My FIL gave me my MIL's pistol this past weekend

[Nuclear Unicorn]

My MIL died over the summer. She was a marvelous woman and I miss her dearly. I gues my FIL has finally reached the emotional point where he can decide what to do with some of her stuff.

The only times I ever went shooting I mostly used her Ruger .22 revolver. I'm not a shooting enthusiast by any stretch of the imagination and while hubby keeps a pistol in the house I don't fancy myself a "gun owner." It feels strange since I'm not a gun owner type but the sentiment is very clear. The first time I took her pistol shooting was the day I proposed to Lover Boy so the gift makes sense and it means a lot to me. LB seems to think so too. I think it helps him deal with her loss having something so personal of hers in our home especially since it has a connection to our marriage.


Thanks for letting me get all emotional on you guys.

[Hoopla Phil]

1. Firearms have often been heirlooms to be handed down.

Congratulations, keep up the maintenance and it may be passed down to your children some day.

[aikoaiko]

2. I have my police officer grandfather's service revolver from the 1920s.

Colt Police Positive .32 long colt

[11 Bravo]

5. I've got my Dad's .45 that fighter pilots carried during WWII. It will be pased down to my sons.

[SteveM]

8. Looks in fine condition. Is the ammo still available? nt

[aikoaiko]

10. To be honest that is a pic I found online, but mine is in the same condition.

I haven't had a chance to look for the ammo.

[SteveM]

14. My ancient .22 takes Winchester Automatic Rifle -- obsolete.

[Cid_B]

20. One of my daily carries is my grandfathers service S&W 39...

The rest of the collection went to his son (my uncle) but I am next after that.

[mistertrickster]

28. Wow. That's cherry. I want to buy one of these (or a .38) but they're getting scarce

and expensive . . . like 300 dollars for a beat up one.

[MicaelS]

3. Keep it and pass it down to one of your children, assuming

You choose to have children. Even if no one shoots it anymore it can become a family heirloom.

[rfranklin]

4. Happiness is a warm gun--John Lennon

One of the great love songs...

[ileus]

6. I think we all have firearms of sentimental value....

Nothing lasts as long as a well made firearm. Generations of people can appreciate them.



And to make this post SD related. I keep a 12 ga that my father gave me several years back as my house gun now...of course I just brought it out of the safe not for two legged predators, but 4 legged coyotes that hang out in my back yard.

[SteveM]

7. You can get emotional on us anytime...

One thing that is not often explored in these threads is the symbolism of a head of household passing down his or her guns to the next generation. My Dad did this over the dining room table a couple of years before he passed on. Instead of proscribing which arm went to whom, we all seemed to come to an agreement, with each rifle or shotgun going to a son who held the experiences with a particular gun especially meaningful.

My Mom was never a gun aficionado, but she bought my Dad a used H & R .22 with peep sight during WW II for $5. This went to my oldest brother. My Dad's first purchase of a rifle was a used "Ought-Three" .22, an auto-loader built in 1905 with the classic and obsolete curved butt-piece. I got that. The hardware store in Zephyrhills, Fla. (my Mom's hometown) which sold the rifle, is still in operation. My youngest brother got my Dad's first shotgun, an H & R Bay State .12 ga. single-shot, given to him by his Dad. The forearm was carved by his Dad when the original was broken. Everyone used that shotgun at one time or another!

[DWC]

9. Thank you for sharing. n/t

[Bonhomme Richard]

11. I ended up with a F/N 1900 and a few .22 rifles from......

my MIL. Great woman raised as a Navy Brat.

[gravity556]

12. That's a very cool gift. He must think very highly of you!

May you never have to use it in anger! :)

[spin]

13. I ended up with a nickle plated Colt .45 auto and a Mauser rifle ...

when my step dad died.

They will be passed along to my children and grandchildren.

[SteveM]

15. I like nickel, more character than SS, IMO.

[spin]

18. What the Colt .45 even nicer is that it is a commemorative model ...

A Colt World War II,European Theatre of Operations model made in 1970.



Unfortunately, my step dad had fired it, so it didn't retain its full collector value. I decided to also use it and have put thousands of rounds through it. It is surprising accurate and reliable.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

22. That's actually kinda artistic looking

[Abin Sur]

23. I've always preferred SS to nickel, myself

I've never liked how nickel can flake off.

[spin]

25. I've owned 2 nickel plated firearms ...

and neither have had that flaking problem. I guess I've been lucky.

[Abin Sur]

26. I collect older firearms

Most at least 50 years old, many older than a century. The "flaking" problem tends to be more of a problem with older firearms.

[Straw Man]

30. Nickel flaking

I've never liked how nickel can flake off.

Solvents containing ammonia, like the ubiquitous Hoppes #9, can cause flaking of nickel finishes. Use a non-ammonia cleaner like CLP, and you should be fine.

[oneshooter]

16. Keep it as a memento of a loving person. Shoot it as part of the memory.

My Dad left me his Dad's M1892 Winchester in 38WCF (38-40)and Colt New Service in the same caliber. Granddad was a full time farmer and a part time Sheriffs Deputy in Quitman County Ms. I have shot several deer and turkey with that rifle over the last 10 years.

Oneshooter
Armed and Livin in Texas

[Doc Holliday]

17. a lovely story...here's mine

My grandfather (an old cowboy-turned-farmer) had a lever-action rifle that he carried for years on horseback, and later in his truck. It's called a 25/20, made by Winchester, and the ammo for it now costs about $6.00 per cartridge retail. He treated that rifle better than some folks treat their housepets. I learned to shoot with it, learned about the care and feeding of firearms, gun safety and reloading my own ammo-- all with that rifle. It's been a part of the family for much longer than I have...so you can imagine how tickled I was when my dad "passed it down" to me before he died six years ago.

I'm not a "gun bunny" by any stretch of the imagination (sacrilege in this part of Texas!), but it's amazing the mixture of feelings that I still get when I handle that rifle.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

19. wow

I guess I underestimated just how much a family firearm can mean to folks.

Thank-you everyone for sharing your stories. It does sort of lend a sense of connection.

:grouphug:

[rl6214]

21. When my grandfather passed away mid seventies

all of us grandsons were given the choice of one of his guns. I chose a simple Mossberg shotgun. As simple as it is, it is my favorite gun. It will be passed down to my oldest son when I die. The oldest should get my most prized firearm.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

24. All the best to your family.

Thanks for a great story.

I inherited my dad's rifle when he died. Passing on items to one's children begins traditions. Traditions mean something to family members.

My friend Joe has a great story. I met Joe through another friend in college. Joe taught part time at the Dojo where my other friend and I attended. During my sophomore year one evening our class had a guest from a museum in New York. After class Joe and few instructors and friends gathered to meet the visitor.

Joe had something to show him. It seems that Joe worked a gun shop and had struck a deal with a customer to buy a Japanese sword which the customer's father gave him having brought it home from WWII. Joe thought it looked pretty good and they struck a deal. My friend paid about $150 for the sword as that was the amount his customer was short. The sword was added to his will to go to his heirs or should he die with no heir, to the museum. Joe was offered $8700 for the sword 35 years ago as it was dated about the 15th century. Joe made a very good deal.

I'm sure Joe's children will treasure the sword. I'm sure his grandchildren will ask to hear the story whenever he visits.

I hope you share your stories with your family. They will love you for them.

[X_Digger]

27. My dove gun is my great grandfather's model 97 winchester..

Kicks like a mule, doesn't have a disconnector, so you can hold the trigger and pump.

That was the first shotgun I ever used, and it'll likely be the last.

[ileus]

29. 97 that's a piece of history...

I have a 16ga model 12 that I use for most everything, it was my fathers he gave it to me when I was 13. It's been my main shotgun ever since....I suppose it will always be my favorite shotgun.

[Iktomiwicasa]

31. You must be...

...an irresponsible person, not turning that engine of destruction in to the proper authorities ;)

[RSillsbee]

32. Your journey toward the dark side is complete

you are now a rude toter