Thump story, something Bucky will like also

[jb]

I come from a large extended family. Both my mother and father came from a family of 11 kids. I grew up with 40 aunts and uncles and about 85 cousins.
I was born late in the group and never got to meet my grand parents on my fathers side, and only had my mothers mother around till I was 15.
I'm not sure she even knew my name with all her other grand children. I would recognize them on the street and at a few get-to-gathers,but most of the time I did not even remember their names. My cousins today range from the late 80 to the 50's so you can see the span in years and I know only about 10 of them.
Never received anything from any grand parent in the way of Christmas or Birthday gifts.

Then when I was 10 my father died and my mother never remarried, I ended up with his gold pocket watch and his name, he didn't leave a lot for my mother, sister and me, but he was a great father from what a 10 year old can remember. I grew up in a single parent home and didn't know how modest we were until years later when looking back on how we lived.

Well I've been very lucky for now, saw all three of my sons grow up, marry and have kids of their own. I know everyone by name and get gifts from each one on Christmas and my birthday, lots of cards from the boys on fathers day. I'm a blessed man.

Well now to the reason for this post. I have determined that I'm going to leave stuff to my kids and grand kids. Years from now they will be able to say, "This was my grandfathers" and even hope someday one of them can even say" this belonged to my great grandfather"

They will get some $$ but will also get some guns, knives, coins, and other junk I"ve collected over the past 70 years (well 69 and 6 months)
I have 7 grand kids, 6 beautiful little girls and one grand son. He's going to be the lucky one.
I wanted something very special for him, I hope to see him grow up old enough to remember papa, but he's only 8 months and I only hope I can see another 10+ years.

So here's what I had made just for him, had his birth year and last name etched into the bottom of the left ivory grip. Who knows how many years from now someone with my last name will enjoy holding this.

And for Bucky, I know you always liked a Colt SAA, here's what one looks like when you have a little custom work done to it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/jbmich/028_zps02b32e48.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/jbmich/027_zps42084e22.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/jbmich/031_zps00013d64.jpg

[Thumper]

Cool story and cool gun. But, I've learned through the years that not everyone is nostalgic and some appreciate the memories of their parents or grandparents ... but some could care less about the old "junk" that belonged to them. My son is not all that nostalgic when it comes to firearms as he's simply not that interested in them and doesn't shoot or hunt. A few years ago I set him up with a .22 pistol, a .40 cal. pistol, a .22 rifle (my first .22), a 30.06 rifle (which killed my first Canadian black bear) and a 12 ga. shotgun (also my first). All had "sentimental" value to ME ... but they just amounted to "stuff" as far as he was concerned. Don't get me wrong, we're VERY close ... he means the world to me and I assume it's the same on his end as he always calls, we have long conversations, he respects my opinions and advice and he always tells me he loves me, etc. etc. When we're together, we're very close and enjoy each other's company ... BUT ... he'd call from time to time and ask if it was ok with me if he traded "that old shotgun I gave him" for an X-Box ... or whatever. Later he asked if he could sell the '06 to buy some calipers and measuring devices for his job.

Cappy is a HUGE collector ... of just about everything under the sun. He's now considering selling much of his stuff off as neither of his kids are the least bit interested in any of it. That said ... I have a very close buddy in Texas who still has about everything his dad owned at the time of his death and no amount of money in the world could buy it. People are different that way. I hope your kids/grand kids are the nostalgic type and will appreciate things like that for something more than simply their monetary value.

[quercus alba]

I'm not sentimental. I don't own anything I wouldn't get rid of tomorrow. As a matter of fact, I've got about 40 lbs I'd give to anyone that wants them

[Thumper]

All joking aside Q/A ... I have to admit I'm the same. (maybe my son inherited that trait from me) I was VERY close to my grandparents ... especially my dad's mom ... but all I really need (or want) are a few pictures. Anything else I look at as "stuff" that I'd sell in a heartbeat if anyone was interested. I have no place for it or any use for it.

[Arty]

That's very very very cool there jb.
I'd make up a story about how it shot a man in Reno, it would just make holding it all the more cool! :)

I'm very sentimental. But most things I have in my possession that were from my grandfathers (both gone for years) aren't worth much, but mean a lot.
One of the neatest is a worthless old Singer sewing machine medallion that I have on my desk. It's old, but not worth much. But I like it because my grandfather carried that in his pocket, along with his pocket change, every single day, til the day he died.

[HideHunter]

Just *extremely* cool jb. It is interesting how different folks look at things. Son, sil and I were sitting around having a drink one night and I made a comment to the effect I had a bunch of guns I'd accumulated over the years that had just come in trades etc - and just really meant nothing to me. Said I ought to sell, trade or otherwise turn them into something (guns) I might use. They both were horrified. "Don't get rid of any guns." I sad, "hell, these are guns that don't mean anything." Son says, "They mean something to us. They're *your* guns." :tears_of_joy: Don't tell them - I'm still going try to sell a couple to pay for the one I just bought. ;)

[Bwana]

Hey Grandpa, what are you going to give to me??? :-)

I agree with what others have said but it is pretty darned hard to top having one of Grandpa's guns!

Way to go Grandpa, that is a MIGHTY fine gesture on your part and am sure he will cherish it nearly as much as he will come to cherish you but don't forget, girls like guns too.

[Captain]

JB that is as cool as it gets! You are a class act kinda guy. I've noticed over the years how you are always planning and thinking of your family and future.
Take Care, Captain

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[DeputyDog]

Jerry, that is really cool!. I've been dealing with a lot of what the others have been talking about here recently. My Mom has been having some health problems and decided that she couldn't take care of her house any longer even with the help that I'd found for her, so she sold it and is in the process of moving.

I think I'm having a harder time with it than she is. It's the house that I grew up in, and even though it's not the only house that I'd lived in, it's HOME. She is going through everything and deciding what to keep and what to sell since she won't have room for everything where she is moving to. I've found a bunch of things that I told her that I wanted and to keep out of the sale. My sister, on the other hand, doesn't seem to have any attachment to anything there. I guess it's good because there won't be any fighting over things that way.

Most of the things that I have gotten don't have any real value to them, but they have sentimental value to me because of it's family history or some other significance to me. My Dad, who died about 14 years ago was a bit of a collector and I guess I've inherited that from him.