Is it wrong to keep guns you have no interest in for sentiment reasons?

[pssman308]

I have all of one of my grandfathers long guns and a couple of my other grandfathers long guns.( mostly single shot rifles and shotguns.). The majority of them I have no interest in shooting, I just have them because of who they belonged to.  Is it wrong to keep them knowing I’ll never use them?

[AuEagle]

No.

[Spots]

Absolutely not. I have a single shot .22 that belonged to my Grandpa and I probably havent shot it a dozen times in 20 years. It has a permanent place in my gun case because no amount of money can buy those memories and that provenance

[FUJIMO]

Nothing wrong with it in my opinion.  I have the 1st rifle I ever shot. But I had to purchase my grandfathers entire collection from the "estate" to get it. 100% worth it

[Garufa]

Nothing wrong with it at all, but it is ok to let some go if you really want or need to.

I’ve only sold 2 of my father’s guns.  One, a beat up 1918 peddled scheme Enfield that was half-assedly sporterized and missing the saftey.  I pulled it out of a trash heap by the street at my grandmother’s house when I was a kid and even he said he didn’t want it, lol.

The other was a Marlin bolt action .22 Magnum.  He bought it when I was a kid, why .22 Magnum I have no idea.  Great rifle and if was  .22lr  I might have kept it…but I’ve uh, expanded the collection since then and there’s only so much space.

Don’t miss them at all, some his others I’ll never let go of.

[Ronald_55]

Why would it be bad? People keep all kinds of things for purely sentimental reasons. At least guns have a use and overall normally increase in value. 

My Dad has a very heartfelt request I get my Papaw's police sidearm. I remember that chrome Model 19 riding on his hip when I was a kid. Same as my Dad's .444 Marlin Lever gun. It is the association of each to them that makes them more than wood and steel. Once gone you can never get that back. 

[gregintenn]

Why would that be wrong? I’ve got all manner of stuff that belonged to my grandparents. This includes several guns I’ll likely never shoot again.

[smokin45]

When I retrieve any one of my firearms from the safe the memories of that particular firearm come to light. I can visualize the time place and folks I was with. It ranges from the 50's to present with Grandfathers and family though the years with my dad and my children. There are many ways to reflect on the past. My opinion would be to keep them and touch them even if you don't shoot them. Memories are the one thing they can give you now.  Enjoy: Pssman308  

[bubbadavis]

I've got my grandfather's 12 gauge bolt action shotgun and S&W model 18. The shotgun is the first I ever shot. The S&W was the interest I paid him on a college loan - he wouldn't agree to interest so I gave him the gun when I made the last payment. He said he didn't want it, so I told him to toss it in the lake. He passed away years later but still hadn't made that trip to the lake...

Both are priceless to me.

[TripleGGG]

Nothing wrong with that at all.

I have 2 pipes one of my granddads smoked and then tools, a boat anchor and old style Coleman lanterns and stove my other granddad used. Those items are priceless. 

[glock55]

I see no problem in keeping them. They are a tangible connection to your past. You can’t put a value on that. 

[peejman]

While you may not be very interested, the next generation might like some tangible reference to a relative they never knew. 

[jeff43]

You better hang on to them.

[Yengo]

I have an old single shot 12 gauge that was my dad’s. It’s really beat up, but I have so many memories of rabbit hunting with him. It was a “tool” for him, and he used it like one. It’s not worth much for most folks, but it’s priceless to me, even though I never plan to shoot it. 

There’s nothing wrong with keeping it. This is a decision you would probably regret later on if you got rid of it. You would never be able to go back on that decision. 

The only way I would get rid of a gun like that would be to pass it down to my adult son, so they could make memories with you. 

[hipower]

5 hours ago, pssman308 said:

I have all of one of my grandfathers long guns and a couple of my other grandfathers long guns.( mostly single shot rifles and shotguns.). The majority of them I have no interest in shooting, I just have them because of who they belonged to.  Is it wrong to keep them knowing I’ll never use them?

NO! Never question it! Memories are all we have.

[E4 No More]

13 hours ago, pssman308 said:

I have all of one of my grandfathers long guns and a couple of my other grandfathers long guns.( mostly single shot rifles and shotguns.). The majority of them I have no interest in shooting, I just have them because of who they belonged to.  Is it wrong to keep them knowing I’ll never use them?

Nope!

[bigun]

Never get rid of them. They say you die twice once in body. And again when you no longer are talked about or remembered. I have several guns I would never get rid of. One in particular goes back 4 generations. I haven’t shot since the 70’s. It will go to my son. Who doesn’t care for guns but he promised to keep it. And if he decides he doesn’t want it to give it to one of my grandsons. 

[E4 No More]

I will add that my granddad traded me his 20 gauge side-by-side for a cheap .25 semi-auto that I had from when I was on the Sheriff's department in 1982. Granddad tried to get my dad into hunting like he was, and he used it extensively while my dad used a .410.

After I left the P.D. in 1993, life got extremely tough for us for the next 11-years or so that included numerous moves, and his shotgun was broken and rusted. I felt that it was too bad to fix, so I got rid of it. I loved my granddad but I wasn't all THAT close to him because he lived in Enid, OK when I grew-up in Kansas City, MO. However, it's a decision that I regret to this day now that he and my father have passed. Really, it was my only connection to him, and it's gone.

[BigK]

if you have room for them, keep them. Even if you don't have a sentimental attachment, maybe someone else in the family will or does. Personally, I'd sooner add another safe than get rid of gun with sentimental value.