Do we overvalue sentimental value of our guns?

[theosmithjr]

Amazing that the LAW in your homeland still holds such authority! We Americans I fear, have taken our Freedom for granted lately. While we have troops engaged in battle off in foreign lands, every morning it seems that it takes 15 minutes on the morning news to tell is whom was shot, robbed, raped or murdered! That is WAR! You have a far greater chance of being shot, stabbed, mugged, raped or murdered walking down the street right here in America; than any of our troops do off in foreign lands engaged in active WAR! Gun Control by our Democratic politicians is being pushed for harder than ever before! That IS NOT the ANSWER! Your countries LAW's clearly demonstrate that. Legally owned Firearms, by law abiding citizens, are NOT the PROBLEM! The Problem is the LACK of RESPECT for the LAW! The youth of today have been raised parked infront of a TV, Video Game or Computer! Playing 1st person shooter games, watching Rambo and the gangllion otherHAS BEEN ACTION stars kill hundreds of people, surviving these amazi g encounters unscathed, and still walking the streets in public! Hell, now we even have Female Ultimate Warriors kicking the dirt outta men left and right! Old has been actors in their 50's and 60's spraying bullets, blowing up, kicking the dirt out of everything! What a JOKE! BUT, its BRAINWASHED and DESENSITIZED an ENTIRE GENERATION! They can't tell FACT from FICTION anymore! They walk around with their face glued to the iPhone in their hand. While they Walk, while they Eat, CONSTANTLY! Most of the weapons these TV & Movie & Video game wannabe Tough Guys & Girls obtain their weapons ILLEAGALLY! Just like the so called OPIOID CRISIS their CLAIMING here in ANERICA! Now people whom are seriously in need cannot obtain them without scrutiny of the highest degree, if at all! The Criminals can OBTAIN their Weapons and Drugs far easier than LEGITIMATE, LAW ABIDING CITIZENS can! They're embrazzened and BOLD enough from LACK of RESPECT for the LAW, and CONSEQUENCES of their ACTIONS lead to a lifestyle that's DESTINED to LIFE in PRISON or even DEATH! Clearly they DO NOT FEAR PRison! It's almost as if they see it as a part of life today! Death, no longer holds the same cautiousness as it once did. Video games and Movies have BRAINWASHED an entire GENERATION into thinking their Bullet Proof! Instead of settling an argument with co creation, or an extreme one with a fist fight; they pull out an Illeagally Obtained weapon in 99% of cases, and proceed to spay whomever. Then they go PARTY to celebrate these Heinious actions without any remorse at all! They NUMB themselves with their Illeagal drugs, of any feeling or consequence of their action with their Illeagally obtained firearm. Then they go off to CRIMINAL COLLEGE (prison) to obtain their Phd's in Crime. Total Lack of Respect! Complete Lack of Morals or Consequences, and BREEDING a NEW & IMPROVED GENERATION of ZOMBIES! What's my point? Talk to your family. Teach your children to honor and respect their Heritage. Take them hunting, shooting, fishing and so on. Make a Will for when the day comes that they're faced with What to Do With Dads guns! If you Loved & RaIsed you family right, most won't anything to worry about. Those unfortunate ones who's guns get sold quickly at bargain discounted prices; thank GOD that you're DEAD and won't know about it! Theosmithjr

 

[Oxobrianne 272]

Hi Theosmth,
I have 1st. hand experience of young children reacting violently to others after playing video games.
Re: British legal system - I had a friend (now deceased) who was sentenced to six months for having his guns stolen from him!!!! He violated one of the conditions of his certification re: safe storage. He was quite a celebrity in prison - the hard-core convicts couldn't believe it!! Most of his sentence was passed in an open prison, a private room with t.v. and a pub nearby. Cost to the British taxpayer in excess of £26,000. He was a self employed business man and lost
his house as he couldn't pay his mortgage whilst 'inside!!
No criminal record whatsoever previously.
Unreal!!

 

[theosmithjr]

Hi Theosmth,
I have 1st. hand experience of young children reacting violently to others after playing video games.
Re: British legal system - I had a friend (now deceased) who was sentenced to six months for having his guns stolen from him!!!! He violated one of the conditions of his certification re: safe storage. He was quite a celebrity in prison - the hard-core convicts couldn't believe it!! Most of his sentence was passed in an open prison, a private room with t.v. and a pub nearby. Cost to the British taxpayer in excess of £26,000. He was a self employed business man and lost
his house as he couldn't pay his mortgage whilst 'inside!!
No criminal record whatsoever previously.
Unreal!!

That's so unbelievable. Put into prison for being robbed of your possession in your own home. Every country has its GOOD LAWS & BAD LAWS apparently. America NEEDS to control the sale of LEGALLY OBTAINED Firearms that are then SOLD in the private sector or at Gun Shows. HANDGUNS & AUTOMATIC Weapons in MY OPINION. I've ALWAYS been an advocate for GUN CONTROL
GUN CONTROL = The ability for the person firing the weapon to be able to ALWAYS place the fired round exactly at their POINT of AIM! THAT is UNDISPUTED GUN CONTROL!
Theosmithjr

 

[KyCarl]

My opinion is as long as I don't shoot you or your stuff It's none of your business what I have! I'm older so I have a lot of stuff that the records have long since disappeared
on..If they were ever kept? ..."What, I have no idea what you are talking about"
Is my mantra.....

 

[Pro2A]

I have always pictured some of the guns I own being passed down to my kids and my grandkids and their kids etc. family heirlooms you know? Recently I had two experiences that shook me to my core - two elderly gentleman that I knew from church and had great gun collections passed away. One about 6 months ago and one just last week. Wife and kids put all of their guns up for sell at liquidation prices. It was my understanding that both men had life insurance and had their homes paid off etc - I don't think they needed the cash, they would just rather have cash than dad and grandpas guns. Made me sick to my stomach and really got me thinking if we over value the sentimental value of our guns? What do you all think?

Apparently, those two fellas did not do justice to heir family's appreciation for all things guns and Second Amendment. If they had spent the time and effort building that appreciation, those guns would have been highly prized and would have stayed in the family as heirlooms. A parent's most important role is to imprint their kids in the values that are important to them.....God, country, family,.... Too many outside influences in the world are fighting for the indoctrination of our kids.

 

[FIGJAM]

Apparently, those two fellas did not do justice to heir family's appreciation for all things guns and Second Amendment. If they had spent the time and effort building that appreciation, those guns would have been highly prized and would have stayed in the family as heirlooms. A parent's most important role is to imprint their kids in the values that are important to them.....God, country, family,.... Too many outside influences in the world are fighting for the indoctrination of our kids.

Well said. I will add tho, not all children have the same interests and desires no matter how hard a parent tries to influence them

 

[redleg1013]

Value is relative, what you witnessed is proof of that. I've got odd pieces of what some would call junk because of the little intrinsic value, but I call priceless because of how, or from whom, said item came to be in my possession... like the Eisenhower silver dollar I got from my grandpa shortly before he passed... it's the most priceless dollar in the world.

Something a friend of mine has started doing is writing a "bio" about some of his treasures, as to why they are valuable. His son told me that he found one of the "bios" and said he always knew his dad loved that item, but never knew the history behind it.

 

[Rum River]

Interesting (and poignant) subject, first time in awhile I've read every post of a thread this long. I've built up a decent collection over the years, and currently am in the midst of making the "what do I want to eventually happen to it" decision.

I work at a gun shop with thousands of firearms on display, original flintlock to latest tactical and everything in between. Breaks your heart to see descendants roll in with a well cared for classic firearm complete with accessories not available for decades and say "whaddya gimme?, the **** thing's just in the way in the closet".

I have a sporterized Krag rifle of my Dad's, it was nicely done by he and his uncle. Except for the Lyman peep sight, first glance you'd think it was one of the original carbines. It was the only deer gun Dad had for decades, and it tipped over several dozens of Minnesota whitetail. In my late teens Dad sold me that rifle for $75 - with the stipulation that if I ever sold it I had to sell it back to him - for $75. It has never left my possession in the over forty years since - in spite of my first attempt at marriage and a number of other self-induced calamities. I have that rifle listed by serial number in my will, and that it has to remain in my Dad's branch of the family and can only be sold for $75.

As to all of the other numerous items, my wife and I always discussed what was paid - plus I keep an inventory with current values. I've supplied contact info for reliable people to help her and all the kids sell (for a decent price) whatever they don't want to keep for themselves.

You can only do what you can do.........

 

[Canhunter35]

Lots on interesting posts:
My take, eventually it's all stuff. Even if it takes a few generations, eventually someone will not realize the significance it had for you and part with it

 

[Triggerhead Ed]

Hi de ho
Please except my condolences for your loss. Thank you for your bargain priced gun
I will give it a good home
feed it clean it and treat it special
And when I'm gone I hope someone maybe my sons or grandkids will give them a good home and appreciate them

 

[coop2564]

Their are many families that would value them and sadly many would value the money more!

 

[Randy Tidwell]

I posted earlier about having my Grand Fathers Dbl 10ga. Want to share how I came into my hands.

Pop passed away when I was 19yo, sad day for us, he was great man.

After the funeral I was asked if there was anything of Pops I wanted, only thing I wanted was that 10ga. The memories of him and I with it still make me smile and chokes me up.

My Aunt said "Well Daddy promised that to me, but I promise when I am ready it will only go to you!"

I told her that I don't want to hurt her feelings, but if she ever let her sons get their hands on it, it would be in the nearest pawn shop. She assured me that they would never have access to it.

For years, every time I spoke with her, I would ask if it was still safe at which she would say absolutely.

Fast forward prob 25 years, one Christmas morning I was sick with the flu. Wife wanted me to come down to open presents. Told her I was too sick and was staying in bed.

Very firmly she said "No get you *** up and come open at least one present." You know how they can be at times, LOL.

When I got down stairs she handed one gift, about 32" long, 12-14 wide, about 10 pounds. When I turned the tag over it said "From Aunt June with Love"

Still brings tears to my eyes, all those years she kept it hidden from her drug addict sons and kept her promise.

Worth allot of money, Nope! Priceless to me YES!

 

[Randy Tidwell]

The next gun that is priceless is my father's 300 Weatherby. I was with dad at Weatherby's in 1964 when he bought that rifle, to him it was the greatest gun ever built. No matter how many times I showed him my 300 Win Mag Mod 70 out performed it, it was still the best gun in the world.

A few years ago I talked my youngest son into going on a Cow Elk hunt with us in Utah by telling him I would pull out Dad's 300 and get it ready for him to hunt with.

Worked up a new load for it, changed scopes, and cleaned it up. Just before Christmas he came by the house, told him the Wby was ready to go. Pulled it out of the safe and told him to take it home, its your's now. He had tears in his eyes.

On the hunt, we got on a group across a canyon, ranged at between 625-650 yards. He looked at me, I nodded my head to go for it. He kissed the side of the gun and said "This is for you Gramps!" Dropped her at 634, confirmed with two range finders.

We just booked an Elk/Deer hunt for Nov 2020 in Montana (my last hunt with dad was Ennis Montana). I asked him if he was going to use Dad's rifle, got "ABSOLUTELY!" Then added that if he scores, he will retire the rifle until one of his boys is ready to go Elk Hunting. The oldest is 11, so that will be in about 3-4 years

In about 1980 I bought my mother a Left Handed 257 Wby Mag Mark V. Our youngest grandson is 9, he's left handed. Guess who gets that rifle? That is all he talks about is going hunting with his dad and I.

 

[frostop]

I know this one from experience, both my father and step father have both passed.
I inherited a hand gun from my father that originally belonged to my grandfather that I will never sell and I have possession of several firearms that my step father had that again I will never sell. That being said they are just tools some have some real value and others do not!!