A few months ago, in NY, I received a text from a gun acquaintance. We knew each other from the range(s), gun shows and a local gun forum, and we recently traded ammo. He asked if I was interested in buying 3 of his registered rifles. I know he always wants top dollar and I already had what he was selling Mini-14 GB's and an early, slab side HBAR), so I was only mildly interested. He sent me an incredibly low price for all 3 and I was dubious. I asked why so low and he told me he was in the hospital and was just told he had Stage 4 pancreatic cancer related to 9/11, Ground Zero as a NY Court Officer.
In the next couple of days, then weeks, I text and spoke on the phone more than I do in year. He was a condemned man and I would talk to him as long as he wanted. Almost every conversation was about guns and he was more knowledgeable about them than anyone I knew (and I was the president of a 2,000 member range for 9 years}. He eventually asked me if I could take care of his guns, sell them, while he was bedridden. Adult daughter and wife has zero interest or knowledge of firearms. He was adamant about not selling/consignment to a gun store and getting pennies on the dollar, or selling bulk to someone who had $$$. He wanted each gun to go to a good home of someone who would appreciate it and turned down early offers to buy the whole lot.
So, long story longer, I've been trying to sell his 90+ firearms for a few months. Luckily I'm burning time toward my retirement so I had the time - but it was almost like a full-time job. They live 30 minutes from me on the traffic-ridden Queens line, so it was a hassle. After going through my gun friends, who bought a bunch, I contacted the owner of the local gun forum who was happy to help and let me sell the guns through the forum (my ill friend is also a member of the forum). Luckily I was able to sell almost all of his guns and lots of ammo. There's a few left that I have to sell when I get back to NY, not much. I was able to speak to him about a week before he died (2 weeks ago) and was able to tell him that I was able to get his wife almost double what he wanted me to get for his guns. It was nice to hear his happiness, if only for seconds.
So, the moral of this long, somewhat boring story is that we all should get our collections in order in case we unexpectedly die. Unless you have a trustworthy family member/friend with gun knowledge and time that will take on this task - make a plan, put it i writing.
In the next couple of days, then weeks, I text and spoke on the phone more than I do in year. He was a condemned man and I would talk to him as long as he wanted. Almost every conversation was about guns and he was more knowledgeable about them than anyone I knew (and I was the president of a 2,000 member range for 9 years}. He eventually asked me if I could take care of his guns, sell them, while he was bedridden. Adult daughter and wife has zero interest or knowledge of firearms. He was adamant about not selling/consignment to a gun store and getting pennies on the dollar, or selling bulk to someone who had $$$. He wanted each gun to go to a good home of someone who would appreciate it and turned down early offers to buy the whole lot.
So, long story longer, I've been trying to sell his 90+ firearms for a few months. Luckily I'm burning time toward my retirement so I had the time - but it was almost like a full-time job. They live 30 minutes from me on the traffic-ridden Queens line, so it was a hassle. After going through my gun friends, who bought a bunch, I contacted the owner of the local gun forum who was happy to help and let me sell the guns through the forum (my ill friend is also a member of the forum). Luckily I was able to sell almost all of his guns and lots of ammo. There's a few left that I have to sell when I get back to NY, not much. I was able to speak to him about a week before he died (2 weeks ago) and was able to tell him that I was able to get his wife almost double what he wanted me to get for his guns. It was nice to hear his happiness, if only for seconds.
So, the moral of this long, somewhat boring story is that we all should get our collections in order in case we unexpectedly die. Unless you have a trustworthy family member/friend with gun knowledge and time that will take on this task - make a plan, put it i writing.
