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Old October 7, 2012, 01:06 PM   #1
mrt949
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Cleaning out the safe

Working on downsizing your collection . When you find a safe queen lurking in the back .Do you leave well enough alone or give it some life.
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Old October 7, 2012, 01:14 PM   #2
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I've thinned my pile down a couple times, just about in half last time. Dont regret much of it, just one or two things.


An old friend, when I asked him why he sold a particular gun, said "It's interesting, but it's not important". I think on that when I want or need to sell something.
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Old October 7, 2012, 05:29 PM   #3
BigJimP
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No, just get a bigger safe.....

( I do have guns I don't shoot often / but some of them are designated to go to my adult kids when they get their act together a little more...)....
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Old October 7, 2012, 06:05 PM   #4
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I really don't want to get rid of ANY of my guns because each one was acquired for a REASON.

Now maybe I've forgotten the reason, or maybe it was a bad reason, or maybe if someone happens to be looking over my shoulder when the gun safe gets opened (I REALLY try to avoid that) I might have to MAKE UP a reason on the spot to justify a gun (I'm actually pretty good at that) I figure I probably need that gun or maybe it needs me and I better not get rid of it.

Also as I've said before in another thread what happens when a shooter passes if there's more kids and grandkids than guns? Would some kid go gunless just because I didn't buy enough guns when I was around? That's a really sad thought!
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Old October 7, 2012, 07:43 PM   #5
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Well I have a number of antique(in some cases over 200 year old) they are full time safe queens. The modern guns(for me thats after 1947) if they are not used in a year or two will be sold for some "new to me" things, I also will pick up collectors guns when I find them at a good price so they can be used as trade or sale items in a couple of years. Buy low have fun shooting them then turn them over when I need money for something I really want.
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Old October 7, 2012, 07:59 PM   #6
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I've regretted nearly all of the guns I've sold...Rod
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Old October 7, 2012, 08:19 PM   #7
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I too have a number of antique safe queens, but the remainder are all fired at least one time every six months. I open my safe each November and let my kids pick a number from a hat and each gets to pick one of any of the guns in order of the number drawn with the exception of the antiques and my often used SD/HD guns. This cuts my collection by four guns each year and next year I will include my two grand kids. I am sure one of the kids will pick the .454 Raging Bull this year and the S&W 659. It really sucks to get old.
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Old October 8, 2012, 01:18 AM   #8
b.thomas
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Don't really have that much to speak of and the few times I've got rid of a gun...............I soon had seconds thoughts about it.
So theses days and at my age..........I let my kids worry about it!
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Old October 8, 2012, 11:42 PM   #9
Mosin44az
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I am a crazed buyer and seller at times. My advice: be VERY careful about selling anything. Make SURE you won't miss it. If you find you miss something, it will often cost alot more money to get it (or the equivalent) back, unless you are very patient.
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Old October 9, 2012, 01:00 AM   #10
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When a gun joins my collection, it's there until it dies or I do.

Stupid? Probably.
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Old October 9, 2012, 01:27 AM   #11
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if the safe gets cleaned out , weapons get fired
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Old October 9, 2012, 07:28 AM   #12
Magnum Wheel Man
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I'm just finishing a walk in gun safe, so I have more than I can realistically shoot... however I'm not looking to get rid of any more...

... a couple years ago ( well actually more than that now ) I sold most of my semi auto stuff, & used that money to redirect my collecting... I probably have 3 dozen antique & C&R pocket revolvers, ranging from the cheaply made to some very fine revolvers... anything I collect must be shootable, & I have to have ammo for it... shooting them often is not a priority, as long as I "could" shoot them

for example I have a really nice shape, very old birdshead revolver in 30 rimfire ( which is virtually impossible to find shootable ammo ) so I had some rifled chamber inserts made for 22 lr so I could ( & have ) shot the gun, which I would have sold if I couldn't shoot it

my old bottom break 22 S&W is probably one of the closest to actual safe queens I own... I did shoot some Colibri's through it, but the gun is quite fragile, by design, so I know it functions, & I could shoot it, so I'll keep it, even though I may never shoot it again...

I also regret selling a couple of the guns I've sold... one an unfired Iver Johnson 32 S&W ( sold this before I started collecting the old revolvers ) & a nice Browning High Power... the only semi I sold that I regret
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Old October 9, 2012, 06:07 PM   #13
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Quote:
-I'm just finishing a walk in gun safe
Now that's the way a life SHOULD be lived.

Color me envious.
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Old October 10, 2012, 03:11 AM   #14
mrt949
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A few years back had SW19-5 NICKLE 2.5 " clean but no box .Never shot it but a few times .Went to the gun show sold it for $ 550.00 .
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Old October 10, 2012, 03:16 AM   #15
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Quote:
I also regret selling a couple of the guns I've sold
that is why I do my best to avoid this road. I have regrets of selling my coin collection when younger and in 'seeking money' mode. I miss it, so I don't want that to happen again. Maybe it is a little much, but I still am cautious on this issue(s).
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Old October 10, 2012, 06:59 AM   #16
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I have a couple of guns that I could easily live without, but the amount I could get for them is not significant, so I'd just as soon hang on to the guns. Sometimes I think I only really "need" three handguns: one for home defense, one more compact in size for concealed carry, and a quality 22lr for inexpensive target shooting. But the ones I have beyond these three give me a different sort of enjoyment, in just owning, holding, looking at and occasionally shooting them, more enjoyment than I would get from the cash I could realize by selling them. What would I do with the cash? Pay bills, buy groceries, gas, etc., none of which is as satisfying as owning the guns.
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Old October 10, 2012, 07:05 AM   #17
Mike Irwin
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Downsizing... my... collection...

I'm sorry, I don't understand the concept.
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Old October 10, 2012, 10:02 AM   #18
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My heirs might thin down the collection. I certainly will not. Addition is much more fun than subtraction.
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Old October 10, 2012, 12:08 PM   #19
iblong
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My collection is not as extensive as some here but neither is my income.
I had to set limits because I love to shoot different guns.
I have set my limit at 10 hand guns and if I buy a new one I have to part
with one first,the dollar amount of sold or bought being a none issue.
Being I like and shoot all I have buying has slowed a lot.
Rifles and carbines are not included in this as limitations have to be limited.
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Old October 10, 2012, 12:28 PM   #20
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Quote:
if the safe gets cleaned out
...

...it consist of removing everything, dusting and vacuuming inside of safe, wiping down and re-oiling all guns and neatly re-organizing them back into safe.

Selling ...not an option.
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Old October 10, 2012, 06:33 PM   #21
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Quote:
Downsizing... my... collection...

I'm sorry, I don't understand the concept.
If you don't have anyone to pass the stuff down to then it's a lot easier to understand. That's the boat I'm in. I've sold five guns this year and given away two. All but one were nice S&W or Colt revovlers.
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Old October 11, 2012, 06:59 AM   #22
Mike Irwin
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"If you don't have anyone to pass the stuff down to then it's a lot easier to understand."

I'm in the same boat and no, I still don't understand the concept.
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Old October 11, 2012, 08:06 AM   #23
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WOW... seems like lota people with no heirs...

MRS MAGNUM is the last in her line as well... neither her or her sister can have kids... so we have a 100 year old family farm, as well as an old family gun collection, that I've added to along the way, & several other collectables, that have no predertermined place to go...

Wife often gets all worked up about "the will" thing... but at the same time, she couldn't decide who she would want to get everything... me... I think sell everything & devide the money up evenly between the rest of both of our living families... none of the nieces or nephews seems interested in the family history, that goes along with the farm ( the trouble with the "100 year old farm" is the history that as a family member you can't get rid of... we actually had to build all new closets for MRS & I, as the attic, & all the current closets are full of "history", pictures, mementos etc. )

I'm doing my best to have maximum auction value on the collectable guns... each gun can be sold with one box ( or more ) of ammo specifically labeled for each gun, so even antique & obsolite guns will have at least 1 box of ammo with the gun, ( loading recipes are included where aplicable ), & all have been tested & in working order... pocket & vintage wrist watch collection, will have the ones that have been serviced tagged as to when they were last serviced...

if MRS & I both go at the same time, hopefully whom ever is going through things, can understand that by keeping things together like that, they will be more valueable... but it's not something I'm going to worry about, as I'll be gone... I'm just doing what I enjoy, until that time
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Old October 11, 2012, 09:49 AM   #24
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I figure I'll spit my guns amongst some of my friends, with the rest probably going to NRA or some other group or organization.
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Old October 11, 2012, 01:35 PM   #25
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Quote:
I figure I'll spit my guns amongst some of my friends
That would be interesting to watch.

Quote:
with the rest probably going to NRA or some other group or organization.
Out of curiosity, what kind of guns is the NRA interested in when someone leaves a collection to them? I realize that if they are historically significant or rare they probably go into museums, but what about the more pedestrian guns? I mean what would the NRA do with a Kel-tec P11 or even a S&W model 10? Do they auction them off and use the proceeds where needed?
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