$200 gift in honor of a Vet - what to get?

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Quoheleth

Quoheleth

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A week ago today, a very dear friend and member of my church passed away. An Air Force Veteran who served in the Korean War, we shared a love of our respective families, our country, hunting and firearms. He was a shut-in and I visited him regularly. Our visits usually included some kind of gun-related discussion. I always brought my latest acquisition to him to inspect (I had standing permission to do this - his wife appreciated that it would make him smile) and he was the first person to see my Garand when it arrived on Veterans' Day, 2009.

I had the honor of conducting his funeral Wednesday and of playing Taps.

As a measure of thanks, the family gave me $200. As our shared passion was firearms I thought I would use this to buy something to remember him.

If you had this budget and wanted a little something, what might you get? I might have a little extra scratch to throw in, but lets say still under $250. I have my eye on several Blackhawks on GB and AA, all sitting right now below that mark (they will go up, I know) - he was a single-action guy and it would definitely fit his memory. Any other thoughts? What might you try to find with this budget as a token of memory of a dear friend?

Q
 
Maybe have a gun you already have engraved with a r.i.p. or in memory of???
 
If it were me, I would spend the money on something for my friend; perhaps something along the lines of flowers or an American flag for his grave site on his birthday/veterans day.
 
I think that a donation to the Wounded Warrior, VFW or similar in his name would be most appropriate.

Not firearm related, but deliberately so.
 
Agreed with the donation in his honor/memory. Make sure it's a cause he would have liked to support.
 
Cabelas is having a sale on black powder revolvers. You say your friend was a sigle action guy. Take a look at the Pietta 1858 New Army. If you're not into BP yet, this is a good opportunity. New aspect to the hobby in memory of your friend.
 
I agree with the donation thing. Some organizations add small placards to wall displays with folks' names engraved... maybe some basic military data too. It's something that everyone who reads it will see his name.
 
I'll ditto donation. Not that you can't find a decent firearm for under three bills, but if it was something I'd be buying to remember a friend, a budget would be the last thing I'd want to have driving my selection.
 
couple of thoughts,

Keep chasing the single action until you find one,

Place plaque in his memory in the church or a place he frequented.

Give the money to the US shooting team in his memory.

or start an annual shooting event at your club in his name.

Whatever do you are a good Pastor that cares.

God Bless,

Doc
 
My VFW post (7911, Fennville, MI) replaces the ceiling tiles with customized commemorations. If your friend was a member of the VFW, +1 on the idea of a dmonation is his honor.
 
If he was anything like my freinds, he would tell you to get something to make you happy. I think he would smile if you got a blackhawk and had some grips engraved with his initials in remembrance.

The memories will last much longer and make you smile evertime you handle the weapon.
 
I would have to know your friend a lot better to give any kind of advice that was worth a hoot. But here is something off-hand.

Find a well used but opporational "birthday" weapon manufactured the year her was born, have it engraved with his name, years, rank etc, then show it to his wife. Maybe an old 1911 or old Colt Army, something he would have had in service.

Then, If he has a son or daughter, put in your will that when you pass on, it goes to his heirs.
 
I agree with those that say make a donation in his name. If the family gave you the money as a "no joke, spend this on yourself, he would have wanted that" gift I would look at something like a set of custom grips for a gun you already own, and that maybe he has enjoyed shooting too, or a model he particularly liked. Maybe get your initials engraved on one grip, and his on the other to commemorate your friendship.

If you get a set of custom grips, you should be able to get something very nice within your price range, and get lots of use and enjoyment out of them. You won't have to safe queen the gun they are on to keep them in good shape. If you ever decide to sell that gun, you can take the grips back off and keep them.
 
After reading other suggestions I'm now thinking that you should should spend half on something you know your friend would be happy you got for yourself and the other half on a donation in his memory. You can't go wrong with that strategy.
 
Update

Here's an update of what I chose to do.

My friend loved handguns and was a lifetime NRA member. He was thrilled when I would bring a new-to-me gun to his house to show him. As he was homebound the last year, he lived vicarously through my collection. While he liked almost every gun, he was really happy to see my growing collection of revolvers. While he preferred single-actions to double-actions, he liked the classic feel of the Smiths.

While he liked the stories of my acquisitions, he was twice-as-thrilled when I would tell him about how my daughter loved to shoot. Pictures of her at the range would make him smile. He was pleased that I am passing my passion for firearms and shooting to my children.

So, what I decided to do was use the family's gift to buy a new-to-me Smith model 10, heavy-barrel, and give it to my daughter. Through a series of fortunate events, the Smith I found that was in my price range was made the same year as my daughter was born. The gun has some miles on it, is a little holster-worn, but it locks up tight in all cylinders. The DA trigger is typical Smith smooth and the SA is a nice, crisp break. It's been too hot to go shoot, but as soon as it cools off ten degrees or so (to the mid-90s :( ) we'll go wring it out.

I really liked the idea of making a donation in his name to the local VFW post, but when I saw this Model 10, discovered the year of manufacture, and thought of how much he liked me teaching our daughter, I decided this was the way to go.

My daughter knows the close relationship I had with the man and she knows the story behind why I purchased the revolver. She is appreciative of both the story and the gun.

Anyway, thanks to all for the thoughts and comments.

Q
 
Excellent decision. Almost seems like it was meant to be. :D

I would definitely tell her about your friend, and how his family's gift allowed you to gift the gun to her. It'd be a great way to pass on his memory.
 
Quoheleth said:
... use the family's gift to buy a new-to-me Smith model 10, heavy-barrel, and give it to my daughter.
Click to expand...
Excellent! Nothing like passing on the heritage!
 
NOT reading all the other responses, and being a vet. myself, I really think I'd just buy some flags and maybe some bibles and take them to the local VFW, USO or local Honor Guard, if you have one close and honor all the other brothers and sisters that have fallen.

Salute to your friend and our brother
 
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