New Year starting in a Funk

[dverna]

I have been avoiding the job, but I need to thin much of the herd. After my son married this year, I was informed his wife will not allow guns in the house. I have no one to leave my stuff to.

Yesterday I talked to the guy who does my FFL's. I wanted a cost for shipping handguns as it is not cheap or easy for a citizen to sell handguns. Looks like about $50. He will pack them and do the paperwork.

As we talked, I told him about my situation. Described the kinds of guns I would be selling. He suggested buying most of them expect the competition guns that would be difficult for him to sell.

I put together a preliminary list. I was in a bit of a funk, and maybe put more on the list than I should have. Anyway, it came out to over 30 guns not including the two K-80 combos. I doubt he will want them all. The guns he does not want to purchase, will be listed here or on Gunbroker. The K-80's will be listed on Trapshooters.com. The CAS guns will be listed on the SASS site

Decades of acquisition will soon go down the road. Saddens me, but that is life. At least I have memories of the competitions and great people I met along the way.

This is the second "thinning". The first was 15 years ago to get rid of "useless" guns. Now, many of my "good" guns will also become useless...at least to me.

[truckjohn]

My collection is in need of a good purge too.

You are on the right track.

"Common" deer hunting and shooting rifles sell best locally... Stuff like cheap 22's, 30-06 and 270 bolt actions, normal garden variety pistols, and 12-ga shotguns are easy for a local dealer to sell. So are hunting rifles in hunting condition... Like say you've got a 1980's Winchester 94 that was carried a lot in the woods... Those sell pretty well locally.

Oddball and high value stuff tends to sit around locally. Internet gun sales sites are often the best way to go on these, as buyers know what they're looking for, and they will pay. Like say you have a few custom built bullseye pistols or some oddball mil-surp or a Pre-64 Winchester model 70 in 375H&H... Oddly enough, really good condition Marlins can do well online due to the market changing rapidly. That $700 lever action might sell for over double that. "Hunter grade" Marlins do better in the local gun shop because there's just so much competition online.

Also, I would advise having your FFL ship everything. Just include it in the cost. The good part is that he does business with the shipping companies, and if there is a problem, he can deal with it through official channels rather than dumping you into endless customer service nightmares where you try to explain that private citizens can ship guns. Even the "Antique" stuff.. and even to an FFL. They will complain, but it's disclosed up front.

[Baltimoreed]

I would be in a funk too. Thats a real bummer. Don’t have an alternative other than possibly a mutual friend who shoots and has room for your safe where your son could pick up your toys, go to the range or hunt and return them. You can’t help who you fall in love with I guess. Maybe she’ll come around. I’m thinning things too but just stuff I know my son doesn’t care about. Good luck.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

You can mail a handgun in a USPS flat rate box if you are an FFL. I would look around for someone more reasonable. Maybe get your son help you go to a gun show or two. ( Can you do private sales that way in MI )?

[SSGOldfart]

I'?d love to see that list

[rancher1913]

unless your passing is emanate, i would hold off selling your stuff, marriages fail or maybe your kid will grow up a little and want them down the road

[blackthorn]

I would not be in too much of a hurry to get rid of those guns. One thing I have learned in life is that things change. If your son's wife is giving him ultamations this early on, it is likely she will just get worse as time goes on. That scenario gets old REAL fast for most folks. She may just not be around all that long.

[BLAHUT]

I would Wate on selling ? Grandkids have a way of changing minds ? Time has a way of changing what is allowed ? Ask me how I know ??

[dverna]

I'?d love to see that list

Do not want to violate selling rules so will not PM or email a list. But I am sure some of the guns will wind up here.

[SSGOldfart]

well I didn't
thank a email or PM would break the rules. I can see where posting it in your thread would be a problem with the rules. But I understand I too try to stay on the good side of our rules.

[Winger Ed.]

I've been thinning the herd for about 10 years.
No big rush, but my kids aren't shooters.
The weapons would end up in pawn shops, or stand in the closet until they got stolen.
There will still be a few for the grandkids,
but whoever thinks they're going to inherit a high value weapons collection is in for a big surprise..

I've sold about 15, and actually given away 6-7 to people that will appreciate them and/or shoot them.
Since I set about thinning out the safe, I've only bought four--- but I figure that's progress for me.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I have many rifles I have collected over the years, mostly single shots. Seems the only rifles selling now are the black guns. Plastic and aluminum.

[imashooter2]

How sad that your son has signed up for such a life. My prayers go out that the marriage becomes the partnership it is supposed to be.

[Half Dog]

Don’t get rid of all of them until I get a chance to shoot some trap with you. I feel you have much knowledge I need to absorb. Kiddo and I began our venture into shotgun sports, not too long ago, and we have a long journey ahead of us before we are satisfied. I wish you the best in your decisions and I look forward to your input that helps in our journey. You have things of great value, items and knowledge, and I hope you get rewarded for the accumulation. Best wishes to you.

[elmacgyver0]

A couple years into my marriage my wife said I want all of those guns out of the house.
I told her she knew I had guns when I married her, and I intend to keep my guns.
I also told he if she didn't like it to not let the door hit er in the ass on the way out.
I said, I will make one compromise, I will buy a security cabinet for the guns, could not afford a full blown safe at the time.
This seemed to be a doable compromise as I married her when I was 27 and I'm now 71 and still married.
I would say keep your guns; they can figure out what to do with them once you're gone.
My daughter and her family have no use for my guns, so they are going to my nephews.
There are plenty of people, perhaps not family that would love to have your guns that you could leave them to.
Keep your guns and enjoy them, pass them along to someone who would enjoy them, some friends are a lot closer than family.
Blood isn't everything, but perhaps is, after all we were all supposably descended from Adam and Eve if you believe in such stuff.

[elmacgyver0]

I have many rifles I have collected over the years, mostly single shots. Seems the only rifles selling now are the black guns. Plastic and aluminum.

I love single shots, that said I have been working on a buffer less AR pistol.

[Hondolane]

I have a daughter, her husband and three Grandchildren in Alaska. Also, two nephews, two brothers and Brother in Law. I'm blessed to have a people I can leave them to. On the other hand, maybe it's they who blessed in getting the guns.

[Shurshot2]

Ask your son to buy a safe, and think of the investment aspect.

[Dave W.]

We have to be related someplace,might have to go back to Adam & Eve, but...., just leave them to me.

[Handloader109]

Unless you need the money from the sales, and I doubt it as you were going to just pass them on, I think I'd only thin what I didn't really want to use or keep. 1 or 50. Keep your guns.
Let the kid deal with them after you are gone. I'd put this ffl dealers information in the safe with a note to your son to contact him to sell them if he didn't want to keep them. Does you really no good to sell now. And maybe you will be around Long enough to pass some on to a grandchild....

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