I’ve always viewed firearms as tools, and my collection reflects that. Almost all of my firearms are meant to be used, abused, and function. This isn’t saying I don’t take care of them though. But recently I was thinking that I should purchase some “prettier” firearms. Guns you pass down to the kids/grandkids as “the rifle” or “grandpas shotgun”. Something you would be proud to put in a traditional glass cabinet. Thoughts? What qualifies for that in your eyes? Is it the quality of wood and metal finish? Cost? Or the history behind it? I don’t have anything that has been passed down to me, so I’m starting from scratch.
Imo best heirlooms are because the people receiving them have a desire to have it or respect for why you valued it. I mean giving my son a colt python due to collect ability may not mean near as much to him as the first rifle and pistol he learned to shoot on. Or a gun that was purchased for him on his birthday.
My kids are getting rifles that I myself have fixed up and refinished. That way it's not only their first rifle, but one that their dad poured love into to restore just for them. It's not the $$ value that should matter. It's what it means to the the recipient. Don't buy the gun for the memories. Buy it to go make memories with. Then hand it down as a reminder of those memories. And just sometimes, those heirlooms will choose themselves. Perfect example: I had originally bought and restored 3 different versions of the Stevens Model 87 to give to my kids. Well the youngest took a liking to my old Ithaca X5 instead. So I fixed it up for him and gave him that instead of the Stevens. It is something that I know he will appreciate much more than what I originally had in mind.
So to me, it's what you make the memories with. I grew up going to Nebraska to pheasant hunt and we had some years with 4 generations of hunters. My great grandpa shot a Winchester 1887 since he was a little boy and that has made it's way to my uncle then my dad, to become mine some day. He had a bunch of other stuff and most was better but to me that's the most heirloom gun in our family. My grandpa gave my dad an Auto 5 when he started hunting which became mine when I turned 18 and it's my go-to bird gun. I always remember my dad hunting with a Browning BSS so the guns I want the most from him are those even though he has a bunch of others. My uncle was a Sweet 16 man, which my dad now has and I will have some day. Granted these are all traditional type guns, they have lots of memories with them and that's what makes em awesome!
I've got 22's for all my nephews, niece and daughter. They are not special, except that they came from Uncle/Dad. The fanciest in the lot is the Henry Golden (Girl) for my daughter but not I don't believe in schmancy stuff. Now, over on the 17 Designs thread, if we are doing a group buy and I can get customized serial numbers, then I want to get a lower to build out for them with their initials and birthday or something like that.
One of the "I will never sell" guns I own is an old 500 Mossberg my dad bought for his dad new in 1969 or 70. Not much to look at, but the memories of following Dad and Grandpa around chasing quail puts it on the list.
Memories, that's what the kids will hold onto. "That was the first gun my dad taught me how to clean" "That was the gun dad always took to the range/deer hunting/kept by the nightstand" "Dad bought this gun after Biden took office so I could have one"
To me the stories, the history of the gun, are more important than the value. My dad has a Winchester Model 03 .22 Auto that will be mine someday. It is special to me because it is the gun my dad learned to shoot with. When he got it not too long ago, I was able to buy some reproduction ammunition and we have taken it to the range together several times. I just bought 5 more boxes a couple of weeks ago. My brother will get the Winchester Model 55 .22 single shot automatic that was my dad's when he was a kid on the farm. Fun gun to shoot with the trapdoor in the top. It will burn you with the ejecting case that drops down out of the bottom if you do not pay attention to how you hold it. My daughter already has the Steven's single shot .22 bolt gun that I bought at Otasco when I was a kid. She learned to shoot with it and it went with her when she moved.