I actually envy some of you guys who don't get attached to their guns on an emotional level. Maybe the man card is in question here, but as I look over my collection, I have to admit that I'm rather attached to what I have...


Remmington Nylon 66 - My first powder burning gun. My parents gave me $50 one Christmas when I was 12. I saw this sitting behind the counter at the local department store. I worked several jobs around the house to earn money here and there. It took me two more months to pay that off. She came home with me and we've had a really good run together for the last 25 years.

Savage 99F 300Sav - My first hunting rifle. Grandpa had one that he left to my older brother. I wanted one desperately. Dad took an 38-40 rifle that was left with his dad by some man passing through and needing a place to rest for a few days, back when my dad was just a little lad, and dropped it off at the local gun shop as a consignment. He told the shop owner that when he had an offer on it, that would put enough money in his pocket to buy that 99, he would agree to sell it. Two collectors ended up in a bidding war that took almost 6 months. The 38-40 sold, and the 99 came home as a gift to me. I was 16 then and killed my first deer with it that winter...

Double Barrel 16ga shotgun - The make and model is insignificant as it was just a store gun back when stores like Sears and whatnot put their names on guns. This is old as dirt, has a cracked stock but when you look at it, you know it's lived a life full of stories. It was the other gun that that passer by left my grandfather along with the 38-40. It was also the first shotgun that I learned to shoot. I hunted it hard growing up, and could hit pretty much anything with it. Once hit a clay pigeon with a slug at approx 30 yards with it. The crack in the stock means only light loads for now on, and really, I'm thinking she's ready to be retired as a mantle display piece...

Savage 16 - 7WSM. First rifle my wife bought me. Got it for my birthday almost 5 years ago now...

Ruger Compact - 338RCM. My deployment gun. I dreamed about this baby the entire time I was overseas and finally made her mine when I returned. No scope, just NECG receiver sights. Points like nothing else...

Remmington 870 - 12ga Wingmaster. My brother was down on his luck and needed cash. I needed a shotgun. This thing is family.

Ruger Blackhawk - 45LC 7 1/2" bbl. I acquired this in the same transaction that I got the 870. I've always wanted this, specifically for hunting deer. Of all my guns, this is the one that I take out to fondle the most. It was my brothers first and last handgun.

I'm faced with the harsh reality that I may have to part with some of these by the end of the month. Unemployment is now in it's 4th month and money is drying up. It'll break my heart to part with any of them, but family comes first.

Like I said, I envy you guys that don't get attached to guns like I do. I'd be really interested to hear from the others that do. Tell me some stories about the ones that are quite literally the last things you'd ever part with...

My Remington model 11-f with solid rib, poly choke and ivory bead (made in 1911btw)....from my dad when I was 12.....my duck gun since I was 10>>>>>>> "if it fly's - it dies" was my chant!

Only one has made the no sell list.

S&W Model 29 - nickel plated.

My first duty revolver.

When it comes down to everything else, I know I can use it for defense, deer hunting, etc.




If you could run a survey party, I'd put you to work for a week or so.

Thanks RWE. Sadly, I have no Surveying experience whatsoever. Certainly not enough to be Chief...

Ever take any game with that 29?

The way I go through guns, it's safe to say that the smith has taken more deer than any other gun I own.

My 222 rem is coming up fast, but I have the SxS 45 colt I built over the summer. It's going to get some cutover initiation this year.

Very cool! I've not yet taken a deer with my 45LC. Hope to rectify that short coming this year.

What ranges have you taken them with the 44?

Sentimental gun? Mine is one I DIDN'T buy, a Savage 99 in 358 Win back in @ 1980-something at a gun show in Sacramento. It was pristine, and a great price, before the price rise in 99's. Didn't have cash, debated running to the bank, but didn't.

I cry every time I think about that one. (would ya pass me a hanky?)

I had it scoped when I switched departments and they issued sigs. My longest was about 120.

Unscoped, anywhere between 5 yards and 50. When I hunted the swamps in Michigan, it was easier to tote than a short barreled slug gun.

I was bequeathed a first year Blackhawk, 7.5" barrel, by my Uncle, and I'd like to use it, but I haven't got around to getting leather.

I have three that will not be sold..

The old Savage 5100 SXS 12 guage that was my dad's gun, it went to my older brother when my dad passed in 1962. I got it 10 years later when I turned 18.

The Savage 99 in 300 SAV that went to me when my Uncle Granville passed.

Smith & Wesson model 28 357 Mag that my wife gave me when we were dating 34 years ago.

Been there done that my friend, it sucks but a man does what he needs to for his family. Love 99s and those Rugers, got any pictures?

Leather is my hang up too...

Man, 120 yrds scoped. That's good shooting! I can see my pulse in a scoped handgun...

First year blackhawk!? Color me jealous!

Just something special about guns that have been in the family...

Ive had a ton of guns come and go but I have kept an old single shot Savage 16 gauge forever. It was my fathers first gun�.

I can get some posted here in a little bit!

I assume you mean the Blackhawk and not the 338 RCM?

Easy now. I also took a shot on one at 110 once, with my bride in the stand with me. The pressure was on and I pulled it good. Blew the tail right off an 8 point.

Still haven't lived that down, after 16 years.

Still hunt with it?

Got a real soft spot for those 16's...

A little humble pie always leads to good stories!

Did your brother get to take any game with that 12ga before he passed it on to you?

I have a few that hold a lot of sentimental value for me.

The Colt SAA I sweated my nads off bucking hay during summer vacation in high school to buy. I'll never part with it.

And most of all a couple of guns I inherited when my Dad passed away. His pet rifle out of everything he owned was a Remington .270 pump. Deer season starts tomorrow morning and that .270 is going with me. It always brings back good memories.

Other than a few of my own the ones dear to my heart are my grandfather's Parker DH 16ga side by side,his Colt 1911 which I took to SEA and flew with.Took some special convincing with a hand written letter from my Sq.CO to make that a reality.Lastly my FIL's Fox 20ga double and a 12ga side hammer custom made for my great great grandfather.These will all go to my only son and probably be passed on to his boys many moons from now.

I too, have been blessed with one of those.
1938, solid rib full.
I received it from my great uncle when he learned I have an affection for the underdog 11's. It was given to Bub when a good friend of his was dyeing of cancer. That gentleman had bought it new 'cause it was purty and promptly put it up on display in a case in his store. Other than factory test fire, it remains unfired to this day.

I have several "family" guns that ain't goin' nowhere. Of the ones I've acquired m'self, these two won't go.

Awesome Smokie!

Hard to beat hunting with a gun that has fed the family since before you could hunt...

Got a picture of that 1911, Woody? It sounds like that piece could tell a story or two...

Very cool.

Some real fine wood on those AC...

I tend to be attached to many of mine as well. I have a .22LR Abolt that my dad got for me at 10, a BPS 12 gauge that he got me at 11, and an Abolt in .280 that he got me at 12. All three of those will eventually go to my boy. The BPS looks like it might have been at the Battle of the Bulge, years of duck hunting from a canoe and duck boat were hard on the finish and stock. The .280 now sits in a McMillan after a nasty horse wreck, still shoots into one hole and has accounted for most of my firsts while in the field. The .22LR is in great shape and is a fun little gopher shooting rifle to this day. I also have my great grandpa's Model 12 12 gauge, another that will be passed down and never sold. I have a S&W 422 that I was given when I was confirmed, another that will go to the boy. Also have a Ruger 77 flat bolt varmint in 22-250 that my dad gave me for graduation that will have to be passed down. Was given a beautiful S&W 14 by a great old guy that I hunted with, another that will go to the boy. In reality, I could sit here and list almost every gun I own before I got to one that I don't really care if I keep or not. Maybe I'm too sentimental.

Your boy is set to inherit quite the legacy. There simply is no pricetag that you can put on that.

Few that aren't going anywhere...

H&R 410 single shot, my first shotgun at age 14. Actually already passed that down to one of my boys.

Marlin 336 that was my dad's deer rifle, dates to 1954 and shoots MOA or better easily.

Very early engraved/refinished Savage 1899 rebarreled to 250-3000 that was my father-in-law's deer rifle.

Holding my dad's Remington pump 22 for my brother..

And I've gotten very sentimental about my lucky Savage 99EG in 300 Savage. And my Leader Grade. And my A2 Special. And my 99T in 250-3000. And...

A Marlin model 60 stamped Revelation - Western Auto. Grampa's treerat gun in the early 60s. I was in my 20s and traded it off for a .22 revolver. I like to never got it back, but I did. My go-to .22 rifle.

Great threat Hug. I have a mod70 .243 varmit with a maple stock that I had to sell in 1975 to fund my eldest sons surgery. I had traded for it on the day before my wife and my wedding in 1971. She found the rifle still in pristine condition at a gun show in Jackson Ms. 2 years ago. Our "marriage rifle" came back home after over 36 years. It'll stay there till one of our kids gets it.
Got a bunch more sentimentals like that one...

I got a Western Auto Revelation Mossberg Palamino, you can shoot branches with.

Mt first shotgun was a W.A. 20gauge single shot, that broke down by sliding the trigger guard. Wish I never sold that, but I used the proceeds to step up to a Wingmaster that was eventually liberated by dopeheads.

You have been afflicted....

Boy. Where to start

Colt frontier scout 22 mag. Left to me by my dad. First handgun i ever shot. Sorta just feels right to carry it once in a while

Marlin 25 MN 22 mag. My first gun. Given to me on my 12th birthday killed many, many fox, con, skunk and woodchucks as well as pigeons in the field- knocked one stone dead at a laser ranged 227 yards. Lady kuck was on my side that day

Marlin 25n 22 long rifle. The only lr i have. Its killed untold numbers of rats, squirrels, and starlings.

Remington 870 wingmaster. My dads bird gun and the first shotgun I learned to shoot

Mossberg 500 youth 20 guage. The gun I won at the state YHEC shoot when i was 12

Remington 700 .308. Dads deer rifle. The only one he ever had

Sears model 53(win.70) 30-06. This was my first big game rifle and have todate killed my three biggest bucks with it

American arms side by side 10 Guage. My graduation present from high school. My go to duck gun until 3 years ago

Weatherby vanguard 270. A rifle scary accurate enough to keep

Remington 760 30-06. Only had this one for a year or so but its earned its keeper status just because of the classic cool factor

Beretta extrema2 Just cant bring myself to get rid of it.

Benelli SBEII. A gift from my GF

franchi Diamond Elite O/U. This was a gift from my best friend. I'm not sure i've ever shot it. But It wont wver go anywhere

AH fox double 12. A gift from my godfather. My favorite rabbit gun

Glock 21. The duty gun I carried for 11 years.

Smith and wesson 60. A gift from my FTO. Who passed away about 8 moths ago

It's interesting to see how guns make the keeper list. It seems that the vast majority of them are ones that were either a gift/inheritance from somebody that matters or something we put a lot of blood and sweat into in order to acquire...

Thats pretty much it for me. Take the extrema2. I scrimped and saved for that gun for almost a year. I wanted the Benelli but I refuse to buy from chain stores like Dicks. And we had no local benelli dealers. I bought the beretta. And loved it. Then my gF bought me a benelli for christmas so now the Benelli is my duck gun and the Beretta gets used for geese

T Lee will make fun of my custom beaver tail as usual! Had a makeover done before shipping out in '69,new barrel,bushing sights and grips.Having Sasquatch hands that thing loved to munch on the skin between my thumb and first finger,figured if blood was let it wasn't going to be mine so had the over sized beaver tail made by a Smith friend of mine.Only used it once outta the door of the aircraft as we buzzed a suspected VC inhabited hamlet trying to draw fire one evening and were quite successful.Kept all original parts so it'll be easy to return to its past life.

The only rifle I'm really sentimental about is this Sako Forester in .243. Shrapnel sold it to me for $2,800.00. I'm pretty sure that was a bargain because he told me it was.

He even included a free box of ammo. The ammo (unfortunately) was only a partial box of 30-06, but I still thought it was a nice gesture.



Travis

I've been there and done that when I was younger. A lot of guns have come and go with me and like I said on a similar thread to this one just last night, though I may somewhat mourn their passing, they and the money they brought got me to my current collection, so it is what it is.

With that said, I'd counsel against selling those guns purely for financial purposes. Despite what the government says about inflation, staples such as gas and food are much higher than they were five years back. I don't know if I ever sold a gun that really made much difference in our monthly budget. I don't counsel anybody to get in or run up debt, especially on credit cards, but if you're really emotionally attached to them, those are guns you'll probably never get back. Surely there is a way to get by without selling them. The one gun that really could have helped out with our bills due to it being a high dollar one is an original Colt SAA Frontier Six Shooter. I managed to hang onto it during troubled financial times.

Bottom-line is, I just don't think selling a couple of those will benefit you financially enough to merit doing it.

We'll let me see, my dad's lee enfield he sporterised, went to my late brother, then a friend now back to me.
A 243 my late brother and I worked on together and a win model 12 that was my late brothers, but I remember hearing he got fooled as it is not original or something.
Anyway they are mine since his passing, so they got meaning for me.

Just when I started to get into Savage 99's I walked into a small gunstore and saw this original Birds Eye Maple 1899 in .303 Savage:



I still had a lot to learn about Savages,but I was smart enough not to leave without it.

Leading the pack is a Marlin .30-30 that my Grandpa gave me when I was 12. He handed me his rilfe and it has become my most prized possession. It goes on the majority of my deer hunts. I am looking forward to handing it down to my kids some day.

Mossberg 500 12 gauge. It also belonged to my Grandpa and I have hunted everything with it.

Winchester Model 70 Featherweight Deluxe .270 WSM. It was my dream gun and it is every bit the gun that I wanted it to be.

Ruger M77 30.06 Ultra Light Stainless. It is the first gun that I bought as an adult. It goes hunting any time there is a chance of rain. It has proven to be a gerat hunting rifle.

I agree wholeheartedly Ethan.
I had the 1911 my granddad carried through WWI until my brother and his, at that time, wife got ahold of it. They must have burned up the road getting to the dealer they sold it to $125.

"Sentimental Guns"

Yes. I'm in love with everything I own, or I don't own it for long. I'm not being sarcastic. I love my guns. Or I sell them.

My uncle's Marlin 336 .32 Special.

When he passed I got it and his Woolrich. Still have and use both.

When I go, they'll go to my son or a grandchild maybe.

Hunter Arms Fulton 16ga Double that was my Grandpas, it currently stockless though

I've got fifty, or so, rifles, pistols and shotguns. I'm going to keep five. All others have to go. I'm very fond of my Remingtons, Winchesters and Colt. Now the gut wrenching begins.

I've got the side by side BP shotgun that came across the plaines to Oregon in a covered wagon with my Great Great Grandfather in the 1800's

It's stock is cracked, it's missing one hammer and it's rusted bad.

But, it will hange over my fireplace 'till I pass it on to my Daughter.

Virgil B.

I have always felt guns are a lot like land--its for buyin not fer sellin.

Twice I have had to liquidate my gun collection--once by divorce--vindictive bitch--once for financial reasons.

For 8 years the only gun I owned was a 94 Winchester .30-30--earned my livin with that gun. When the long-gun registry came in here in Canada I took that gun south. gotta nephew kills deer with it every year.

Guns just seem to pile up here, but I've never had any that were real expensive--workin guns.

I've bought several and have given several away--been 20 years since I sold one. Gave away 3 good rifles this past moose season--all to young hunters who needed one. 2 boys and a young woman seemend really happy about that--but I realize now that I didn't do it for them--I done it for me.

I've got 2 leverguns back home that have been in my family for decades. The 1st one is my very first rifle my dad bought me for my 13th birthday, a Sears Ted Williams imitation model 94 in 30-30. The 2nd is my dads Marlin 336c in 30-30. A very popular caliber for deer in Maine.

All told I have around 30 rifles, pistols, and shotguns. I don't really have anything right now I don't care about, but still I could probably let go of half of them without too awful much hand-wringing.

But there are a few, those few that every gun person owns, that cannot be bought or sold, only taken by force or given freely. This subject has been on my mind lately, since my father passed away this last summer.

The first is Dad's 1956 Belguim Browning Light Twelve. It was the only shotgun he ever owned, and will be the only one I hunt with the rest of my years. I know it was the only gun he would have never let go, no matter what, and is for me as well.

Second is my Pre-64 M-70 featherweight in 30-06. It was my grandfathers. He passed when I was 18 and it came to me as my first big game rifle. It is my "go to" rifle when the chips are down, and things get serious.

Next is Dad's Savage 110 FP in 25-06. Dad was a serious coyote caller, and this rifle killed more than most. According to the detailed log he kep, it accounted for over 250 coyotes, half a dozen bobcats, and a dozen deer. It is absolutely consistent, and will shoot into 1" or so all day long at 200 yds. Some things Dad owned, but this was HIS.

There are others, a 7x57 that I have pretty much build myself, a Dan Wesson switch barrel .357, my 40-XB in .220 Swift, and a 1913 mfg Winchester 1894 from my father in law. Those would be pretty difficult as well.

Oh yeah, and my little CZ-527 in .223. I shoot that thing as much as everything else combined.

The two that stand out for me are a 1939 L.C. Smith 20 Guage Field Grade shot gun made by Hunter Arms in Fulton, NY. It was my Grandfather's gun.

A Ruger 10/22 that was the first thing of any real value that I bought with my own money at age 13. Thousands of rounds out the first barrel and many a rodent dispatched. I carried that thing everywhere and it has sentimental value far beyond it's monetary worth.

i am fortunate to have some family heirlooms that will never go away as long as i live. first is my dads rem 141 35 pump that he bought sometime in the 50's and used his whole hunting life. the 2nd is his dads win 1912 nickle steel 12 gauge that my grandad bought in the 30's and used his whole hunting life. both well worn but functional as the day they left the factory. i instructed both of my boys to not let those go, ever. i have others that i have personally collected and made lots of memories with and have never tired of. rem 760 pumps, ruger bolts, marlin shorties, etc. while i am attached to most of my guns at this point, i could see myself weaning down the battery in later life, preferably through gifts to grandkids, but possibly by selling them if times get tight. either way, the 35 and the model 12 ain't going anywhere.

As a kid, my Dad had a sporterized Springfield with a rough bore that I started hunting with. At the time, he carried his Dad's sporterized Enfield because he thought it was too heavy for me. He always complained about the Springfield not shooting very well because of the bore condition, and praised the Enfield as a great rifle with a mint bore. I dunno - I managed to shoot my first two deer with the Springfield and had no issues getting the job done with a single shot each. I always hoped I would get that Springfield, but he got rid of it at some point later in life that I wasn't aware of. It kind of ticked me off at the time because I would have happily bought it from him. I've wanted a Springfield ever since, but have passed on every one I've come across. I guess they don't really push my buttons like the one I remember...

16ga SxS, hardware store gun, purchased about 90 years ago by my maternal grandfather. A name I've never heard of. Years after Grampa died, it came to me. I had a 'smith push out a dent in one of the barrels. I took a needle file to rid the front trigger of a burr that caused both barrels to discharge at the same time.

Killed a squirrel with it when I was 16.

It's a godawful shotgun, but it has sentimental value and so it abides with me.

1906 Essex single barreled 16 gauge, was my paternal grandfather's, took my first quail with it, the ejector doesn't work, so you have to use a pocket knife to extract the spent hull.

learned to make that first shot count with that old sodbuster looking firearm


1912 crackshot, another family heirloom


my lil winchester 250 lever action, my first rifle of my own, took a lot of game with that lil sucker back on the farm, looking forward to cradling it again


rem 700 bdl, 7 mag, first centerfire I bought for myself, figured it'd be the only rifle I ever needed! lmao


nula 7mm-08, not much history in it, couple of moose is all, but it'd be like kicking a super model out of bed!


Rem 700, .338 lots of miles on it, used it when I was guiding it, never let me down,

hoping I'm not jinxing myself, but those 3 rifles every time the trigger has been pulled what I was shooting at ended up expiring.


got a few other faves, but nada that couldn't be replaced or holds the same sentimental value

The only one I have that would never be sold is an old Glenfield .30-30 Mom and Dad got me for my 13th birthday. Very little money value but all the sentimental value in the world.

Dad had a sweet sixteen loaned to him when he started bird hunting. That was about all there was to hunt at the time.

He always talked about that gun. The fellow died, and all dad could afford to pay the widow was for his Model 12 in 12. I have that gun still and hunt with it at times. I often think of redoing it, but then think nah, I like it just like it is.

Then we made a bit of money and Dad and I both bought A5s in 12 gauge. I still have both. ( dad died in 2005).

Fast forward to some fine friends we made and allowed me to hunt with his sweet sixteen.... shot a few grouse and such in AK with it. And one day it arrives, at a dealer, for me to pickup, with a plate on the stock in memory of my father. Got a lot of allergies that day..

Other than that, parents on either side didn't hunt much and had few guns so not much thats sentimental from that aspect.

I did buy a converted civil war musket from a fellow employee. It came down through their family, but they were not gun folks. It is kind of eery to hunt with it. In a few ways, but cool in others.

I have a rifle right now, a good friends best friend that died. I take pride it getting it back in the field to hunt.

So I do have some that mean certain things to me in many ways.

HAJ;
I'm sorry to read that you're still not finding work sir, that's tough on a man on several levels and I can say that with the conviction of experience.

As far as your initial query goes though, I don't currently have any firearms that I'd not part with tomorrow if the need arose. They are stuff to me - certainly fun stuff to fool with - but stuff nonetheless.

The one firearm that had some meaning to me was a gift for my late father so he'd have a hunting rifle. It was a near perfect 96 Swede that I saved up to get from Century Arms in Montreal and I spent countless hours modifying it to make it lighter and more handy for him to be able to use.

You see HAJ, he'd given me his Model 100 in .308 when I was 18 as he'd quit hunting for health reasons.

When my wife and I moved to BC, Dad's health improved a bit and he asked if we could go hunting together and I jumped at the chance.

The first season together he borrowed my good wife's 788 .308 carbine and spoke very highly of how well the little rifle felt for him.

Anyway here's a photo of the 96 the day I gave it to Dad.


In the next decade or so he and I would usually get a week hunting together - making memories I'll treasure as long as I have thought and draw breath.

One year before season he came to me with the rifle in a soft case and said he'd like to return it to me as he just wasn't up for the rough roads and long hours anymore. His wish, he said, was that maybe I could see if one of the grand kids might be able to put it to use.

Those who know me and have seen my family hunting photos will already recognize that rifle, as it was our own eldest daughter who spied the now 110 year old rifle in the safe and asked about it.

In short order it became very much her's and her connection to her Granddad who'd recently passed. Here she is with her biggest mulie and the Swede - note the trickle of red on it's neck HAJ - she can shoot the thing and then some.


This year's mulie - sorry no rifle in the photo - but anyway it died across a fairly wide valley to a single 130gr TSX that tore the aorta off the top of his heart and then exited out the joint of the scapula and leg bone that attaches to it.


That's the story of the only rifle or firearm for that matter that has much sentimental attachment to any of us as far as I'm aware.

Hopefully you enjoyed the story a bit HAJ as I know family means a lot to you.

Speaking of which, you and yours remain in my daily thoughts and prayers.

Dwayne

My BSA 458 Win that my Grandfather left to me. It has quite a few African animals on it's list of kills, including all of the Big Five. Magnaported with a Weaver K4 scope and original canvas sling. Wouldn't part with it for anything.

Really only have two sentimental guns. No avid hunters or shooters in the family to make a gun really mean anything to anyone.
I have a Marlin M'94 25-20 that was my Grandfathers Uncles rifle. Made in 1906 it was used for years at butchering time and little else. When I got it the bore looked like the inside of a sewer pipe, the front sight was half of a penny and it had white paint on it from hanging over the door while they were painting the trim. With the bore sleeved and Williams 5D receiver sight it does pretty well with cast bullets. Great small game rifle if my eyes are up to it.
The second rifle is a Savage M99R 250-3000 my family got me for my 50th birthday. By coincidence, it was made in 1953, the same year I was born. I've taken several deer with it and it will stay till time to pass it on to my Son.

I get sentimental about ALL my guns. But some that are kind of extra special are the family guns I've inherited over the years. Like the model 67 Winchester single shot .22 my dad bought in the late 30's with his paper route money. Or the 16 ga. Iver Johnson break open he bought new from a Western Auto store about 1940 (had it restored in 1978). An old 12 ga. Stevens 820B pump from an older cousin who was killed in a car wreck in the 60's. A German Luger that one of my late uncles picked up in Germany's V2 rocket factory when Uncle Sam went in and cleaned it out at the end of the war, (he spoke fluent German and was there as a translator). He also left me a Mod. 30AS marlin lever gun (economy model 336) that he bought new about 1991 at age 72 and never put more than 20 rounds through.

I am the proud owner of a Remington 742 in 30/06, it was the gun my Dad carried and killed with when He and I went hunting together.

Grandaddy's A-5, he brought it home from France after WW2. Unfortunately he was of the opinion you never need to clean a shotgun. It shows.

My Ithica .410 Super Single (I think that's what it's called) First gun and it still makes tree rats dead. Most naturally pointing long gun I've ever used. When I opened it up at Christmas of my 12th year I had no idea what it was with the lever on it. I pulled down on the lever, it broke open and I actually thought I had broken it.

I have a few that fall into the "sentimental" realm only because they are worth more than when I bought them and, yes I could/would sell them if needed. On the other hand I have 2 that have little monetary value I'm not sure I would sell for any amount of money. Both belonged to my Dad and were the first two he purchased as a teenager - both are Ward's Western Field firearms (hence the little monetary value), one a single shot .22 S/L/LR and the other a pump action 16 ga shotgun he bought on his 16th birthday. He used both for subsistance hunting as the oldest son of his large family (he was the oldest of 9) and taught me how to shoot with both. I killed my first rabbit with the .22 when I was 7 and my first pheasant with the sweet 16. Dad passed 6 years ago and I chose those two guns when my brother and I were instructed by Mom to divy up his small collection . . . Brother never could figure out why I picked those two. It would have to get very, very bad for me to part with them for money . . .

Why? I have three heirloom rifles that will be passed down, this is pretty normal.

I have a Mossberg ATR-100 in .270 that is worth ten times it's actual value to me.

I have taken a lot of shots at deer with it and never missed or needed a second.

Most of the gun I have were passed down from my grandfather on my mothers side who passed away when I was about 7. I have a Colt army special chambered in 32-20 from my grandfather on my dads side who I never met. So at this point almost all of my guns have some sentimental value.

I have my dads Sako forester heavy barrel, chambered in 244 AI.

I inherited my paternal grandpa's Nylon 66 when he died in a freak accident in 1980. It was the first gun I ever shot, which took place with my dad holding the rifle while grandpa looked on when I was about 5 or 6 years old.

This summer we had a reenactment of that occasion from the mid seventies when my dad and I took my son out and let him shoot grandpa's 22, making it the first gun he ever shot also. It'll go to my son one of these days.

Another gun I have a strong attachment to is my Dad's Winchester 94 in .32 Special. Dad bought it from his brother in the 50's when it was nearly new (it was made in 54). It was dad's only rifle from that point until he passed it on to me in August of this year. I hope to take it out at some point on a deer or 2.

I have other guns that I wouldn't want to let go of for various reasons, but these 2 are ones that'll remain with me until it's time to pass them on.

HAJ - what are your skills? Maybe someone on the 'Fire can put you to work. Let us know.

Mark

You don't need to know much about surveying to run a survey party. You just need to know how to lead and get a job done.

I have a few that are sentimental to me:

My first shotgun. Given to me by my Grandpa, Mossberg 185D 20ga. bolt shotgun.

The first shotgun I paid for with my own money at 15. Mossberg 835 field. Over 10k shells through it and still going strong!

My father's FN Commercial Mauser in 30-06. He is a one rifle man. I envy that at times.

The HVA 1640 in 6.5x55 I am having built right now to commemorate the years I worked and hunted in Sweden. The build just started but I doubt that rifle will ever be sold.

very cool. really nice guns