Thinning the herd as we age

[kentucky yeti]

Im getting older and sold a Colt CCO just the other day to help fund my 74 Pontiac Trans Am restoration.

You can't mention Trans Am and not have a picture of it.

 

[Johnny-Baseball]

I have sold off some actual 1950's toys that I've lost my arse on! I am selling off automotive collectable parts and other things to put towards the 1972 442 that I'm trying to finish before I expire!

I know the pain. I just sold my 600 rwhp 2002 Corvette - wasn't able to drive it any more without pain. So the joy of ownership wasn't there any more. Here's a link to the car - it was bone stock when I bought it, so I've got lots of $$ and time invested in making it mine. Oh, well.....

2002 Chevrolet Corvette Supercharged Show Car | Carrollton TX | Texas Hot Rides

2002 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C5 COUPE IN "MILLENNIUM YELLOW!" Here it is! An amazing car with tons of power, appeal, and most importantly; ENJOYMEN...

www.hotrides.com

 

[ole442]

Nice Vette! Looks great in that color! I like C5's! Yeah, getting in/out of the Vette at 70 is a whole new experience. I do have my own method which works well, so far, as long as I can have the door all the way open! LOL

I always wanted a Vette and had bought my cousin's '76 Vette when he passed. Less than 50,000 miles! It's a sluggish stock L48 but it's enjoyable to cruise around in. I added a removable rear window from and early C3 and put in an 8 track player. Rather had a 68 to 70 high HP but I'm just taking care of this one for my cousin!

 

[Conman]

I add more with each passing month. If I see something I want I bring it home. The wife can get rid of them as she wants.

 

[Armybrat]

You can't mention Trans Am and not have a picture of it.

How about my son’s ‘69 Camaro Rally Sport?

 

[bobsyouruncle]

Over time ,guns I bought to use have become collectible. as an example, purchased for a job requirement in 1987 and didn't take the job, less than 300 rds fired

 

[buckaroo]

Buckaroo - I understand your sentiment about this topic. Yet, I also vividly recall the joy from my grandfather (a month before he died) gifting me the old Stevens .22/.410 over/under that he taught me to shoot when I was 4.

I get it Johnny, I guess it scares me, I'm on a wing and prayer myself. Getting older is a touchy subject, and of course if we only knew and understood back then what we do now right. After one of my brothers blew his brains out years ago I gave a flowery speech at the funeral, that's not what needed to be said, but I didn't realize it or even understand it. I let that prick go to his grave thinking I respected him, and all his friends and the rest of the family thinking he was something. He wasn't worth a sht and I would have been far better off in life if I had never known him.

 

[Heliman]

I am 73. I have had a few health issues over the last couple of years. I have 35ish firearms. I also would like to downsize a bit.

In the last year, I have sold 3 guns and bought 4. I am sort of hovering.

I am losing the physical ability to hunt the way I used to and the decisions going forward on selling off some stuff will be predicated on that.

We shall see what happens.

 

[Ride1949]

My daughter and son in law now have the majority of my hunting guns. (Plus a couple of Marlin 60's for the granddaughter) If, and when I do hunt, it's now with a bow. Good luck to you Heliman. I hope you can still get out there once in a while.

 

[whittsailor]

You can't mention Trans Am and not have a picture of it.

This picture was taken right after I replaced the rear leaf springs, shocks, and fuel tank early this year. Spent a lot of time underneath the back, cleaning up the years of gunk and grime. Now working my way toward the front. It’s a 74, with the stock 455 250 hp engine. It’s not a Super Duty even though the scoop states otherwise. I’ve owned her since 94.

 

[Cholo]

That's a nice beginning! I wish I had your garage space.

 

[JBP]

In the last two years I've been selling guns that were unused or safe queens. I narrowed my keepers down to concealed carry, secondary sidearms for hunting/in the field use, rifles and shotguns for hunting and an AR-15. Gone are the had-to-haves, the deals-too-good-to-pass-up and most of the duplicates of calibers that I regularly use. My herd went from north of 40 guns to five handguns, 5 long guns, an AR-15 and 3 shotguns. .38, .357, .45, .22, .223, 30.30, 30.06 and 12 gauge are the calibers I kept. Gone are the .40s, the .44s, the 9 mils, the .270s, the 7 mm mags, the 22.250s, the .243s, the 20 gauges, the black powders and many duplicates of various configurations. I invested a good amount of the proceeds in reloading supplies.

It just seemed silly to me to hang on to stuff I no longer (if ever) used. Ammo is abundantly available for the calibers I kept. A couple of family heirlooms along with some tried and true shooters meet my needs. All the rest became surplus inventory taking up space. A number of my friends think I am crazy to offload guns: others (who got some good weapons at fair prices) wanted more! 🤩 I've done the same with other possessions such as tools, antiques, vehicles, and other toys and such, and it feels good to downsize as I get older. Less clutter, less cleaning etc.

I'm curious if others here feel similar as they get older, or if they are content with keeping the "spoils" of their life.

Peace and God bless.

I finally started listening to my retina specialist about reducing recoil. That plus cleaning out the safe queens. Gone are my

In the last two years I've been selling guns that were unused or safe queens. I narrowed my keepers down to concealed carry, secondary sidearms for hunting/in the field use, rifles and shotguns for hunting and an AR-15. Gone are the had-to-haves, the deals-too-good-to-pass-up and most of the duplicates of calibers that I regularly use. My herd went from north of 40 guns to five handguns, 5 long guns, an AR-15 and 3 shotguns. .38, .357, .45, .22, .223, 30.30, 30.06 and 12 gauge are the calibers I kept. Gone are the .40s, the .44s, the 9 mils, the .270s, the 7 mm mags, the 22.250s, the .243s, the 20 gauges, the black powders and many duplicates of various configurations. I invested a good amount of the proceeds in reloading supplies.

It just seemed silly to me to hang on to stuff I no longer (if ever) used. Ammo is abundantly available for the calibers I kept. A couple of family heirlooms along with some tried and true shooters meet my needs. All the rest became surplus inventory taking up space. A number of my friends think I am crazy to offload guns: others (who got some good weapons at fair prices) wanted more! 🤩 I've done the same with other possessions such as tools, antiques, vehicles, and other toys and such, and it feels good to downsize as I get older. Less clutter, less cleaning etc.

I'm curious if others here feel similar as they get older, or if they are content with keeping the "spoils" of their life.

Peace and God bless.

Finally taking my retina specialist advice about reducing recoil. That plus cleaning out safe queens. Have sold 30/30, 243, 6.5 Creedmor and .22 Hornet rifles, plus 6 T/C Contender barrels. Also ammo for all of them. Have NEF 25-06 that I have to take to the range and test fire before putting up gor sale. Still shoot all of my handguns so those I'm keeping plus all my rimfires and 22 caliber rifles. I did pickup carbines in 9mm, 5.7x28 and 45ACP. Granddaughter likes the shotguns so she'll get them eventually.

 

[bobsyouruncle]

My goal was to get rid of a bunch of stuff, so as not to leave the wife trying to figure out what to do with, on the other hand what woman wouldn't want a bunch of early Hemi engine speed parts and antique firearms, she could just go down to the nearest gun shop, I'm sure they would treat her fairly.

 

[Armybrat]

My son’s ride in college 36 years ago…

 

[wolfsong]

I don't know if this thread is depressing or sad. We've got a living cemetery right here on RugerForums, preparing to die.
It's hard to read all of this.
I'm going out with very little because that's all I've ever had and hopefully not waiting around to die or being carted off to the home.



Take note you younger cats, this is your future. 20 years on a gun forum telling stories while stroking your safe queens. And by the time you reach the living cemetery it will be Airguns and you will have elected Don Jr.

Some people just can't resist stirring the pot. SMH

 

[bowzette]

Wolfsong I'm glad you posted this thread. This is a matter I've been dealing with and glad to see many others of our more mature age are/have as well. I don't find the subject depressing-just realistic. Eventually all of us boys have to grow up-kind of painful .

 

[Johnny-Baseball]

Bowzette wrote: "...Eventually all of us boys have to grow up...." Or, in ZeroHedge's words, "On a long enough timeline the survival rate for everyone drops to zero."

 

[ole442]

I'm going out with very little because that's all I've ever had and hopefully not waiting around to die or being carted off to the home.
And by the time you reach the living cemetery it will be Airguns and you will have elected Don Jr.

As far as waiting around to die! I'm not waiting for that but a person does need to be aware!
As far as Don Jr......I'm a Trump fan but, at this point Don Jr. is not someone I plan to ever vote for.

 

[buckaroo]

but a person does need to be aware!

Your right, I just got freaked out reading this thread. I've got no memories like most of you do, I can't imagine what some of you are going through.

 

[Ride1949]

Bowzette wrote: "...Eventually all of us boys have to grow up...." Or, in ZeroHedge's words, "On a long enough timeline the survival rate for everyone drops to zero."

I got asked in my 40's, "what do you want to be when you grow up"? My answer was"very, very old". I'm getting there, but not quite there yet.