How many of you keep a gun you will never use in the woods?

[Chris in TN]

Yes and no. The fact that my dad or grandpa merely owned a gun or any other tool doesn't make it sentimental to me, but if they used it regularly at some point in their life, especially if I was there, that has an influence for sure. But it's an influence that makes *me* keep it, stuck in the back of a safe, and I know that one day my kids will look at it, shrug, and haul it to an auction house - because I merely owned it, didn't use it with them.

There's part of me that thinks sentimental stuff should be sold and the funds turned into more useful guns and ammo. There's part of me that knows that such stuff, if kept, might bring a great price at an auction when I'm gone and be a blessing to my heirs one day, and there's value in both of those things.

Everyone has to make those calls. All I can say from experience here is that if you plan to leave a bunch of stuff behind, have a crystal clear set of instructions on how it's to be dispersed or disposed of.

 

[go_deep]

I have a flintlok side by side damascus steel barrel .45 cal one side, scatter gun on the other side rifle that was my great-great grand parents. I'll keep it forever, and I hope one of my kids will keep it after me.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

The only rifle I own that won’t ever be used for hunting is the 1863 Confederate Sharps made in Richmond. My grandfather found it in a barn in Maine and cleaned it up. It was a wall hanger in his house and I remember asking him all about it as a child. It is important to me because it is my only material connection to my grandfather.

I keep it in someone else’s gun safe because I don’t consider my place secure enough for it. If the political climate was different in my state, I’d give or loan it to a museum, but eventually I’ll get it out of the safe and put it up on the wall. It’s not in good enough condition to ever shoot it (the original quality wasn’t great in those rifles when they were new).

The person above who said that you have to use the guns to give them value is pretty close to the whole truth. You at least have to share the stories about them with others. It’s the human connection that gives them value.

 

[7RemMag]

Yes and no. The fact that my dad or grandpa merely owned a gun or any other tool doesn't make it sentimental to me, but if they used it regularly at some point in their life, especially if I was there, that has an influence for sure. But it's an influence that makes *me* keep it, stuck in the back of a safe, and I know that one day my kids will look at it, shrug, and haul it to an auction house - because I merely owned it, didn't use it with them.

I think Like Q_Sertorius said that there's a lot of truth in this statement. It goes both ways, too. My Dad's model 70 7mm Mag (I believe the Black Shadow model from the early 200's or so) is not necessarily an "heirloom quality" rifle. However, that rifle is as legendary to me as the man is himself. In fact, it's shown in my profile picture. On the contrary, lack of use and/or history can make the fanciest of heirloom quality rifles worthless to someone else.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I have all the guns I have bought over the years. When one appears to have run out of luck, I take one of my other ones out. Someone can resolve the collection when I am gone.