I had the unfortunate experience of helping a long time friend's wife clean out her late friend's workshop and reloading room. I helped his son gather stuff up for a garage sale. It was mostly tools and assorted junk. His son doesn't reload and gave me two boxes of bullets and primers.
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I ended up with 5000 - 155 grain .308 match bullets from Barnes, Hornady and Sierra. His son said he wanted me to take the bullets. I was surprised when he took a couple of orange boxes to my car. That was when his passing hit home. I told his son that I was with your dad when he picked up the Barnes and Sierra bullets last year. He was especially excited to get a deal on the Sierras. They were $220 CDN/500. That was at least $100 per box less than retail. The seller gave him an additional 10% off for buying 2000 bullets.
Unfortunately, he never got to shoot any of them. He was diagnosed with cancer shortly thereafter. We used to shoot together at the base when we were in the service, and for a while after we retired.
Steve I am very sorry to hear this and I hope you and your friends family are doing well.
I had a very similar experience with a fellow that worked for me that was also a friend. He was single and when he passed his family did not know what to do with his reloading equipment, guns, home or how to get into his personal / work computers and asked me to assist. Having to go through 3 computers to check for work or family related items and also helping the family through the process of work life insurance / pension issuance of closure the family gave me a significant gift in reloading supplies. I have kept this in a separate storage area now for 3 years and have just started to think on using it. The loss of a friend / co-worker was hard.
My one learning from this is that if you are involved in shooting, hunting, fishing and your family is not active in these as well speak with close friends that would be willing to step forward and help, like you have. In the case of my friends family it was only sitting at our dining room table speaking with his brother (executor) that I realized they had no idea on the value of the belongings or how to manage selling them.
Like you I wish my friend was still here to use what he had purchased. I have come to a conclusion that my friend would like me to spend range time in his memory with the gifts from his family as that was his passion
It's never easy, no matter how many times this happens. I've had to help the families of several friends and it never gets better.
Good on ya, fellows.
Friendship doesn't end with death.....
Condolences for your losses.
I'm sorry to hear you lost a buddy. We're all getting to an age where we'll have to deal with that...
Keeping his memory alive every time you go to the range, clean a rifle or sit and reload is a pretty nice tribute!
yeah that stuff sucks big time .i had to help my 2 nephews do that when my brother died at 60 yr old never been sick in his life . it will drive you mad it will
Sorry to hear this. Put those bullets to good use and enjoy. Your friend will be with you each bang and you will both enjoy though your allergies might get to you now and then!
Thanks everyone.
The past nine months hasn't been the best. I lost my father last May from prostate cancer. Because of COVID, the family didn't get to visit him. He died alone with only a nurse there. My step mother did get to visit the last two days, but the rest of the family were kept away. Then Bernie two weeks ago.
At any rate, you have to carry on, but it still sucks.
Sorry for your loss. The one consolation is that the supplies and the memories didn't disappear anonymously into unknown hands, rather at least part of it is linked and lives on in you.
So sorry to read this, Steve. Hoping that this coming Spring brings better times.