I just had one of my best friends pass away before Christmas. His son lives in fruitlopp California and can't have half his guns or any of his ammo .I asked him before he died to let me catalog his collection and help him figure out something .I wanted to buy a couple if possible. HE passed away from the flu in three days and was gone .It's hit me pretty hard and made me think because I don't have any kids .

Not sure this is the best thread for this subject. I seldom look at shotgun stuff anymore. That said, A will or trust (or both) is the best way to be sure your guns and stuff go where you want when you pass. Otherwise, probate can decide and I for one, don't want the government, at any level, deciding what to do with mt stuff!

my reloading gear is worth more than my guns.

molds, the swaging stuff, casting machines, lube-sizers, the Dillon's and their accessories, shot shell presses.

I've pared down the 'cheap stuff',,, but still.

I will leave mine to my kids or, if they are not interested, I will sell them for money. My wife would be happier with money than guns she has to deal with selling on her own.

I have no plans for anything to go into probate.

Same predicament here. Lifetime accumulation of reloading stuff and no one to leave it to.

I have started 'downsizing' already. I have been selling 25 to 30 a year for several years. I have no one that I want to leave them to.

One can only hope that they have a little time to give stuff away and put some smiles on the recipient's faced while they're still able.

I have 4 daughters and 3 sons-in-law who could and would use my stuff since they all hunt and shoot.

When I get to the point where I cannot use my reloading stuff, the kids and my brother will absorb my stuff (tons of it).

At my age, there are things that I have well in excess of a lifetime supply, sadly!

Zeke

Good point Zeke. Need to make decisions and take actions before you leave.

At my age, there are things that I have well in excess of a lifetime supply, sadly!
Not so if it lasts their lifetimes as well.

It is a question I have asked myself too in recent years.
I have three sons, a daughter in law and an 11 yo grandson who all hunt but have shown no interest in reloading, collecting or having any more firearms that they currently use i.e. one rifle for game animals and one shotgun for game birds.
As they all got into hunting I have bought the rifles and shotguns for them.
In terms of disposal of all my reloading gear, none of my sons have any clue what it all is so couldn't describe it if putting it up for auction etc.

None of them have any interest in my Oberndorf Mauser 404 so I have been in the process of selling this with a good supply of old factory ammo, new and used cases, bullets, cast bullet mould, Lyman 450 lub/sizer, etc. I have a potential buyer but over the last couple of years one thing or another, including Covid, have seen him not able to complete the deal. He is still wanting the deal and I'm not in any hurry so just sitting on it at the moment.

The problem is we don't usually know when we are going pop off, sadly could be like Cal Pappas, walking out the door to go hunting and find ourselves in that great happy hunting ground in the sky sans our guns. Often when illness strikes our immediate focus is on treatment and hopefully recovery or if terminal, getting other affairs in order for our families.

I have put together a Narrative of Firearms, which categorizes every single firearm that I own, with values, serial numbers, history, description, scopes/rings/bases, slings, dates of manufacture, extra magazines, etc. etc. etc. Did the same thing with my knives; fishing rods/reels and fly rods/reels; and, binoculars/spotting scopes, etc. They are all with my Trust and Estate documents. With 3 sons, two sons in law, and 6 grandsons, I'm sure that they will get distributed. And that does not include any of the daughters, daughters in law and granddaughters that also may have an interest.

Both of my sons are gun guys, they can split my stuff and keep what they want and sell the rest or pitch it in the pond as far as I'm concerned. I'll be dead so it won't affect me whatever they do.

I have the same issues............... firearms and reloading equipment.

I have just finished an inventory of the reloading equipment. Now maybe i can find an estimate of the value and include that for my son.

the firearms info is in a notebook for him to refer to. He already has some of the guns.

My son and my grandson are sorta interested in hunting /shooting. My daughter in law is hyper safety conscious and has trouble with having guns around even when they are locked in a gun safe.

In any case all of it goes to my son. Hope it works out.

How about an "Old Guy Reloading Equipment Disposal" web site? No brick and mortar site required; A central listing of stuff and locations. Let phones and email do the work.

Ooooops...just another hallucination.

I have started selling the past few years. Most are Euro production for which there is not much interest. Gonna take a while. No family will want them.

I sold a bunch of guns in the last year or two but I'm still buying more. It's a sickness. They are in my will and going to a friend who is much younger than I.

I can't imagine not anticipating my next new toy. I think as long as I can still go to the range that I'll be trading guns. Not having any guns would kinda be like removing an appendage!!!!!!!!

Mark

Nearly every estate I have dealt with, the heirs care about one thing -CASH!

Your guns mean nothing to any one but you.
If you have a special gun or two, give it away to your designate BEFORE you die. You get the pleasure of giving it and then getting to see the recipient get it.

Your gun collection is only special to you. To help your heirs, tell them how to sell to get the most cash for them.

quote:

I sold a bunch of guns in the last year or two but I'm still buying more. It's a sickness.

Yes, it is!

quote:

If you have a special gun or two, give it away to your designate BEFORE you die

That is great advice,

Yes, it is great advice. If you don't have them already specifically designated in a specific bequest clause, it avoids someone later saying that 'dad/grandpa told me that I was to get........'. I've always told clients that if it isn't written down or given to you before they died, then what you say 'dad/grandpa said' doesn't amount to a hill of beans. I've seen good families broken up over an estate that wasn't managed by a trust or detailed will. Many children are all about the money and goods once the parents are both dead. They don't care a rat's ass about long term family relationships.

I'm still trying to put together a list of the cumbersome number of guns I have and once done, I'll send them to an auction house. The long guns aren't a problem, I'll keep some foe hunting and home protection but, the handguns are gonna be a problem.

One son and 8 nephews. I’m giving stuff away now. Almost as fast as I am buying. It is a disorder.

The way things are right now, our reloading supplies may be worth more than our firearms!!!

quote:

It is a disorder.

Well put!

Yes, Indeed. We all spend our money on something we enjoy. + Scott, you are right. I have been reloading over 50 years + have amassed a lot of stuff, + I'm sure the way things are going, all those tools + components will be of great value

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Nearly every estate I have dealt with, the heirs care about one thing -CASH!

Your guns mean nothing to any one but you.
If you have a special gun or two, give it away to your designate BEFORE you die. You get the pleasure of giving it and then getting to see the recipient get it.

Your gun collection is only special to you. To help your heirs, tell them how to sell to get the most cash for them.

This right here! All good points.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Nearly every estate I have dealt with, the heirs care about one thing -CASH!

Your guns mean nothing to any one but you.
If you have a special gun or two, give it away to your designate BEFORE you die. You get the pleasure of giving it and then getting to see the recipient get it.

Your gun collection is only special to you. To help your heirs, tell them how to sell to get the most cash for them.

Very true.

It is a disease for sure.
Reloading equipment is worth scrap plus one dollar. Young people do not want to reload. You can barely give it away around here.
Now, I get this question more frequently these days, from widows.
Kids don't want any of that gun stuff. MONEY is all they want.
1. Drop the guns off at the local gun shop. They charge 20%. NO ammo, reloading or any other stuff.
2. Make one call to Rock Island Auctions. They will come and get it.
Rifles with wood stocks? No concept of that; Anyone under age 50 says.
Sell it now....