Planning for the Future

[VaRandy]

This will not be a traditional posting but hopefully does not offend anyone.

I am a serious extreme rifle accuracy freak that has been shooting rifles for 63 years. At 75 I seem to be in ok health and still put all by money and wildcat rifles. I had looked forward to passing them on to family but that is not in the cards. My oldest son was taken by cancer in 2001 and my grandsons are NOT candidates for the turnover. My youngest son lives in the Virgin Islands and will be there for life.

I do not fear death if it finds me (hopefully not soon) but I worry about what happens to my babies.(Specialized rifles). The thought of being sold to someone that doesn’t even know what a wildcat is for ridiculously low money gives me the shiver

I suspect there are others that have contemplated the same scenario and can identify.

Ideally, I would find the right person personally but that seems a stretch for now. I live on the wrong coast for extreme shooting. I can see about 3 different scenarios to find the proper home. The first begins with a personal introduction (online) with a very special young person that has already discovered the habit! They may never be able to reach the level of my equipment.

The second is to take recommendations from the top of the serious shooting community that might have a strong candidate to consider. Although they may be young, my preference is an ex military person with a strong interest in progressing in the sport. If they have become civilians recently, they are likely to be strongly challenged for any more than survival.

Last choice is to leave them to an organization with a program that will continue to take in equipment and make sure a special person is chosen.

I realize how different this appeal is but ALL of us age and many do NOT have suitable individuals we have hoped for.

Just think about the possible scope and results such a program could bring. It can change lives, and the benefit to a small specialized sport.

I am a hermit type and realize how touchy feely this posting has become but I need to put at least a feeler out to test out my idea.

 

[Link]

Sell to friends and family first then to who ever. They aren't puppy's going to a good home. ;] We can't take them with us. I'm 77 yo and making arraignments.
Good luck

 

[Schandler]

Fellas fellas - mid 70’s is not old anymore. Take care of yourself live as right as you can and go shoot those rifles. When your health or vision is a problem then look for someone even if not family that will appreciate them as much as you do. I have a son that has been too busy with school and ball but once he slows down a little i think he will pick up where i slow down. Nothing scares me more than my life’s collection of the best shooting rifles I’ve weeded out of the many and I’m still buying when i can afford !! I don’t want to sound morbid but I’ve thought about if someth8ng happened to me. I told my son to contact fellas here on this site if he had to sell any of our guns. There is a list of ones he needs to keep of each caliber and the ones to sell but until that day I’m going to shoot until i can’t get ammo and supplies so go enjoy them. Heck i even enjoy taking a couple out on bad weather days and clean them up a little to make em shine.

 

[Riesel]

I, too, will have that bridge to cross, maybe in the next 10 or so years. It is a delightful
and very rewarding hobby to put an assortment of rifles together over the years. Many,
like you Va, will need to be custom loaded as no factory ammo exist. I promised my
daughter who is the executor of my estate that all the firearms will be gone. I will give
many to family and friends, donate some to worthy organizations, and sell the rest at
auction. They will probably not bring near what I have in them but the joy, pleasure and rewarding feeling I got building and shooting them is priceless. Some things, things
that you love, you just have to let go. I'm in it with you.

 

[VaRandy]

Early responses have me wondering how selling something special at an auction is anywhere as important as possibly changing some needy persons life and an opportunity to let them compete at the highest levels and mingle with the guys at the top. Bye the way, I already gave all my store bought rifles, and shotguns to nephews and wish I hadn't. Will not happen with my custom built specialty weapons.

 

[Adam in WI]

Since you're simply seeking suggestions... Post them here, for sale, for a great price, for free... You choose. Seek submissions from the members here. Have them nominate a young startup, a worthy competitor who may be having a rough go financially, a vet who needs a distraction. Let your imagination run. Have them include photos, a back story, etc... It should be easy enough to weed out the posers and con artists once you've started a dialogue with them.

I think you genuinely want your rifles to go where they'll be most appreciated. This membership base is a great place to start.

 

[Mark W]

Early responses have me wondering how selling something special at an auction is anywhere as important as possibly changing some needy persons life and an opportunity to let them compete at the highest levels and mingle with the guys at the top. Bye the way, I already gave all my store bought rifles, and shotguns to nephews and wish I hadn't. Will not happen with my custom built specialty weapons.

I can understand you wanting your guns to end up in good hands. When my wife‘s grandfather gifted me all of his guns, I asked him if he wouldn’t rather save some to give to his grandchildren. His response was that I should pick the ones that I wanted and he would drop the rest of them in the river the next day. Good luck in your quest!

 

[Schippergreg]

I would have to assume that you frequent a local range, keep an eye out for a younger gentleman that has the fire in his eye about the discipline your rifles are designed for. Be sure to screen them well, some people would sell their own parents for a quick dollar. Regardless, I hope you live a long life and find a solution to this question that makes you happy.

 

[bobinpa]

It seems to me that you have a desire to gift your guns to someone that has the desire and intrigue with shooting that got you started. If that person doesn't exist in your family then all that is left for you to do is to become more involved in local ranges in your area and pay attention to who is in need. A lot of people out there want to shoot and become good at it but they don't have a mentor or the proper equipment. I would suggest looking at local clubs and possibly even some youth teams or programs.
Recently our club has had a youth trap team practicing and it doesn't take long to see who needs equipment. A lot of the kids don't even know what they are getting into when they sign up. Some don't have a dad or family member to show them a thing. I give the kids credit for taking the chance to try something new.... and since they are new, they don't have anything. No vest, or shell pouch or decent gun etc..... They could all do better with better equipment, but on the other hand, if you find that special someone in need, you want to make sure they have the desire to stick with it. It would be a shame to shower someone with equipment only to have them change their mind in 8-9 months.
I commend you for what you are doing, but I also have to say it isn't going to be easy to find what you are looking for.
Good luck

 

[Sandstorm]

I hope you live a long life and find a solution to this question that makes you happy.

Bless you Sir for having a lifelong desire and true passion in the pursuit of shooting and
the desire to help someone less fortunate...a more noble quest does not exist.
Bless you indeed Randy.

 

[bobinpa]

This has me thinking.... A while back @Alex Wheeler built a gun for people to try out at their long range shoots. Some people here donated parts and money for Alex to build the gun and load some ammo for it. His intention was to give people a chance to shoot truly long range with good equipment so they got the real experience. I give the guy credit. It was a genuinely nice idea and he followed through with it. You may want to contact him as he may know someone that tried it and loved it but couldn't afford it...

 

[abishai]

From my cold dead hands ........
....... To the pawn shop.
Unfortunately our most prized possessions will be sold off for the price
we told our wives we paid for it .

 

[strut64]

I guess I am lucky. Between one of my daughters and a another daughters husband all my stuff is spoken for. I am 80 and still enjoy a trip to my clubs ranges but have given up active hunting and just shoot targets ( clays and paper) in good weather.

 

[rjtfroggy]

I know where you are coming from, recently had a life changing surgery with a very real chance of meeting my maker.
I have 2 daughters with no interest, so after a talk with my wife I decided to give my hunting rifles and shot guns to a friends sons who are both into all types of hunting big time. I already gave them each custom compound bows with arrows and fletching supplies and equipment. Then take my 3 bench rest rifles and give them to a couple of guys I shoot with to give to a couple of beginners along with the loaded ammo and reloading dies and components. Not a bad head start for someone.
Then when those are gone I told her to give the hand guns I have to 2 younger cops we have known since they were kids, they can use some for on or off duty carry guns.
Any thing left over ( and there will be a few) sell to a local gun shop for the best price she could get. In the end everyone is happy and hopefully will pay it forward at some time.
Fortunately so far all is well and I hope to shoot again this year, but she now knows what I want her to do when the time comes.

 

[marazzi59]

Maybe go talk to your local police department and see if any of them are hardcore gun people. Maybe there swat sniper. God knows they need our help any way we can give it.

 

[M-61]

Fellas fellas - mid 70’s is not old anymore.

So true!!

 

[Cemetery21]

I've sold most everything that is "common". Not much market locally for the rest. It's not competition stuff but I still don't want to leave my wife with the burden of disposing of it. I'd like to get down to a couple of rifles and pistols that I know my boy could use.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

My shooting buddy found out his nephew voted for B/H, he WAS going to leave him a glock and some other property. Has already went to the lawyer and changed his will.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

This has me thinking.... A while back @Alex Wheeler built a gun for people to try out at their long range shoots. Some people here donated parts and money for Alex to build the gun and load some ammo for it. His intention was to give people a chance to shoot truly long range with good equipment so they got the real experience. I give the guy credit. It was a genuinely nice idea and he followed through with it. You may want to contact him as he may know someone that tried it and loved it but couldn't afford it...

I don't know anyone off the top of my head. I have seen a lot of people try to get a new or young shooter into this. Many times once they stop doing the work (loading ammo) the new shooter looses interest. There needs to be a strong desire to want to do this as its a lot of work, so I would look for someone already doing it with lesser equipment. I dont know what kind of rifles the OP has, but if they are competition rifles find a guy thats going to matches with his factory rem 700 or something along those lines. Giving them to someone in the hope they will start going because now they have the high end rifle will be less successful in my opinion.

 

[Riesel]

The comments and responses vary a great deal on this thread and are thought provoking.
Once these items leave your hands the "control" is over so it's best to move on. I have
witnessed items lost in divorces, stolen thru negligence, and even a nephew framed by his
hateful wife who cut herself up, called the cops, and had him hauled in. Sadly, he is
now on the books as a felon. There really isn't a one size fits all, do what you want but
know it might be a crap shoot.