Dad was an avid shooter and did a good bit of hunting.
When I was a kid I remember there were 3 instances of old guys on their way out gifting their pet hunting guns to Dad. In 2 of the instances the guys had grown sons, but still wanted Dad to have their good gun.
I remember one old Cowboy said “I’ve seen how you are. I’d appreciate it if you’d let this one run with your herd. I know you’ll look after it”.
The stories were all the same. No one in the old guy’s family cared about hunting or shooting and the old guy didn’t want to die knowing his pet gun was going to waste. So they gave them to Dad.
In Dad’s old guy days I noticed that if I asked about a certain piece on the phone or mentioned seeing one like it, the next time he came to my house to visit and shoot he’d have that piece with him. In the evening after shooting we’d be in my shop and he’d be telling me stories while I cleaned our guns. When he ‘d start gathering up to go he’d leave that piece and say something like “It shot a tighter group for you, I think it likes you better” or “no use in putting traveling wear on that one” or “I used to have one like that, good gun”. And I’d grin and hug him.
When his end was just around the corner he asked me to come see him. After going over how he wanted his business handled he took me out to his gun room and asked me if there was anything I didn’t want and told me there was no obligation to take any of it. In my acceptance speech I mentioned he might consider leaving a certain gun to a certain grandson who I knew was close to Dad. He looked me in the eye and said “I’ve thought about this longer and harder than you have. I love the boy but I wouldn’t trust him to bring it in out of the rain. If anyone wants something just because I owned it, give them a pair of my socks. I’ve had the opportunity to give it to them and didn’t. What you do with your guns is your business.” And the conversation was over and I had a moving job to do.
How about you? What are you going to do with your guns when you’re done?