’s stuff. In America everyone already has plenty of their own stuff and wants more of their own stuff .

The assumption other people will want it eventually is a excuse for getting more stuff.

My dad is a pretty good minimalist - he just says get rid of anything you don’t use and if ever needed just buy it again.

I need to make more trips to goodwill.

Mike