The old gun I destroyed today.

[GP44]

It wasn’t just an ordinary shotgun it was a Winchester trap grade that had a tight pattern and reached out further than most shotguns.
I got it when I was young and was still able to trounce through mud and snow for hours at a time and I became a very good wing shot with it.
Times changed and the way game disappeared wasn’t from over hunting but because of the way agriculture changed.
So the gun was relocated to one corner or another in my bedroom until it wound up in a closet where water from a fireplace chimney dripped on it.
It was somewhat forgotten about for about ten years and by then it was rusted to where it was no longer a working gun.
Now I’m old and can no longer hike those swamps and fields in search of game.
But I have enough memories to last an old man the rest of my life.
Those memories made it hard to destroy that gun but there are some things a man has to do for himself like ending the suffering of a beloved pet.
I was always taught that if it’s your problem then it is your responsibility to take care of it.
After all it was just an old shotgun.

 

[Lilac]

I've grown attached to inanimate objects as well & hated like h#ll to get rid of them even though it needed to be done. It may not make sense to others, but I understand what your talking about. You have fond memories with those things & as such, they have become part of you. And no, it wasn't just an old shotgun. I have my favorite one, too.

 

[Repondering]

I agree, it wasn't just an old shotgun. We're all passing thresholds in our journeys and saying goodbye to sections of our life that
are gone is a meaningful exercise........maybe even a ceremonial event.
Thank you, GP44 for sharing the memories and the sentiments.

 

[old medic]

I have an old 20Ga bolt shotgun that my Dad got from his father for his 12th birthday. I got my 1st deer with it as did our son.
It sat in storage and rusted up to... Soaked and sanded and now is displayed over our fireplace.

 

[C50]

I sure hope that wasn't an old Pigeon Grade Model 12 you destroyed, those guns are classics and collectable in about any condition.

 

[MACKTEXAS]

I had a 22 rifle that hadn't been fired since I was a teen when hunting with my dad. Sometime ago, I gave it to a cousin, and he was happy to get it. It will probably be passed down to his grandchildren, and will mean something to them, since it's a part of his belongings now. If it had stayed here, it wouldn't matter to them, and would have just become part of a garage sale someday.

But, there are two antique trunks filled with small personal items that were important to my parents. My mother put them there. I very rarely look through those, but just having them means something to me, so I leave them be.

 

[IrishEyes]

When I moved from Missouri to the Chicago area, the 2 rifles in my possession never gave me a thought. One was my 30-30 deer rifle,
the other my oldest son's antique 22. I had a coat closet in my new apartment living room and put them in there, no thought to it.
Hubby, when we began dating went to hang his coat and freaked out seeing them.
I lived in a No- Firearms county. I had no idea those even existed! So with out being able to legally sell them quick enough to calm
BF down, I took them to the police station and explained the situation. I really wish I had been able to sell them but I doubt hubby
would have come visit until they were removed. Lesson learned, move on. Better than having them stolen and used to kill someone on the
street.

 

[IrishEyes]

I should add, for those wondering, I left the rifles in my trunk, went in to the station and explained my story.
They came out and took them in. No way was I walking into a police station carrying 2 rifles.

 

[MACKTEXAS]

I lived in a No- Firearms county.

I was just surprised to learn that a county could outlaw private ownership of firearms. Such a ban would violate the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court, It would make an interesting court case.

 

[IrishEyes]

I was just surprised to learn that a county could outlaw private ownership of firearms. Such a ban would violate the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court, It would make an interesting court case.

there are still many firearms in that county, as you see on the news, and DH was quite convincing of that fact, so maybe he pulled a fast one on me. Maybe I just need a a license

 

[IrishEyes]

@MACKTEXAS you had me wondering on that so I looked it up and I did not have the required documents.

Handguns​

Handguns are allowed in Cook County, but only if they meet certain requirements. For example, handguns must be registered with the county, and owners must have a valid FOID card. Additionally, handguns must meet certain safety standards, such as having a trigger lock or a safety mechanism.

Rifles and Shotguns​

Rifles and shotguns are also allowed in Cook County, but they must meet certain requirements. For example, rifles and shotguns must be registered with the county, and owners must have a valid FOID card. Additionally, rifles and shotguns must meet certain safety standards, such as having a trigger lock or a safety mechanism.

 

[Imogene]

When I lived in PA, I could own any type of gun I wanted, but needed a license to conceal/carry.

That is how it was when I retired to Tennessee. These days Tennessee’s gun laws are so liberal a ten year old could just about carry one. This state is spinning backward to the Wild Wild West Days as far as I’m concerned.

I don’t have any antique guns. All my antiques are saddles that wouldn’t be worth much to anyone but me. Most noteworthy is the Sear-Roebuck saddle/bridle/martengale mom bought me new, for my first horse in 1959. It has faux silver diamonds and tapaderos , reminding me of Roy Rogers saddle.

 

[MACKTEXAS]

@MACKTEXAS you had me wondering on that so I looked it up and I did not have the required documents.

Handguns​

Handguns are allowed in Cook County, but only if they meet certain requirements. For example, handguns must be registered with the county, and owners must have a valid FOID card. Additionally, handguns must meet certain safety standards, such as having a trigger lock or a safety mechanism.

Rifles and Shotguns​

Rifles and shotguns are also allowed in Cook County, but they must meet certain requirements. For example, rifles and shotguns must be registered with the county, and owners must have a valid FOID card. Additionally, rifles and shotguns must meet certain safety standards, such as having a trigger lock or a safety mechanism.

Thanks, that's interesting. I also understood from your first post that just having the guns there was causing stress in your personal relationship, so better to be rid of them.

 

[IrishEyes]

Thanks, that's interesting. I also understood from your first post that just having the guns there was causing stress in your personal relationship, so better to be rid of them.

I was not going to be hunting any more and I called my son and he said Yeah, get rid of it, it's not working and I doubt I ever
get to fix it. So no loss really.

 

[Rider77]

I own several firearms and each of them have value to me and perhaps very little to others. My son many years ago asked for and I gladly gave to him the rifle I received as a youngster. I am sure that he will one day pass it on to another family member. Many of my family members have concealed carry permits and see no harm in that. When I go over to our farm I always take a weapon with me.

I know there are coyotes and snakes on our farm and the fact is I am usually there alone. Let's face it our world harbors danger today that was unthought of in my youth. I and my whole family have been schooled in firearm safety and the importance of respecting their use. No amount of regulation or barrier will do away with the fact that some folks have bad intentions and can reek havoc with a gun, knife, a rock or baseball bat.

 

[BeefStu]

When I moved from Missouri to the Chicago area, the 2 rifles in my possession never gave me a thought. One was my 30-30 deer rifle,
the other my oldest son's antique 22. I had a coat closet in my new apartment living room and put them in there, no thought to it.
Hubby, when we began dating went to hang his coat and freaked out seeing them.
I lived in a No- Firearms county. I had no idea those even existed! So with out being able to legally sell them quick enough to calm
BF down, I took them to the police station and explained the situation. I really wish I had been able to sell them but I doubt hubby
would have come visit until they were removed. Lesson learned, move on. Better than having them stolen and used to kill someone on the
street.

I guess that you calling him "Hubby" instead of "BF" now means that he was worth it.
I worked in a gun shop most of my life so obviously I am an avid firearms owner and shooter. When I met my second wife, now deceased, she knew nothing about guns and really didn't know what to think of me and my relationship with them but she got used to the idea and even tried some shooting from time to time.
My third wife, again now deceased, had no idea about firearms as well and was a bit apprehensive about it when she heard what I did for a living but at least she did get to know me and realized that neither my guns or myself were any threat to her and actually learned that if some predator was killing her chickens she could come tell me to get a gun out. She told me years on in our relationship that she would actually have been more apprehensive about me if I was a drinker.

 

[Tommy]

. . . and even tried some shooting from time to time.

That's okay until you get to the point where she's consistently out-shooting you. That happened here.