If you die tomorrow does your family know what to do with your guns?

[Hasaf]

My youngest daughter is the one that will end up with the responsibility for my guns. She is the only other active shooter in my immediate family. That being said, all she cares about is Civil War era Black-Powder.

She will probably cherry pick my collection and send the rest to a friend who is a bit of a Gun Accumulator. He can dispose of them correctly. The only issue with that plan is that I may, very well, outlast him. in that case she plans to just hold onto them until she has a reason to get rid of them, at that point she has told me that her plan is to contact the Masons and see if anyone there can help.

 

[somethingbenign]

Being under 30 I'm not terribly worried about this yet but I also work construction so you never know what's going to happen. I do need to talk to my wife about her plans should something happen. I have friends who she'll most likely go to for help in liquidating my several hobbies. Of all things I figure the firearms will be the easiest to find homes for. Paintball and woodworking might be a bit of a struggle.

 

[ourway77]

At 80 I have no one to leave them too I can advertise them on other sights I can't advertise them here I tried to place an ad here and don't see how to do it or what is required I guess it will be best for me to compile a list and let my wife call different gun shops and sell them as a lot or have her advertise them in the paper

 

[hdbiker]

I have a list of all my firearms with serial numbers, how they're equipped, and market value in my file. Should help my survivors deal with them. hdbiker

 

[jhansman]

My wife, who I am assuming will survive me, has no use for firearms whatsoever. She does not want to talk about what will happen, nor plan for it. Sucks, but there it is. I only have a few handguns and rifles, so I am trying to find someone else who is willing to help dispose of them legally. What I don't know is that because we have what is called an A-B trust, each of us carries on with our assets if the other passes, how she is legally affected by ownership, of if in fact, she would be the new registered owner (yeah, I live in CA). I need to do some homework so she doesn't end up in some idiotic legal bind created by my ignorance and exit from the scene.

 

[bassjam]

My wife isn't a gun person, but she did get a little upset when her dad sold off all his guns without telling anyone so I trust that she'd do the right thing.

I keep a list in my safe of every firearm along with a note telling if I bought it, traded for it, or if it was given to me and who I inherited it from. There's also purchase dates and what I paid for them, so there's at least somewhat of a guide as to their value. As long as the inherited guns go to my kids I'll be happy, she can sell the rest, give them to the kids or let my brother have some of them. She'd just have to hire a locksmith to get into the safe, she's said several times she has no desire to know what the combination is.

 

[George P]

My wife has been instructed on who to contact in regards.
I do have a complete inventory of everything including original sales records.

That is a good start; now show her how to go on places like GunBroker and GunsInternational so she can learn what their current value would be when that time comes. Had a good friend die unexpectedly from a minor procedure. Three safes full of guns, garage full of ammo and reloading stuff, etc. Luckily he worked p/t at our local shotgun club, so several pitched in to help his widow dispose of everything. She didn't get the highest possible amount for everything because he had some things that would take a long tine to get the right price or would have had to wait to go Rock Island or James Julia for auction - but she came out OK. If you don't have friends you can trust to help, she needs to know how to look up values and sell them, possibly online.

 

[lightman]

I failed to say in my other post that I have a couple of trusted friends if my family needs any help with this. My Wife and those trusted friends also have the combination to my safe, so no locksmith needed. They also have me as one of their trusted friends and I have their safe combinations if their family needs me.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Trusted Friends can be a lot more helpful than family...
In our case my only relative is a brother out in California (and he is no gun guy) and my wife's family are all deceased.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

The bigger question for me is what the crap am I going to do with my Dad's 300 long guns!? Assuming I outlive him, that is.
Although I like old Mausers and Arisakas as much as the next guy, you really can't shoot them much on a budget and unless he leaves me enough cash to buy a warehouse/ museum, I guess I'll rent a table at the gunshow......ugh.

 

[Guilty]

Yes, I like to keep records for my wife to have available when I leave this earthly body to meet my maker. I have a excel spreadsheet that I keep with all important documents which includes descriptions, serial numbers, retail value and resell value of all firearms, scopes, suppressors, holsters, reloading equipment, and anything else of value that she might want to sell, motorcycle, generators, etc. I also have links to gunbroker with my username/password and a local firearms forum that has buy/sell ads too where my wife can advertise to sell. My brother also knows what I own and he will be available to assist my wife with converting firearms to cash after I am gone too.

 

[mstreddy]

For those without families or trusted friends, I'm available for adoption -- or at least befriending...

As to what I'm doing. I'm 53 now, in relatively good health, but we all know stuff happens. My wife is not a gun person. She "tolerates" my hobby. She knows they would be worth something being sold. I have an inventory listing of all the firearms, price paid, etc., that should help her dispose as needed. My children are young (8yo boy and 5yo girl) and there are some things I would like to pass on to my son as he is expressing an interest. There are a couple of pieces that some friends would like and I would leave to them. And there are a couple of friends I would trust to help her sell the guns, gear, and reloading equipment.

I'll need to spell out some details and instructions so it can help the family. It's time to refresh the will as well. It's been a while. I think just before I went to Iraq for my sand and sun (no surf) excursion in 2009/2010. Lots has changed since then. My daughter, etc...

Similarly, a shooting buddy has told his wife to contact me should he pass to help her sell off his guns and gear. And which piece I get out of the batch.

 

[AlexanderA]

My wife, who I am assuming will survive me, has no use for firearms whatsoever. She does not want to talk about what will happen, nor plan for it. Sucks, but there it is.

Ditto here.

I have an extensive collection, but when I'm dead, I'm not going to care what happens to the guns. I'm enjoying them while I'm still alive. My wife will be well taken care of otherwise. If she fritters the guns away, the responsibility will be on her.

One mistake people often make in their estate planning is to be overly controlling. We need to be philosophical about this. Once we're out of the picture (dead), the decision-making, one way or another, will pass on to others. The "dead hand" should not be a burden on the living.

That said, each individual's circumstances are different.

 

[ontarget]

My wife and I have actually been discussing this lately. She wants me to give away to our kids what they want ahead of time. But I'm not done with them just yet. LOL. And I still need to decide which one I'm taking with me when I go. Seriously, I'm taking one with me.

 

[ar-newbie]

When my father passed away, I lived 10 states away, so was not involved in the disposition of the guns. My mother was taken to the cleaners by someone who got them all for one stupidly low price. It was her decision to make, but his entire collection of long guns went for FAR too little money. On the positive side, I still held a concealed carry permit in his state, and was able to secure all the pistols and transport them home at a later date. Saved by stupid regulations, which actually helped me out in this case. transferring the pistols off his permit and onto mine. LOL

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I'm childless and unwed. What do I care? They can sell them, keep them, or bury me with them. Their choice.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

The bigger question for me is what the crap am I going to do with my Dad's 300 long guns!? Assuming I outlive him, that is.
Although I like old Mausers and Arisakas as much as the next guy, you really can't shoot them much on a budget and unless he leaves me enough cash to buy a warehouse/ museum, I guess I'll rent a table at the gunshow......ugh.

I suggest you contact GunnyUSMC.

 

[tark]

Every one of my guns is in my will, and each one has a name assigned to it.

 

[JTHunter]

I'm childless and unwed. What do I care? They can sell them, keep them, or bury me with them. Their choice.

Ditto. Well, "divorced", not "unwed". I've been trying to get my 12 y.o. grand-nephew interested in guns as I have a single side-cock pellet rifle I want to give him. The problem is that his current "living arrangements" aren't the most geographically stable. His grandparents (SiL & brother) don't want me talking to him about it yet, so I'm kind of stuck. I also have over a dozen firearms that I would like to leave him but I don't know if he is going to be interested in shooting then.
Heck, I can't even ask to find out if he is interested NOW !!

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Ditto. Well, "divorced", not "unwed". I've been trying to get my 12 y.o. grand-nephew interested in guns as I have a single side-cock pellet rifle I want to give him. The problem is that his current "living arrangements" aren't the most geographically stable. His grandparents (SiL & brother) don't want me talking to him about it yet, so I'm kind of stuck. I also have over a dozen firearms that I would like to leave him but I don't know if he is going to be interested in shooting then.
Heck, I can't even ask to find out if he is interested NOW !!

I have a similar issue with my niece and nephew. Their parents are liberals and one is openly afraid of guns............... Hope the upbringing isn't too oppressive or mushy.

The kids don't even know I shoot. Well they are supposed to come visit this next summer. When they ask what my reloading press is all about I'm not going to lie.

 

[rust collector]

Well, I'm a trusting kind of guy, so I have transferred all my guns to a revocable trust. My 14-year-younger brother, who enjoys hunting and shooting sports when he's not fishing or working his tail off, is my successor trustee and his son will succeed us both. Trustee can do whatever he wants, but proceeds of any sale go to my wife if she survives me, otherwise to my children in equal shares. The trust is NFA qualified so I can add mufflers and other items of interest if desired.

 

[Walkalong]

...my niece and nephew. Their parents are liberals and one is openly afraid of guns.....

The perfect heirs.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

The perfect heirs.

Ha! Good point.

 

[RETG]

Give them away before you die. Don’t try to leave them in a will. It’s a PIA for an executor/personal representative and the cost of going through an FFL and attorney fees will be high. JMHO.

Most people have NO idea when they are going to die. I'm 70 so I can expect it could be soon; however, in my life I have lost more of my work mates and friends back when I was in my 30s than I have since I hit 65. So how does one determine when to give them away?

 

[AlexanderA]

Every one of my guns is in my will, and each one has a name assigned to it.

This may be a mistake. Remember that probated wills are public records, and every Tom, Dick, or Harry (who checks) can know who has the guns. Do you want to expose your heirs to that kind of risk?

A better solution would be to list these details in a separate memorandum to your executor.