I have never been so excited to give someone a gift!

[joem1945]

SOOO VERY NICE!!!! What a great gift, I'm sure he will love it. I know I would!

 

[Ironicaintit]

Those rosewood grips look great. My speed-six has a set thats almost identical.

What an awesome gift!

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Consider it to be "new old stock".

That's more or less what I was thinking. Otherwise they will continue to just sit in a box in my gun room. Even if he changes them out, I'd rather put them on and let him have them.

To all the folks saying I should include the factory grip, yes I absolutely will. I intended to include all factory parts from the get go.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Now you have to try and keep from exploding for the next couple of months........

It isn't easy. You know last night I was at yet another retirement party. These are starting to get pretty difficult. It's making me feel old and I'm only 34. I mean not only are all my older friends who I've been working with for over a decade leaving, but now I am very rapidly becoming one of the most experienced people in my particular working group and in my office. Feels weird.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

How refreshing! I like the rosewood grips a lot. Couldn't you go to a gun shop with him. Ask him if he'll go along so you can pick out a revolver and you want his opinion or help picking one out.
Not letting him know that the whole time you are there for him and not yourself.
Contact the gun shop beforehand and be prepared with them to make a legal transfer properly when you get there for your friend.
You could even have it gift wrapped, hidden in your car, go out with an excuse like forgetting your wallet in the car and come back in the shop with this very nice gift.

I appreciate the input and suggestion. However, I've known this guy for over a decade and know his taste pretty good. I sort of already did what you suggested by showing him a few different models on gunbroker and observed his reactions and comments. I confirmed before buying that this is the model he wants. Ten minutes after he confirmed he walked out of the room. I pushed the "Buy Now" button immediately.

 

[bannockburn]

460Kodiak

Part of it is my being broke right now, but if I'm going to spend any additional dollars on this gift, I'd like it to be for a presentation box from S&W. And by the way, damn you bannockburn for putting the notion in my head.

Sorry about that! I think the gun, along with the new/old grips (which I really like the look of), is already over the top as far as a retirement gift goes. If you're still set on the presentation case maybe see if some other co-workers would like to go in on it.

 

[Bullseye]

I think you missed this part of my idea ...

Not letting him know that the whole time you are there for him and not yourself.

No matter what you do, it's awesome.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

460Kodiak

Sorry about that! I think the gun, along with the new/old grips (which I really like the look of), is already over the top as far as a retirement gift goes. If you're still set on the presentation case maybe see if some other co-workers would like to go in on it.

. I was only kidding, and thanks! It's a great idea and I think I'm going to pursue it, and yes it is an over the top gift.

Last night something fortunate happened. More story. In 2004 this man hired me as a seasonal member of a woods crew. I became close friends with two members of that crew, I still work with one of them, and the other is regularly visited by both of us often together. My two good friends both got their start as temporary employees as well with this man. All three of us got hired on permanently years ago.

My two friends went onward in different fields within my agency, but I got lucky again in 2010 and staid in my initial field. I managed to land another promotion in the same office. So at that point I went from working for him to working with him but all the while he has coached me and taught me.

A year after that promotion I was placed in a certification program that would greatly help my career overall as well as increase my productivity for my employer. It's master's level work with a final dicertatcion like project. Again, my buddy coached me through what was a very stressful and difficult process.

Last year I finished that program successfully and it represents the crowning achievement of my career so far, and should allow me to retire comfortably some day, if I'm not stupid with my money. Like I said, I have no way to adequately thank the man or pay back what I owe him.

The two friends I mentioned earlier asked me if I had gift ideas. He is a hard guy to shop for. I told them what I did and offered to let them get in on it. Since they are my closest friends, and also started out being hired by the same gent. I
thought it appropriate.

So more funds will be available even though I'll be covering a much larger portion. I think a presentation box will be in order, possibly with a name plate on it.

 

[Wil Terry]

TIS better to give than to receive.
I am currently in the process of giving all mine away.
The first I gave was worth 10M...
ANYONE who asks or questions is automatically disqualified.

And so it goes...

 

[bannockburn]

460Kodiak

Great to hear! Found a number of decent looking presentation cases online (many could be customized to your specifications), if you decide to go that route.

 

[Seven High]

If I were you, I would take him to shoot his new 617 after retirement. Take the Badger grips and a screwdriver with you. Sometime during the shooting session put the Badgers on. See what he thinks of them. How about getting him a nice leather holster for the 617?

 

[Zaydok Allen]

If I were you, I would take him to shoot his new 617 after retirement. Take the Badger grips and a screwdriver with you. Sometime during the shooting session put the Badgers on. See what he thinks of them. How about getting him a nice leather holster for the 617?

That is a nice idea, and I thought about doing that. I'm not sure how much he'll carry it though as he carries a S&W Governor while walking his dog.

I think this will likely be a plinking gun.

 

[surjimmy]

That's just Cool.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Thought I'd post a quick update. I decided to go ahead and enhance the gift a bit more. I ordered a presentation box from S&W and it showed up today. I think it looks great. I'm going to hit a trophy and award store in the city this weekend and bring the box along. I'm going to see about getting an engraved brass plate made. It'll have his last name on it, and perhaps his service years. I'll probably put it under the Smith & Wesson on the top. I'd kind of like to put a favorite quote or a thank you message on a second plate under the barrel, but I'm not sure how I'd attach it since the inside is foam.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Outside.

 

[CynicZ]

Man you're a great guy. Gift looks great and I think some nice classy plate would top the whole thing off!

 

[Ironicaintit]

So how can one get on your Christmas gift list?

 

[Zaydok Allen]

It ain't easy. . This guy deserves it though. I owe him so much.

 

[Old Dog]

You're a true friend. Don't know how emotional your buddy is, but if I were him when you presented that gift, I'd be bawling ...

 

[bannockburn]

460Kodiak

That S&W case is the definitive "icing on the cake"! Way to go!

 

[drband]

Beautiful plan! Your friend will remember this for the rest of his life!

 

[Zaydok Allen]

460Kodiak

That S&W case is the definitive "icing on the cake"! Way to go!

I agree. And thank you for brining it up in the first place.

 

[340PD]

This gift just keeps getting better and better. Please let us know when this deal goes down.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

A cool enough gift in general...

... but most specifically as a retirement gift. One he'll probably use the hell outa.

Retirement is a killer to too many Americans, I say, kill it back!




Todd.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

The Final Product

This will be my final update until I actually give the gift, and I'm sorry if this has gotten repetitive, but I'm so happy with how it came out that I had to share.

On the outside of the box, centered under the "Smith & Wesson" is a brass name plate that has my buddy's last name on it. I'm not going to share that image because I don't think my friend would appreciate his name being posted on the Internet.

On the inside is another engraved plate that reads

"The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.

-Vince Lombardi"

My buddy is the most hardcore Greenbay Packers fan I've ever seen. He has more Packer outfits than I knew existed. The last time they won the Suber Bowl he brought a giant Packer blanket and hung it over one of our office windows, permanently blotting out the sun. He also showed up to drink beer after work wearing a Super Bowl reproduction victory ring. Considering he is only 145 lbs and those rings are enormous, it looked like he was wearing Mrs Howell's wedding ring from Gilligans Island. My only comment to him was "Is that your Liberachi ring?" We both laughed on that one.

Vince Lombardi is his hero, and this quote fits perfectly as its been his philosophy in everything he does. In this regard, he has had a very high quality of life. This also is one of the lessons he taught me.