I’m getting older by the day and I’m starting to look fwd ( forcably) at a time when I can not shoot anymore. No family to give guns to so what do I do with my collection?
Firearms Getting old
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You can leave them to me, I can call you dad.
You can set up a Trust and have them liquidated after your passing. Then the funds can be donated to whatever cause you choose.
I am also happy to buy your guns for a fraction of what they're worth or get commission.
There are a couple things that are open to you. This comes up pretty regular in the collectors forums I visit.
The first plan, and my plan is, I will keep it. You don't pay taxes on it like you would for a hot rod or sports car, they eat nothing sitting in the safe.
With this, as I will likely go before the wife you need to have something with what they are and what they are worth. Really worth. With collectors type things this is easy, find a gun that is close in condition as yours is (you do need to be honest here) and have a database or excel sheet with all that info. For me, I have a database with everything in it, photos SN#'s if applicable I have several of the same thing. On old 22's that don't have a SN# I usually put some form of tag under the butt plate or a hang tag saying this one is #4 or something. This way they will know the difference between this Marlin 60 and that Marlin 60. I have where I bought it, when I bought it, what I paid for it, quite a few photos, and a price the thing is worth. I usually use closed auctions for the costs. This sounds like a lot of work, and it is, but it is also fun. If you have quite a few you don't have to do it all at once.
Second and really the most easy is just take them to a retail seller. You will not get top $$ for them, but it is the most easy.
Lastly you can sell them one by one yourself, this takes the most work, but it will also give you the greatest return.
For me I plan on keeping them and enjoying them. Actually I think my wife would be pissed as all hell if I sold any of them, and she thinks the .gov is going to come for them inside of 5 years.
The first plan, and my plan is, I will keep it. You don't pay taxes on it like you would for a hot rod or sports car, they eat nothing sitting in the safe.
With this, as I will likely go before the wife you need to have something with what they are and what they are worth. Really worth. With collectors type things this is easy, find a gun that is close in condition as yours is (you do need to be honest here) and have a database or excel sheet with all that info. For me, I have a database with everything in it, photos SN#'s if applicable I have several of the same thing. On old 22's that don't have a SN# I usually put some form of tag under the butt plate or a hang tag saying this one is #4 or something. This way they will know the difference between this Marlin 60 and that Marlin 60. I have where I bought it, when I bought it, what I paid for it, quite a few photos, and a price the thing is worth. I usually use closed auctions for the costs. This sounds like a lot of work, and it is, but it is also fun. If you have quite a few you don't have to do it all at once.
Second and really the most easy is just take them to a retail seller. You will not get top $$ for them, but it is the most easy.
Lastly you can sell them one by one yourself, this takes the most work, but it will also give you the greatest return.
For me I plan on keeping them and enjoying them. Actually I think my wife would be pissed as all hell if I sold any of them, and she thinks the .gov is going to come for them inside of 5 years.
I would sell off the collection SLOWLY while still capable, to avoid a fire sale at the end or by an agent whose focus will be his/her own profit/convenience. Probably start with the pieces least attached to, and keep the most emotionally valuable ones to the end.
You're not getting old, you're just not getting younger . Enjoy the time. List your collection to sell to some people that will appreciate it. Take the fund and enjoy life on other things
Best of luck .
Whatever you do, always keep at least your HD/SD set. Whatever you use for EDC, etc. Don't give that away. You might be getting older, but you still need self-defense.
I like the "trust" idea where they can be liquidated by the trust after you're gone. One caveat,,, I would leave specific instructions with your trustee(s) as to whom the "inventory" should be sold/transferred. The last thing I'd want is to have my guns (especially the AR15s I've built from scratch) to end up in the hands of an "anti" buyer, only to have them destroyed later because "all guns are bad." I'd want to ensure they go to a good home, or a good cause.
I like the "trust" idea where they can be liquidated by the trust after you're gone. One caveat,,, I would leave specific instructions with your trustee(s) as to whom the "inventory" should be sold/transferred. The last thing I'd want is to have my guns (especially the AR15s I've built from scratch) to end up in the hands of an "anti" buyer, only to have them destroyed later because "all guns are bad." I'd want to ensure they go to a good home, or a good cause.
I'll give you what you told your wife you paid for them !!!
I'm in the same boat and have been doing what people before me suggested. Getting rid of the less important ones and working my way through them. You need to find an end user that will pay what they are worth other than the gun shop people that are just trying to flip them or make there cut. I sold 2000 rounds of ammo and 2 guns last weekend by people i met at garage sale my wife had. SH, GunBroker just to name a couple, there are several diffrent places that can help you. I call it reinvesting as the guns are bought and paid for use it for cruise, travel, fishing, what ever floats your boat and makes great memories for the years to follow.
I'm in the same boat and have been doing what people before me suggested. Getting rid of the less important ones and working my way through them. You need to find an end user that will pay what they are worth other than the gun shop people that are just trying to flip them or make there cut. I sold 2000 rounds of ammo and 2 guns last weekend by people i met at garage sale my wife had. SH, GunBroker just to name a couple, there are several diffrent places that can help you. I call it reinvesting as the guns are bought and paid for use it for cruise, travel, fishing, what ever floats your boat and makes great memories for the years to follow.
I also have more yesterdays than tomorrows (75 Yrs). My executor is a avid gun collector and retired IRS Forensic accountant. He also is My best friend for 45 yrs. I only have a daughter that wants one .22 LR rifle so the rest will be sold on Gunbroker by the Executor. He will get My cans via trust and all ammo,reloading etc for His work. Fortunately, My Dr. buddy says I am in great health but things happen.
You must know good young men through friends or your church. Give some of them away to them.
Or sell them and put the proceeds into a scholarship fund.
Just sharing thoughts that I have had lately.
Or sell them and put the proceeds into a scholarship fund.
Just sharing thoughts that I have had lately.
As a new friend of the OP, I agree with this response.
If you're not independently wealthy, you can sell one by one to fund things you need or desire. If money doesn’t change your life, consider sending something special to a place like the Cody museum of firearms.
If you need kids, I have 5 that I'm willing to sell. Two of them are cheap this month.
If you need kids, I have 5 that I'm willing to sell. Two of them are cheap this month.
Any good looking females? Being a single, broken down, old geezer myself, I might be interested.
Edit to ad, only good workers need apply. I need someone to support my old ass.
Let me ask a question here,
Why?
Why are you going to sell them. Now perhaps my mindset is different being a collector. If you need the money that is one thing, I hope to never be in that boat to be forced to sell something to pay for food or something like that. But lets say you are just fine, in the cash department, why are you wanting to get rid of it.
Now I can understand selling something for a sport you can no longer do.....a bit. If you can't shoot your long range game anymore you really don't "need" all that gear. But then again I have a feeling retired baseball players have a glove and a bat or two. Our memories are usually triggered by things. This is why people collect things. And as I said before your rifle does not cost one thin dime to just sit.
I think it comes down to attitude. If you are going to look at that rifle and think woe is me, I can't do that anymore, then yea it might be better to get that out of sight. But I see the things and think of how much I enjoyed it, the people I met, good times....all that. I still have my race car and I have not sat in the thing for over 20 years. But I know right where it is just incase I get that wild hair to go do an open road race or something. You never know just what may come up.
Why do you feel the need to unload your things?
Now that all said I do have one story as to why you need to unload your things.
I have a friend, older gent, was on the Iowa way back in the days of Korea. It was not in Korea, it was in the Med during his time, but it puts dates on him. Late 80's.
He is doing pretty well, we shot together a few times, and I kept on him, when are you going to sell that 28g Remington 1100 to me. No not yet. It was more of teasing thing.
He has a heart attack, in the hospital and it looks like he is not going to make it. His kids come in, sell everything off. His house, his mower (he had great pride in his mower) Basically everything. He gets better, and his kids move him off to an "old folks home".
I go to visit him, and I get the story. Sorry I can't give you that 1100 or that 1911 in 38 super, the kids sold everything when I went into the hospital, I wanted to give so and so this and this guy that, I just waited too long. The guy was almost in tears. Oh that does not matter to me, I don't care about that stuff, but I do he said. It was something he wanted, he wanted his mower to go to Joe, he wanted those guns to go to me.
So there is that as well.
So I would say at least make it legal where things you have are to go if something should happen to you. However you do it, make sure that if something happens, Joe gets that mower.
People, being "family" get very......strange..... around the passing of a parent. I have horror stories on that, so make sure you talk to a lawyer to get everything set the way you want it after you are gone.
I am lucky I have one wife, and one child. So they get all my crap when I go. They better get a big dumpster.
Why?
Why are you going to sell them. Now perhaps my mindset is different being a collector. If you need the money that is one thing, I hope to never be in that boat to be forced to sell something to pay for food or something like that. But lets say you are just fine, in the cash department, why are you wanting to get rid of it.
Now I can understand selling something for a sport you can no longer do.....a bit. If you can't shoot your long range game anymore you really don't "need" all that gear. But then again I have a feeling retired baseball players have a glove and a bat or two. Our memories are usually triggered by things. This is why people collect things. And as I said before your rifle does not cost one thin dime to just sit.
I think it comes down to attitude. If you are going to look at that rifle and think woe is me, I can't do that anymore, then yea it might be better to get that out of sight. But I see the things and think of how much I enjoyed it, the people I met, good times....all that. I still have my race car and I have not sat in the thing for over 20 years. But I know right where it is just incase I get that wild hair to go do an open road race or something. You never know just what may come up.
Why do you feel the need to unload your things?
Now that all said I do have one story as to why you need to unload your things.
I have a friend, older gent, was on the Iowa way back in the days of Korea. It was not in Korea, it was in the Med during his time, but it puts dates on him. Late 80's.
He is doing pretty well, we shot together a few times, and I kept on him, when are you going to sell that 28g Remington 1100 to me. No not yet. It was more of teasing thing.
He has a heart attack, in the hospital and it looks like he is not going to make it. His kids come in, sell everything off. His house, his mower (he had great pride in his mower) Basically everything. He gets better, and his kids move him off to an "old folks home".
I go to visit him, and I get the story. Sorry I can't give you that 1100 or that 1911 in 38 super, the kids sold everything when I went into the hospital, I wanted to give so and so this and this guy that, I just waited too long. The guy was almost in tears. Oh that does not matter to me, I don't care about that stuff, but I do he said. It was something he wanted, he wanted his mower to go to Joe, he wanted those guns to go to me.
So there is that as well.
So I would say at least make it legal where things you have are to go if something should happen to you. However you do it, make sure that if something happens, Joe gets that mower.
People, being "family" get very......strange..... around the passing of a parent. I have horror stories on that, so make sure you talk to a lawyer to get everything set the way you want it after you are gone.
I am lucky I have one wife, and one child. So they get all my crap when I go. They better get a big dumpster.
Visit a few gun clubs or matches. Find the guys that love to shoot but can't afford the good stuff. The kind of guys that will also pay it forward. A fellow like that gave me a rifle once. I took my first deer with that rifle, proposed to my wife with a ring on the antler. A few guns have come and gone but that one I'll always keep. Sometimes the story, the people and experience make the rifle worth more than the dollars they cost. Hand down the legacy and make someone's day, plant the seed and they'll do the same when their time comes.
Carpe Diem
Carpe Diem
Listing here wouldn't be a terrible idea depending on how many firearms you are trying to sell.
Just use an FFL to ship if you don't want to be hassled with packaging and shipping the firearm.
Just use an FFL to ship if you don't want to be hassled with packaging and shipping the firearm.
Me personally if I was in that situation I’d give or sell the ones that meant the most to me to people I know would appreciate them the most or carry on their legacy. Like a hunting rifle that’s passed down generations and has stories that travel with it
Sell the top dollar ones if you can use the money elsewhere
The other crap I’m bringing down with the ship. Let somebody else find homes for the high points and savages
Sell the top dollar ones if you can use the money elsewhere
The other crap I’m bringing down with the ship. Let somebody else find homes for the high points and savages
Go to your local shooting range, offer to let others shoot your guns. Teach them what you know. Encourage them to pass the knowledge on to their kids. Sell them some of your guns and ammo.
I agree with going to a club. Hopefully you can find one that has a youth club or league and if able to, try to pass on some of your knowledge and maybe rehome them to some less fortunate youths that might not be able to or their parents can’t afford to get them into shooting. Or if the club is able to, try to offer up the guns to the club to utilize for a youth league teaching mechanism and to help get more youths into hunting and shooting.
One of the clubs I use to belong to, did this with archery. There were a lot of kids that wanted to learn how to shoot, but couldn’t afford to buy their kids bows. So a bunch of us that had older bows donated them to the league to pass along the knowledge and get more kids involved and give them the opportunity to learn and experience the joy of shooting. Plus, if the kid decided he wasn’t interested in doing it, the bow was still there for other kids to utilize and the parents didn’t have to expend the money to buy all new equipment, only to find out after a couple of weeks or months, oh they’re actually not interested in it. I may or may not be a victim of this… oh wait, yes I was.
just offering up an option and try to pay it forward to our youth
One of the clubs I use to belong to, did this with archery. There were a lot of kids that wanted to learn how to shoot, but couldn’t afford to buy their kids bows. So a bunch of us that had older bows donated them to the league to pass along the knowledge and get more kids involved and give them the opportunity to learn and experience the joy of shooting. Plus, if the kid decided he wasn’t interested in doing it, the bow was still there for other kids to utilize and the parents didn’t have to expend the money to buy all new equipment, only to find out after a couple of weeks or months, oh they’re actually not interested in it. I may or may not be a victim of this… oh wait, yes I was.
just offering up an option and try to pay it forward to our youth
I have also done this and am in fear of my wife finding it before I pass. If she finds it first I am a dead man. She approves of them and knows of all of them, their purchases and prices but I fear if she sees them all at the same time on the same sheet, well ....
I am available for adoption.
Pick a charity or cause you support. Designate your guns to be sold at auction and the funds to go to whoever you chose. You can do that before Father Time come calling or just sell them and go on a vacation with the funds.
Numerous auction company selling guns will come and pick them up. I have used Carol Watsons auction service. She may even negotiate the commission if you have nice stuff or a lot of stuff.
I think about this at times myself even though I’m 37. All it takes is one bad accident, like getting hit with 480v at work and suddenly everything I worked for becomes someone else’s problem.
Or their treasure lol.
The best option by far would be to ensure they go to a good beneficiary. Someone you know will give them the same amount of care that you would. Finding that in the twilight years can be challenging, but considering how many folks have chimed in here I’d say it won’t be hard to find volunteers! Haha
The problem is that some guys will tell you whatever you want to hear if they know there’s a carrot on the stick. My advice would be to consider some of the options here, find someone you trust in actions more than words, and put them in your will. If you’re feeling especially kind maybe even start the process before reaching a point where the will is needed at all.
In any case my friend, as someone who is also cursed with introspective thoughts like yours I wish you the best of luck in finding a solution. If by chance you’re in the Houston area and you need help finding resources, ranges, etc I can steer you in the right direction. Hopefully this issue is one that isn’t too urgent though
Or their treasure lol.
The best option by far would be to ensure they go to a good beneficiary. Someone you know will give them the same amount of care that you would. Finding that in the twilight years can be challenging, but considering how many folks have chimed in here I’d say it won’t be hard to find volunteers! Haha
The problem is that some guys will tell you whatever you want to hear if they know there’s a carrot on the stick. My advice would be to consider some of the options here, find someone you trust in actions more than words, and put them in your will. If you’re feeling especially kind maybe even start the process before reaching a point where the will is needed at all.
In any case my friend, as someone who is also cursed with introspective thoughts like yours I wish you the best of luck in finding a solution. If by chance you’re in the Houston area and you need help finding resources, ranges, etc I can steer you in the right direction. Hopefully this issue is one that isn’t too urgent though
I will trade you my 63yo old next month for your 57 any day....... What do say?
BTW dealing with cancer now as well.
Selling off what i'm not shooting.
I would gladly trade my 73yo body for just about any younger model! I too have been parting with some firearms, but just mainly barrels, dies and brass for wildcats that I don't won't to fall into the hands of my only two grandsons. No other grandkids. Most of these wildcats are made from brass with other headstamps that in some cases match other rifles that I own. They are both too young for me to hope to teach them about wildcats or reloading, and I would hate for one of them to load the wrong cartridge in the wrong chamber. I may hopefully be around to teach the older one to reload, but one never knows.
Interesting reply’s and I have read and considered all. For those of you that sent me a pm, I’m sorry. I changed my email a couple years ago and forgot to change it on SH (told you I was getting old) please try again if you want
