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Favorite guns, Best guns, Heirloom guns, guns you'll never sell


Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L

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I'll start.

Colt SAA .45, Custom Shop gun, 1980's manufacture. Black powder frame, beveled cylinder, 4 3/4 " Colt Ivory grips.

Browning 1886 rifle, 45-70.

Remington 870 Wingmaster12ga, 28" full choke. High gloss wood, polished deep blue metal. Gift from father-in-law.

Winchester Model 94 Oliver Winchester Commemorative 38-55, unfired, box, papers, etc + two boxes of Comm. Ammo. Gift from father-in-law.

Kimber 1911 .45, Classic Custom (base model). My 1st and only 1911.

S&W Model 36 Chief Special. My detective gun.

What's yours?

 

 

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@Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L I was actually thinking about this earlier today. I don’t have any heirloom guns or guns that have been handed down to me. I only have a couple of guns that I could actually see myself selling. All the others are keepers. I have a few that I will bequeath to family & friends. 

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My grandfather's 12 gauge Stirlingworth double. He won it in a turkey shoot about a hundred years ago, and he always brought it on bird hunts when I was a kid. He died 40 years ago; our dad had the gun, then one of my younger brothers owned it.

 

That brother, Don, died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack 7 months ago. His estate went to his family of course, except for a single specific bequest: he left that shotgun to me. 

 

That one will stay in the family!

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Actually, all of my cowboy guns are keepsakes, each was purchased to fill a void or a need I had at the time. I always tried to buy the best I could afford. I'll never sell my "Winchester" collection (mostly Uberti). I have an 1860 Henry, 3 model 66's, a 73, 76, 85 (high wall), 92 (Rossi), 2 1893 shotguns, (both Winchester), 2 94 Winchesters (both commemoratives in 38-55), a 97 (EMF/chinese) and a 1902 (Rossi .22 pump.) Still need to find a 95.

I also have two late 3rd gen Colt SAA's (both .45, one 5 1/2, one 7 1/2). My first SASS shotgun, a Steven's 235 hammer double that I cut to 24" and a new, unfired Rossi hammer double that I won't sell. Throw in an S&W Model 66 4"  and a Kimber 3" DASA with the no sell group.

 

 

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Since I don't have any relations that appreciate guns, and no one to leave them to, there aren't any that "I'll never sell"...  Just guns that I'll prioritize and hold on to until my shooting days come to an end.  Then I'll keep something for self defense until I can't lift it anymore.

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Colt Woodsman, inherited from a great uncle, French made 16 gauge SXS, inherited from same great uncle; ‘94 Winchester, grandad bought new in the early ‘50’s, Browning BAR .243, Christmas gift from my my dad; Marlin .45-70, bought in 2016 with retirement gift from the paper mill.

I doubt my kids or grandkids would really care about my percussion revolvers, so it wouldn’t bother me to sell them.  They’ll inherit my Rossi’s rifles, cartridge SASS guns, and coach guns used in SASS.  

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Two daughters, six granddaughters. One daughter would simply take whatever guns I pass down to her to the nearest pawn shop and sell them. The other spent a few years shooting CAS with me, and might keep "her" guns, but the rest will just go to new owners. 

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I had a "significant, life threatening" (Dr.s emphasis) brain injury three+ years ago from a fall on my front porch.  I was more than a little affected, both mentally and physically by this injury.  My wife called on a cowboy friend to take my guns and hold them for me. The fear being that I could accidentally injure myself or someone else in my unstable physical condition.

She and my son gathered and took the guns to the friend.  A couple were missed.  They were later found and hidden in the house.  All have returned except one favorite gun that was hidden in the house.  Favorite gun: Ruger BlackHawk Hunter(stainless) Bisley in 41 Mag that has been "touched up" by Gary Reeder{buffalo horn grips on a reshaped gunfighter grip with a full internal smoothing}.  It has two favorite loads. Load 1 is 165 grain JHP over a whole bunch of W296.  Chrony says 1875 fps and load 2 is a  260 gr LBT LFN over a bunch of W296.  Load #2 hurts on this end and steel animals jump and fall down on the other end.  It was hidden by my son who was a strange young man, extremely intelligent, and he was very artistic in his hiding so no logic can be applied,  I've even searched the freezers.  Gun has not been found after extensive searches and my son has died.  He lived with us and did not own a vehicle.

I know there is nothing you can do to help, I just hadn't vented about it in quite a while.

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Sentimental value:  My dad passed in 2015.  I have his Ithaca 37 16 gauge and his Ruger Single Six 22 magnum.  Mom passed in 2006.  I have the Ruger Bearcat I gave to her.  Middle brother passed in 2017.  I have his Ithaca M66 410, and his Ruger LCP 9mm.  Youngest brother passed in 2006.  His only gun was a 30-30 given to him by my father, and I bought it from him as he was headed to the pawn shop to sell it. My brother's guns will go to their children.  The others will go to my grand children.  

 

Personal favorites:  Colt SAAs.  My pair of 1983 CCA Frontier Six Shooters.  Uberti 1873 in 357 magnum.  Colt Delta Elite 10mm that was my duty gun for years.  Springfield Armory TRP Stainless 45 ACP.  

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I actually don't have anything that I consider an heirloom or collectable enough to never sell. EVERYTHING I own is for sale........

 

FOR THE RIGHT PRICE !!!!!!:P

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All of 'em

Well, I do have an old Remington Woodsmaster, a gas-gun in 30-06 that was notorious for jams.
I wouldn't sell that one, but might turn it in for destruction, just to clear it out of my safe.

Dad also left me a Mercury 22 pistol... same jamming issues as above.
That one, I was considering for a boat anchor, but figured it was too small.

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I’ve got a Savage Model 99 in 38-55, a Winchester Model 97 in 12ga. and a Sears&Roebuck .22., I inherited from my wife’s Grandfather.  The 38 was his deer rifle, the 97 was for rabbits and pheasants and the .22 was his “rat gun”. They lived along a stream and the neighbors up stream used to throw garbage in the water. Pappy would shoot rats out his back kitchen window. By the time I knew him the neighbors were gone and so were the rats.

Pappy had Daughters and Granddaughters. His son in-laws were not shooters, so I was the first male in line to receive his arms when he retired from hunting (about 75 years of age). His hunting partner, Ralph, was 6 months older than he. Ralph always called Pappy “The Kid” when talking to me. Pappy May was a good man in every sense of the word.

 

CJ

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The one gun I'll never part with is a rather common Smith & Wesson model 66-1, pinned and recessed 6" barrel 357. What makes it very special to me is that I selected it from the prize case at Rich Davis' Second Chance match in 1988. With Rob Leatham standing in line behind me.

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This is a difficult thread to respond to. I have some very nice firearms, a number of which I inherited. However, I've long said that if I were flat broke and living in my car, and my car broke down, I would still have my Winchester 9422M, an 18th birthday gift from my brother, and my Browning BT99, my first trap gun-and my father-in-law's first trap gun before me. I would trade all of my father-in-law's guns for the chance to spend more time with him.

 

Sadly, I fear I will be adding a third to that list. My father's Marlin Model 60 that I learned to shoot with, and grew up shooting on nearly every camping trip I took into early adulthood. I know it is going to be mine when he passes. He is 89, now suffering from dementia, and has home hospice coming in to aid my brother in caring for him. Like the others, I would trade it in a heartbeat for another camping trip with my dad.

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I recently read a post “  I would be homeless before I sold this gun “ . I pretty much feel the same way. My firearms are what I will leave my son , I don’t really have anything else . I have this one machine engraved PYTHON , but others more rare and valuable. I am waiting to receive a hand engraved SAA I had commissioned. This will definitely be my blue chip , and family heirloom.

 

My grandfather left me his 101 12ga he purchased from PX in Germany . Grateful to have it , but should’ve picked the Belgium Browning 20 ga. I grew up with - shooting clays and feathers with him.

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10 hours ago, Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 said:

I ain't got nothing left since the boating issue , reckon , I ortta do something about that 

 

  CB :wacko:

I told you you had better tie a chunk of firewood to them guns if'n you keep hauling them back an forth across Beaver.

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5 hours ago, DocWard said:

This is a difficult thread to respond to. I have some very nice firearms, a number of which I inherited. However, I've long said that if I were flat broke and living in my car, and my car broke down, I would still have my Winchester 9422M, an 18th birthday gift from my brother, and my Browning BT99, my first trap gun-and my father-in-law's first trap gun before me. I would trade all of my father-in-law's guns for the chance to spend more time with him.

 

Sadly, I fear I will be adding a third to that list. My father's Marlin Model 60 that I learned to shoot with, and grew up shooting on nearly every camping trip I took into early adulthood. I know it is going to be mine when he passes. He is 89, now suffering from dementia, and has home hospice coming in to aid my brother in caring for him. Like the others, I would trade it in a heartbeat for another camping trip with my dad.

Touched a nerve here.

October was 19 years without him.

Would give anything to just be with him one more time, to hear his laugh, be impressed by his sense of humor, listen to his wisdom gathered from a life of hard work.

Material stuff doesn't matter. What is important is what comes from the heart.

Screens messed up and fuzzy.

Respectfully

:FlagAm:  :FlagAm:  :FlagAm:

Gateway Kid

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Referencing my post above, I shot my best buck yet last year with my dad's 94. Mom bought it used in 1968, the year I was born. He shot a lot of deer with it but nothing like this existed in northern Michigan. My cast handloads. 

 

IMG_20201114_084220602.jpg

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I was thinking about this again and the only way I could see me parting with most of my guns before I die would be to give them to family and friends (as I mentioned earlier)

 

But, should I end up in a home or hospice yet still have my mental faculties, as of right now, the guns I would jump through hoops to keep near me are these: 

My S&W 442. My wife bought this for me on my birthday in ‘97

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My S&W 327 Night Guard. My favorite handgun. 
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My S&W model 25-15. I think this is the coolest gun I own and it is definitely a favorite of mine. 
6ACB3F82-BE64-4666-9F0F-0C39B3F706BD.thumb.jpeg.43290cd70a7643205043a93ed07bca62.jpeg

 

 

My M1 Garand. I bought this in 1990. It was a Korean “lend-lease” gun. I paid $239 for it. The stock looked like a boat or and the barrel had some really strange rings in the rifling. A guy that built competition M1’s and M1A’s told me it had been built in 1952 and I had him restock it, rebarrel it in .308, accurize it and install a nat’l match front sight. I later discovered the receiver dated the gun at 1943. I was a little pizzed that a guy that should know told me the wrong year of manufacture. Had I known I would have restored it, not customized it. 
Regardless this is one of two keeper rifles, in my book. 
This one only go to someone that is very special. I don’t know who that would be as of yet. 
1C26108F-0D90-4390-8508-A64CC6C87755.thumb.jpeg.48a4c669069a4cc7c1e4035b32bed813.jpeg

 

 

I have one more long gun to add. Many of you will roll your eyes at this one. 
Winchester 94 “Trails End” .357 Magnum. 
This was my first Cowboy Rifle. It is the most accurate pistol caliber rifle I have ever fired. I have had more fun and had so many wonderful memories built around this gun. If I could take one gun into the afterlife, this would be it. 
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On 11/24/2021 at 8:10 PM, McCandless said:

Since I don't have any relations that appreciate guns, and no one to leave them to, there aren't any that "I'll never sell"...  Just guns that I'll prioritize and hold on to until my shooting days come to an end.  Then I'll keep something for self defense until I can't lift it anymore.

Dad! You know I appreciate guns! If you wanna go ahead and send a pair of ROAs now, I'll shoot em' and show ya how much ;)

 

 

 

I'd never sell Pappy's Swiss K31 he bought in France during WWII. Other than that everything is for sale, but very expensive.

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4 hours ago, Michigan Slim said:

Referencing my post above, I shot my best buck yet last year with my dad's 94. Mom bought it used in 1968, the year I was born. He shot a lot of deer with it but nothing like this existed in northern Michigan. My cast handloads. 

 

IMG_20201114_084220602.jpg

I read about a guy that put his rifle in the rack for the trophy picture, and the deer that was only wounded got up and ran off with his gun.

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I have an old Smith & Wesson 1917 Army that I inherited just 7 days before my 13th birthday. It is not in perfect shape but it works. I have put barkless elk stag grips on it from Grashorn. the other is a Colt commander that I bought for my 21st birthday. I gave it to my little brother but got it back when he died in a motorcycle accident when he was 22. I put a flat mainspring housing on it but have the originals. I also darkened the sights with a sharpie but that isn't permanent. I have no kids and most of my relatives don't hunt or shoot. I have a few years left on this planet and will sell off as I need to. 

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I inherited guns over the years and have passed most of these to nieces and nephews.

My collection will be one day be limited to a S&W Model 18 .22LR Combat Masterpiece, S&W 1911DK, Winchester 1892 in .38 WCF, a trap gun (not yet acquired) and 1 or 2 CCW guns.

Until then, I plan to enjoy a plethora of cowboy guns.

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