Family Heirloom Guns?

[Klassy Kalashnikov 1,393]

I'm a little ways off from having kids but one thing I think would be cool would be to have firearms to pass down to them through the family. Start of a family tradition I guess.

 

Do any of you guys have firearms your inherited? How long have they been in the family? Unless they've been lost in a tragic boating accident, that is.

[L5K 162]

I have an old Mossberg bolt action .410 my grandfather gave my father with the instructions that it was for me. It's old enough to not have a serial number. My grandfater bought it, and my two oldest uncles learned to hunt with it, then one of my great uncles (lots of kids means odd ages for a few uncles heh), then my two aunts, and then another uncle and my father and a few cousins also... I learned to hunt with it, and my kids will as well. I've seen similar ones sell for under 100 bucks at gun shows, but the value of that gun is not in the money, it's the history to me.

[jimdigriz 580]

I'm a little ways off from having kids but one thing I think would be cool would be to have firearms to pass down to them through the family. Start of a family tradition I guess.

 

Do any of you guys have firearms your inherited? How long have they been in the family? Unless they've been lost in a tragic boating accident, that is.

 

We have a single shot .410 in our family that first belonged to my great-great-grandfather who fought in the Civil War. He apparently purchased it in the first ten years or so of the 20th century. It has been used by men in every generation of our family since then for squirrel and other hunting, and is in amazingly good shape.

 

I plan to pass my guns down, and I think grandsons would be most pleased to receive the Mosins...

Edited May 5, 2010 by Jim Digriz

[jimdigriz 580]

I'm a little ways off from having kids

 

That's funny, I picture you as an old guy with a military background, who likes to drink.

 

;-)

[cooger 19]

I have a bolt .22 rifle that belonged to my grandmother's dad that my dad gave me when I graduated high school. It was sold under a local hardware store name but was made by Marlin. It has finger grooves worn on the stock where the front hand held it. The markings for the safety have also worn off so someone painted on a "f" and a "s" on the stock. Its pretty cool. It won't cycle rounds so I'd like to get it worked on/restored (leaving the grooves and markings on it of course).

[GregM1 241]

i have quite a few. I love them all. My Grandfather's Father's Winchester Model 90 .22Lr with rolling block action. This is the gun I learned to shoot with. My other Great Grandfathers Savage .22 Hornet bolt action with my dad's almost mathcing Savage .22Lr bolt action. This was my first gun. My Great Grandfathers (2nd Listed) Belgium FN Browning Sweet 16 16ga. My dad's Remington Woodmaster 742 (hunting version of a M14 or should I say the Saiga version of a M14) and my step-dad gave me a Tanfoglio 22mag revolver and a .410, both of which are cheapy guns but are passed down now. My dad was also talking about giving me his Remington bolt action 7mm, 30-06, and my grandfathers 1911A .45.

[Klassy Kalashnikov 1,393]

I'm a little ways off from having kids

 

That's funny, I picture you as an old guy with a military background, who likes to drink.

 

;-)

 

I'm young, and no military background, but I do love to drink!

 

Some very impressive guns you guys have in your families. Lots of history behind those.

[Sly 233]

Love Grandad's 16guage Mossy! Bolt with a mag.

 

[dlcjr1973 24]

Model 1842 (made in 1848) smooth-bore, .50-caliber, cap-percussion musket made by Springfield Armory that was (according to family legend) carried by my great-great-great uncle Frank Sperry in one of the PA regiments during the Civil War. Seems to be in operating condition, but the entire gun is coated in creosote from hanging over the family fireplace for 150 years. Now that it's come to me I'd like to have it professionally cleaned and officially documented. We've got a few of Frank's service documents and an old photo of him with a gun that looks like this musket, but I'd love to know for sure. The socket bayonet that goes with the gun is rumored to be somewhere in my grandmother's attic.

 

Regardless of whether or not he actually fought with this gun in the Civil War, it's been in our family a very long time. I hope my son values it as much as I do.

 

Regards,

 

Sapper

---------------------------------------------

 

 

Here's a pic of the same model but in infinitely better condition. I guess the creosote makes mine a tactical version.

 

 

Edited May 5, 2010 by Sapper

[dlcjr1973 24]

I forgot that my grandfather gave my dad and his brothers each a matched set of '66 Centennial 30-30's (rifle and carbine) before he passed. It slipped my mind because my dad says he'll be cold in the ground before I get my hands on them (if he's not buried with them that is). They're not very practical, but they are damn pretty.

 

Regards,

 

Sapper

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

1966 WINCHESTER '66 CENTENNIAL 30-30 cal. 102666 mfg. (rifles & carbines)

Bright gold plated receiver & barrel bands, heavy octagon barrel

RIFLE - 26" barrel

CARBINE - 20" barrel

 

Here's the rifle. I couldn't find a pic of the carbine.

 

Edited May 5, 2010 by Sapper

[ktcm7271 999]

You guys are lucky, most of mine are gone.

1. Winchester .284 lever action 4 round clips. Evil stepmom sold it when dad died.

2. Tube fed semi-auto .22. Evil stepmom sold it when dad died.

3. Ruger .357 black hawk. Evil stepmom sold it when dad died.

4. Winchester model 1200 20 gauge Ted Williams series-my first gun, I was 12. Stolen from my home in '96.

5. Ruger single action .22 revolver. Mom had to sell it during the divorce.

6. Remington 870 wing master. Got this from my grand father. Still have it, converted it to a big scary black gun.

 

My daughter/brother/wife/best friend will not suffer this fate, they will be hooked up

[Arik 565]

Not me but a friend of my has his grandfather's WW1 GI issue S&W .45 revolver. Model 1917 (I think).

[Shandlanos 1,470]

I have a few passed down from my grandfather. A Winchester Model 1897 with the loooong barrel (30" if I recall correctly), a little bolt action .22 (Savage model 4, magazine missing before it ever came into my possession), and two FN Mauser actions with custom stocks hand-finished by my grandfather. The rifle chambered in .243 is some fairly dark wood the name of which I can't recall, and the .300 Win mag is curly bird's eye maple and absolutely gorgeous. My grandfather was about 6'5" and had very broad shoulders, and the custom stocks reflect his size. A lot of folks can't shoulder either gun.

 

None of those weapons will ever be sold.

[MultiSlacking 102]

I've got a few that have been handed down. I have a Remington 700 30-06 and a Raven Arms .25 that were my father-in-law's. He gave me the .25 when he was still alive as a daily carry gun when I was carrying money for my employer, but couldn't afford to buy anything myself. I got the 30-06 after he passed. It was probably his favorite deer and elk rifle, and I've since taken a few deer of my own with it.

 

My Dad gave me his old Winchester Model 12 (12ga) a few years ago. It had been his favorite "go-to" gun for decades. The past couple of years he's commented a few times on how wonderfully it patterned and how he'd never had another gun like it. I offered to give it back to him a few times, but he's always refused. So I picked up a new Winchester 1300 Defender 12ga this year and surprised him with it. It's very similar in size and weight to the old Model 12, but has the extra capacity. We've shot a little skeet with it and he really seems to enjoy it. The old Model 12 has now taken it's old familiar sentry duty position in the corner of the bedroom, next to my bed. It truly gives a warm fuzzy feeling that words can't describe.

[rob-cubed 74]

I have a replica flintlock Brown Bess my Grandad used in Civil War re-enactments. It's a very nice looking copy. My Uncles got some of the originals he had collected. No one on either side of the family likes or shoots guns so they were only interested in their dollar worth. Ergo, I get the shooter... which is fine with me. Black powder is a blast, literally.

 

I'm teaching my daughter to shoot and hoping my guns will be appreciated when I can no longer shoot them.

[stiletto raggio 20]

When my great great grandfather came to the US from Italy, he bought a Harrington and Richardson .32 top break revolver. My dad has it in his gun safe.

 

My great grandfather bought one of the first four thousand Colt 1903s in .32 ACP. My grandfather inherited that gun and bought one just like it, albeit many thousands of guns later in production. He carried one under each arm back in 1920s Chicago, but as far as I know, he never fired a shot in anger.

 

Eight or nine years ago my uncle had the first of the 1903s refinished and gave it to my dad in a fitted case. I've shot it a few times and am absolutely amazed at how accurate it is, especially considering the sights. At over 100 years old, it is still remarkably tight.

 

As for me, I intend to pass many of my guns on to my kids as I age, with the explicit instructions that no gun that I bought will be sold or gifted out of the family. A Glock doesn't have the same heirloom quality at a 1903 Colt, but my Beretta shotguns and Colt and Ruger single actions will make nice mementos.

Edited May 26, 2010 by stiletto raggio

[RobRez 1,895]

All my "Family Heirloom" guns are in the "Evidence Room"!!!!

[hick 0]

After my Dad died my cousin ended up with my grandfathers luger he carried in WW2. I got a few old shotguns I have no history on. When it comes to $$$ I guess it balances out but that's not the point. My father really cherished that luger.

 

 

[MT Predator 2,294]

Springfield 1898 .30-40 Krag Cavalry Carbine.

My Great Grandfather owned a tavern/country store back in he 30s when the big time bank robbers like Bonnie and Clyde were running around. Across the street from him was the bank so the FBI came in, gave him the surplus carbine and the lady next door at the Post Office got a 1911. They were told to shoot any bank robbers. Anyway, it got handed down to my Grandfather, then my Dad, then to me. I got ammo with it so I put a few through it. All I can say is a. 30 caliber bullet pushed by 40 grains of smokeless powder is really felt on a bolt gun with a steel butt plate!

[yakdung 2,926]

Recently received a Colt .22 Woodsman second generation pistol from my late father.

Really fine condition. Mom indicated that dad use to take it along hunting in the swamps of Louisiana. Somehow .22's were all the rage back then. She also indicated that he purchased it from a department store and had to fill out a ton of paper work before they would release it. Being around WWII the Gubmint was a little paranoid.

 

Yakdung

[IndyArms 10,186]

One time I went to my Grandmothers house... and my Great Aunt said she had something for me... for some reason... I *KNEW* what she had. I dont know HOW or WHY... but I could just tell she had an old gun. I was right... It was her fathers... meaning MY Great Grandfathers' old side by side double barrel 12 gauge. N.R. Davis and Sons, was the name on it... You can google that for more info... Its not a very valuable piece... except in sentiment... It still fires, although its a little "loose" when closed... I fired a pair of low base trap loads through it just to say " I shot it " and then put it up ... wrapped in a silicone sock, and in a case, its tucked away... Its in decent shape... I hope to keep it that way... maybe I can give it to MY son, when hes older... and it would have been his GREAT GREAT Grandfathers shotgun!!

 

[MT Predator 2,294]

Here you go. First is my Springfield 1898 in .30-40 Krag.

Second is my Enfield 1883 Martini Henry I picked up in Afghanistan.

My two boys will get these someday.

[MCASgt New River 10,036]