Old guys pasings guns and stuff on

[nhdon]

1. I just picked up 1951 target match woodsman maybe unfired or at least 99+ no box no paperwork just the firearm 2 extra mags 1 of which is well used. Rileys gun shop thought it was an estate sale, Is the box and paperwork sitting on a shelf somewhere?

2. Last Dec went to an estate auction of a deceased gunsmith in Raton NM , Because we were close, got to go to the preview. There were many lots which were mixed together, I found an anvil out of a nice Starrett depth gage set and later found the rest of the set with 3 anvils missing. I think the people running the auction were not gun people so I guess the lots sold at a lower value than they should have. We heard there were several problems with items which may have been customer items.

3. I have gotten friendly with a part time trapper who works at the town transfer station. Over the last severals years He has passed info about firearms being dumped or given away cause people have passed and those who are left either know or don't care about the value.

4. At 85 years, I was wondering what other people do to keep stuff all together so it will remain that way. I have a first year 30 carbine which was sent in a few years ago to Ruger for the conversion( I was thinking about converting it to a different round).The returned parts are in the brown shipping box under the original box. The oil paper is in original box. The sales slip is in a file with others including other things like cameras. I guess it depends on who looks at the stuff as to what stays together. Don K

 

[Fox Mike]

All my weapons go to my eldest grandson. I have that in writing, so there will be no discussion when I go to the big range in the sky.

 

[jsh]

I see this come up a fair bit on the estate thing with pieces and parts dumped together. Also on the wishes of a certain person to receive items.
I will say this from"been there had that happen".
My mom and dad had a lot of "treasures". Mom passed first and dad tried to get us kids to take stuff off and on. I took a few small trinket type items, sentimental more than anything and they wouldn't mean a darn thing to anyone but us kids. Still I didn't take a lot of things he wanted me too. My sisters were the same way.
Fast forward a few short years. Dad remarried to someone that all of has known since we were toddlers. She was a widow and had kids.
They were married for less than six months, when dad passed. The will had totally been rewritten, all the legal stuf before this was null and void. A LOT and I do mean a LOT of things disappeared, mostly stuff that was easy to turn and valuable. Gold coins, coin collections, stamp collections, guns etc.
Unbeknown to them I had a complete list of firearms serial numbers of those that had serial numbers. There were guns from the revolutionary war to about the mid 60's. All were of fair to great quality. Various examples from all wars of that period and were family heirlooms.
Three months later there was an auction. Last chance type thing. How does one put a price on sentimental items? You don't.
Out of at least 200 guns there were twelve. I questioned folks and all of them knew nothing. I have a lot of life long friends in the community. I received several "tips". Everything missing had went to about six to eight pawn shops and sold, I have friends in the business. All items were "sold"'by the same individual.
I consulted legal advice, not a dead end but very very pricey and I was warned it would get ugly. I had a "come to Jesus" meeting with the "seller". He admitted to the deed. That is all MY family got was an admission.

If you wish a person to have an item, and they are responsible, give it to them at the very least on a permanent loan. I would advise a note of some type to go with it stating as such.

You can consult legal counsel and advice but it maybe in vain. This came from an attorney that I highly trust.
Jeff

 

[Hairtrigger]

About 6 months ago tommygun and I had this conversation... stuff that has special meaning to a limited crowd
Right now my LGS has two Old Army s for sale separately. They are the same SN, one has a * the other has a prefix
They are selling them separately

 

[BearBio]

I have decided to pass on some of mine early. I have a 1943 Colt 1911A1 (WWII veteran) in a display case. Had it for sale but no takers and my brother said my nephew would like it. So, if I can figure how to get it to Cali, he'll get it now (No local FFL will touch sending anything to Cali). Same with an 1873 for a good friend. Can't get it to him.

 

[Armybrat]

I've been giving some of my guns to two of my sons for several years and will continue. They can draw straws & pick over the rest when I'm gone.

 

[sourdough44]

Hopefully I have a ways to go, but I like the idea of divesting before passing. So maybe instead of 12 'deer rifles', just keep a favorite, same with the rest. If one doesn't have a qualifying heir or acquaintance, thin the herd through sales.

 

[Specs]

I drew up a document which transferred all of my gun stuff to one of my sons as of a date a few years ago, my wife and I both signed it, and had it witnessed and notarized. It remains in my safe deposit box until I go, and then the notarized document and all of the gun stuff goes to that son. It's not a will, these guns are now his, I am just storing them for him. He has an unsigned copy of the list.

 

[bogus bill]

The only thing that really concerns me is to leave the government totally out of it.

 

[jimbo1096]

I am in the process of drawing up a will that will state what I deem valuable or is a family heirloom and assign who I want to have what. My wife is to have everything that I consider community property but I have some personal "stuff" that I want others to have. I like Specs idea of the notarized document and giving the son everything ahead of time, and wonder if it has to list specific items or can be general in nature and still cover what I have. The contents of the safe can change occasionally. And there are some items I definitely don't want certain family members to have, and of course leave the greedy government out of it as much as possible. We have also had the disappearance of family heirlooms with the passing of aunts and uncles, even had one of my Uncles tell me he wanted me to have certain outdoor related items, fishing gear and shotguns, that went missing when the wife's distant niece came in to execute the will, and everyone on our side of the family tree were not included in the estate sell off, so it can happen everywhere!