Is this funny?

Harry Bonar · January 2, 2006, 10:51 PM

Shooters; help me react correctly to this.
I recently got three VZ24s' and have converted two to 22-250 and the other one to 6MM. I was saving one for a close relative because he wanted it. I traded him the VZ24 and some stuff for a Ruger Blackhawk ,357!
I opened my safe to put the SECOND .357 in and found mine, already in my safe gone! I then went to my firearms list and looked at ser. # and found that the Ruger they traded me was in fact MY gun! Now it had been gone for about a week and I do have several guns so I wasn't aware that they had taken my .357 to trade it to me later!
I traded and caught this with a ser. # check about the time they got home with my Mauser and stuff.
Then they called and said it was a joke?
To me at 70 yrs old it was not a joke. No one had permission in my safe - they had slipped it out secretly.
Now, should I laugh at this as a collosal joke? Or should I feel this went far in excess of a joke and tell them I don't care who did it - but the next one that puts their hand, unauthorized, in my safe will get the crap beat out of them!
Need Help.
Harry B.

cntryboy1289 · January 3, 2006, 12:00 AM

Harry, I would be furious myself. Whether or not they think it is funny is irregardless. No one goes into my safe without my knowledge and gets away with it. Did they sneak it out when you weren't looking? Not a very nice trick for sure.

Bigfatts · January 3, 2006, 01:22 AM

I would call that absolutely unacceptable. There is never a valid reason to play a practical joke (no matter how innocent) involving a firearm. It is irresponsible. I'd tear them a new you know what.

Harry Bonar · January 3, 2006, 09:43 AM

Shooters:
Thanks guys; it's resolved. I guess we just don't understand sometimes.
I would never do this.
Thanks again, posts really helped. Harry B.

yorec · January 3, 2006, 10:03 AM

Practical jokes usually aren't funny to the victim...

Use the experience to examine your security practices. No one should have access to your safe that you don't trust explicitly.

Onebum · January 21, 2006, 06:11 PM

You mention you are in your 70s...I'm 26 and would go from 0 to pissed in no time flat. Not funny in the slightest.

They take kindness and openness you show them and use it to make you a joke. I dunno, that's just me...If I were in on the joke and it was being done to someone else I wouldn't allow it because there are so many unknown actions that could be taken...its a poor joke that also shows ignorance on their part.

My 2 cents on it.

Tom2 · January 21, 2006, 06:59 PM

How close of a relative did it? Depends on the context of who it was, what they are like, do you like them, etc, I guess. Otherwise I would try to find out how they gained access and maybe put another lock on the safe, and hide the key, or change the combo!

duck911 · January 21, 2006, 09:56 PM

Joke? It was a theft, plain and simple. I would have called the police. It's one thing if it's a kitchen appliance they did the bait-and-switch with, but I don't think it'd be funny at ALL if my gun was out on the street, unaccounted for.

lubaloy · January 21, 2006, 10:50 PM

Well.....no one has the combination to my safe but me...

If I die suddenly, the wife will hire a locksmith to open the safe.
Other than a situation like that................NO ONE needs access but me.
Harry,
Change your combination. Leave it with your lawyer if you feel the need.
If business or family needs access to a gun or guns, buy a second safe.
Keep the 'common access' guns in that one only.
When in the company of this relative/friend, in the future, never pay for a friggin' thing and treat them like snot!

lubaloy · January 31, 2006, 02:27 PM

Harry,
Did you find no value in my response?

Barr · January 31, 2006, 03:19 PM

I would not think it was very funny at all. In my family (I am on my own) I have access to the family safe/guns with the understanding that it is a priviledge. I have never abused this right and I am treated with respect because of it. If I want to borrow something it is not a big deal. If I abuse this priviledge it is taken away. Trust is a very delicate thing especially when it come to firearms and other valuable items typically kept in a safe.

I would tell your relative that this is not a joke and is not funny. You can forgive etc but trust is delicate and to remember that next time. Whether you change access to the safe or not is your call.

Harry Bonar · January 31, 2006, 04:12 PM

Dear lubaloy:
Yes, I found a jewel in your response.
I'll tell you what I did: "the next time one of you guys fools with my stuff I'll take you out on the back porch and beat the snot out of you!"
They havn't bothered my stuff since!
Thanks lubaloy.
Harry B.

January 2, 2006, 10:51 PM	#1
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	Is this funny? Shooters; help me react correctly to this. I recently got three VZ24s' and have converted two to 22-250 and the other one to 6MM. I was saving one for a close relative because he wanted it. I traded him the VZ24 and some stuff for a Ruger Blackhawk ,357! I opened my safe to put the SECOND .357 in and found mine, already in my safe gone! I then went to my firearms list and looked at ser. # and found that the Ruger they traded me was in fact MY gun! Now it had been gone for about a week and I do have several guns so I wasn't aware that they had taken my .357 to trade it to me later! I traded and caught this with a ser. # check about the time they got home with my Mauser and stuff. Then they called and said it was a joke? To me at 70 yrs old it was not a joke. No one had permission in my safe - they had slipped it out secretly. Now, should I laugh at this as a collosal joke? Or should I feel this went far in excess of a joke and tell them I don't care who did it - but the next one that puts their hand, unauthorized, in my safe will get the crap beat out of them! Need Help. Harry B.

January 3, 2006, 12:00 AM	#2
cntryboy1289 Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2004 Location: Ms Posts: 1,160	I would be mad myself Harry, I would be furious myself. Whether or not they think it is funny is irregardless. No one goes into my safe without my knowledge and gets away with it. Did they sneak it out when you weren't looking? Not a very nice trick for sure.

January 3, 2006, 09:43 AM	#4
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	funny Shooters: Thanks guys; it's resolved. I guess we just don't understand sometimes. I would never do this. Thanks again, posts really helped. Harry B.

January 3, 2006, 10:03 AM	#5
yorec Senior Member Join Date: February 2, 2000 Location: Wyoming Posts: 2,328	Practical jokes usually aren't funny to the victim... Use the experience to examine your security practices. No one should have access to your safe that you don't trust explicitly. __________________ What part of "... shall not be infringed..." don't you understand?

January 21, 2006, 06:11 PM	#6
Onebum Senior Member Join Date: November 1, 2005 Location: VA near DC Posts: 192	You mention you are in your 70s...I'm 26 and would go from 0 to pissed in no time flat. Not funny in the slightest. They take kindness and openness you show them and use it to make you a joke. I dunno, that's just me...If I were in on the joke and it was being done to someone else I wouldn't allow it because there are so many unknown actions that could be taken...its a poor joke that also shows ignorance on their part. My 2 cents on it. __________________ Da Bum

January 3, 2006, 01:22 AM	#3
Bigfatts Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2005 Location: Lutz Posts: 1,528	I would call that absolutely unacceptable. There is never a valid reason to play a practical joke (no matter how innocent) involving a firearm. It is irresponsible. I'd tear them a new you know what.

January 21, 2006, 06:59 PM	#7
Tom2 Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,676	How close of a relative How close of a relative did it? Depends on the context of who it was, what they are like, do you like them, etc, I guess. Otherwise I would try to find out how they gained access and maybe put another lock on the safe, and hide the key, or change the combo!

January 21, 2006, 09:56 PM	#8
duck911 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2005 Posts: 256	Joke? It was a theft, plain and simple. I would have called the police. It's one thing if it's a kitchen appliance they did the bait-and-switch with, but I don't think it'd be funny at ALL if my gun was out on the street, unaccounted for. __________________ --Duck911

January 21, 2006, 10:50 PM	#9
lubaloy Junior Member Join Date: December 1, 2005 Posts: 13	Well.....no one has the combination to my safe but me... If I die suddenly, the wife will hire a locksmith to open the safe. Other than a situation like that................NO ONE needs access but me. Harry, Change your combination. Leave it with your lawyer if you feel the need. If business or family needs access to a gun or guns, buy a second safe. Keep the 'common access' guns in that one only. When in the company of this relative/friend, in the future, never pay for a friggin' thing and treat them like snot!

January 31, 2006, 02:27 PM	#10
lubaloy Junior Member Join Date: December 1, 2005 Posts: 13	Harry, Did you find no value in my response?

January 31, 2006, 03:19 PM	#11
Barr Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2006 Location: Upstate SC Posts: 286	I would not think it was very funny at all. In my family (I am on my own) I have access to the family safe/guns with the understanding that it is a priviledge. I have never abused this right and I am treated with respect because of it. If I want to borrow something it is not a big deal. If I abuse this priviledge it is taken away. Trust is a very delicate thing especially when it come to firearms and other valuable items typically kept in a safe. I would tell your relative that this is not a joke and is not funny. You can forgive etc but trust is delicate and to remember that next time. Whether you change access to the safe or not is your call.

January 31, 2006, 04:12 PM	#12
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	funny Dear lubaloy: Yes, I found a jewel in your response. I'll tell you what I did: "the next time one of you guys fools with my stuff I'll take you out on the back porch and beat the snot out of you!" They havn't bothered my stuff since! Thanks lubaloy. Harry B.