doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com gun collections disposition upon demise

I have been on the buying end of a few dispersal sales, as would most of us here.
Anything will sell at fair market value.
Do we buyers always look for a bargain deal ?
We all know that we will not get rich on average guns.
There are always young & upcoming. Just do some living history re-enactments to see this. Give them a fair go at becoming a young collector.
The dealers can whistle for it IMHO. Did they not gouge me ?
O.M

Write it down. Make sure multiple people know about the book. Does no good if the one person you tell goes with you or before you. Go over the book every year and update it. Add as well as deduct guns you have sold, traded or given away. Write down which guns you wan to go to each kid. Write down if they can all pick what they want. I put purchase price in the book. This might be dangerous to some but I'll be dead so what can the do to me then.

As I said before some guns go to consignment and I have an estimated value for them. Guns promised to kids and friends are listed. But as far as I am concerned they can alter anything they want as long as they agree. I just writte it down so they have a starting point and a way to dispose of my toys. Just give them a clue.

I took my 26 year old out to shoot sporting clays. He has only gone a few times. I brought along a C grade fox 12 and a Benelli Montefeltro 12 for him. He grabbed the Fox and I asked him if he preferred the Benelli. He thought the Fox was cool and shot it well, especially for a newbie. An older son, 46, did the same thing to me on another outing. Also an occasional shooter, he did well and enjoyed it. He felt it did not make any difference what gun it was. Neither shoots often due to work and family obligations. Surprised me but next time I will bring two sxs's.

Went to local one last weekend. There were about half a dozen spots with double guns/classic guns. Same guys behind tables with same overpriced guns they had couple of years ago. I guess that is why these are called Gun SHOWS not Gun Sales, or Gun Buys.

I attended an auction a few years ago that was operated as a yard sale with auctioneer. I was surprised whom I saw at that auction. It was advertised out of the area in gun publications and the prices brought were at or above retail. Some guns with warts were bargains, but that's the way it should be. This is the way I would prefer to do it.

I only have a few guns (especially compared to some of the folks here) but I wanted to make sure things were taken care of properly, especially since I live alone. Last year, before an extended overseas work assignment, I sat down and wrote my own LWT. I've done it more times than I can count for others - part of the job. I went through and designated just about every gun for some friend or other who would enjoy it. "Specific bequests" I think the professors called it. Same with the fly rods and reels, fishing gear, etc. And the same with some other stuff around the house, stuff that the unknowing or ill-informed might look at as just so much junk (that bowl on the dresser with the odds and ends in it is Chinese Export Ware circa 1800, not WallyWorld stoneware, thank you very much). I included instructions to my designated executor about who to consult/retain as an attorney and for what purpose (one guy for regular stuff, one for aviation - both lawyers I respect), distinguished between "suggestions", "urging", and "directing", instructions on how to close up my pratice (such as it is) and made clear I had cut certain persons out for good reasons and on purpose.
It wound up being pretty long and involved, but it accurately expressed what I wanted at that time. I have to update it - I've acquired more since and need to get it in.
It would have cost a good bit to have me do this professionally, but it cost me a day-plus of time to do it. I slept well and still do.

I wrote something similar into my will. Leaving one shotgun to a friend with my compliments and noting I was giving it to him because he really needed a better gun, like mine. Leaving another to another friend "who has long admired it". Fishing gear to friends in memory of our many trips together. Other guns to another friend to enjoy with his sons.
If these are people you love, they deserve to know it one more time.

was thinking about having the wife call the newspaper and take all my guns and throw them in the drive way and have them run over by a big steam roller.....

Some of you may know or remember John Allen, who I believe once managed the gun business for Dunns and later owned and operated the Orvis store in Nashville for many years. Last I saw him, he now specializes in helping individuals or families dispose of their gun collections at what I thought appeared to be a very reasonable fee. I'll try to find his contact info tomorrow after my friends and I have killed an enormous quantity of skeets. Anybody else with that information may feel free to post it for me.

Edit: You can contact John at 615-403-0593 or email fas@firearmsappraisalservices.com. "How much is my gun collection worth and what will happen to it after I am gone?"

Emmett Boylan

One thing I have thought of is selling a gun or two and using the money to go on a trip, or have a dog trained. Something other than paying the bills!