Thread: Lessons Rifles Teach Us

Greetings All,
Terry Wieland in an issue of Rifle Magazine observed that all rifles teach us something even if it is only that we should not have bought the thing in the first place. I posted some pictures of my dearly beloved's M69 .22 in another thread earlier today and realised that this quite humble rifle had taught me quite a bit so here is what I learned.
Thirty plus years ago the father of one of my wife's friends father died suddenly leaving his three firearms in the custody of his unlicensed wife. Things were pretty laid back in those days and the firearms were disposed of without too much drama and I wound up with the M69 .22. This got me thinking "What would happen if I karked it"? Our children were quite young so disposing of my rather larger motley collection of things that go bang would be another thing my dearly beloved did not need at the time. It was agreed that things would be a lot easier if we both were licenced which was done. Fast forward some years and relicensing was needed. Our lifetime licences had disappeared after Aramoana and as both our surnames started with M we were called up at the same time. A check of our rifles in their storage was required. I thought (at least it may have been me) that we both should own rifles. An instant bid for the M69 was received. Snap. Fast forward to today. Our renewal dates have drifted apart a little with mine bringing up the rear. This has provided some resilience for the relicensing delays currently being experienced.

So what is the point of all this. It is that all adult members of a household where there are firearms need to be licenced. It provides knowledge and safety as well as protection from the unexpected. Quite a lot to learn from a .22. Perhaps there is more to come.

Regards Grandpamac.

Have son in law plus a few mates, and 3 neighbors with licences, shore that in a time of need if I carked it suddenly, someone would come forth.

My wife has also held a licence going back to the early years of marriage years. And yes they were "lifetime" licences.

It was useful to have both of us licenced and in fact my wife had some rifles of her own including an Anschutz smallbore rifle and a 308 P14 range rifle.

Now however, so many years later, and not wanting to sound morbid (I'm not) I see another aspect. I will kick the bucket before my wife, law of averages. The police will NOT be able to descend on my residence to take away my firearms, never to be seen again by my family.

And recently my youngest daughter suggested getting her licence, for the same reason, protection of family assets. Thanked her for her well meaning (realism?) gesture but said no at this stage. She lives too far away for her being licenced to help.

Originally Posted by zimmer

And recently my youngest daughter suggested getting her licence, for the same reason, protection of family assets. Thanked her for her well meaning (realism?) gesture but said no at this stage. She lives too far away for her being licenced to help.

If I had kids of an age that could get a licence, I'd be doing everything I could to help get them one. I've got an older brother who keeps on and on about getting around to sorting out a licence, but it always seems a bit too hard to get organised for him. My dad isn't likely to renew his licence when it comes up for renewal, so unless he gets his act together those family firearms are heading my way whether I like it or not.

I’ll have a casket like a gun ship and take with me!!
Seriously though, no one in my family has any interest in my firearms, none want to have a licence. There opportunity here for one of my grand kids to be wise and help pop and themselves, by getting a licence and taking my collection as an investment! Currently my mate has instructions to take and dispose of them for my wife, I’m sure she will be surprised and happy, at the size of the cheque!

Have family friends that had the issue when her dad died they didn't have firearms license.
Got offered diddly squat from gun shops.
I ended up with looking after the firearms and sorted getting them to family members.
For example one shotgun has gone to great grandsons father to give to him when old enough.

My wife has her own license, when interviewed by arms officer he was asking me the standard questions is she stable etc.
When he was asking she was threatening the kids with imminent death for something they had done I told him she didn't need a gun to kill them he laughed.
He also accepted my reasoning that she could buy ammo for me as well.
But it is handy that she can and does shoot.
Not often you have to but an animal with a broken leg or similar shouldn't suffer any longer than necessary.

Also we do have a few dollars tied up and this should go to family.

My missus & me were talking about exactly this only a couple of weeks ago ,l a "lucky" in that my missus & daughters still love hunting & l am largely over "trophy" hunting now & l get just as much enjoyment now putting them or other onto a decent head . She has proven pretty good over the years at getting us hunting property access through other farmers wives she played tennis & socialized with.

In fact it was at the missus suggestion last night we had a early tea, a couple of hours kip & went spotlighting till 2am this morning , after she found we had run out of rabbit in the freezer after using the last bit in a Paella we had .

The reason we were spotlighting on the neighbor's farm was during the lockdown the farrier was running way behind & the neighbor tried riding a horse who was looking lame & it threw him & busted his hip & collar bone ,so he has decided to give up hunting & walking the hills & asked that l take over the rabbit & hare control on his farm , both his sons have no interest in hunting & he is tossing up what to do with his guns.

I also found out recently, as a complete surprise , that l was left 4 of a mates hunting rifles after he passed away in America & his son had no interest in hunting, it was a headache getting the transport etc organized.

With us my missus & our girls (who are now in their 20's) all still actively hunt & own their own guns so they will just have to sort out amongst themselves who gets what.

Originally Posted by Maca49

I’ll have a casket like a gun ship and take with me!!
Seriously though, no one in my family has any interest in my firearms, none want to have a licence. There opportunity here for one of my grand kids to be wise and help pop and themselves, by getting a licence and taking my collection as an investment! Currently my mate has instructions to take and dispose of them for my wife, I’m sure she will be surprised and happy, at the size of the cheque!

...or furious at you?

Originally Posted by Cordite

...or furious at you?

She’s told me, when you die, I’m going to get a big skip and fill it with the junk in your shed! I said fine, you’ll dump about $100k! I think she’s going to get me son to sort!

We need to document and value what we have got, if we haven't already done so for insurance puposes.

I remember reading a little fictional story years ago about a keen hunter/shooter (with some valuable Winnies amonst other things). At any rate he died and went to heaven (must have been a goodie). Once in heaven he was able to look down on his wife trying her best to clear his collection. At any rate there was a continual procession of "mates" visiting and ripping her off with lowball deals. He was spewing.

So, list and value your assets. Keep list somewhere safe.

My wife has had a long term involvement with Victim Support. While she comes from a family with a long history of firearms and hunting, she has not much interest it. However it opened her eyes when turning up to sudden deaths to see the police emptying out the safe. She went and got her licence with my full support.

Greetings All,
Following on from the last few posts the eventual disposal of our rifles, handloading and other gunny bits is something we all should think about while we are still able. Terry Wieland reported a cautionary tale in a recent Handloader. Bob Hayley was, amoung other things, a custom handloader who had made his life's work providing ammunition for the weird, wacky and wonderful (his words) rifles and collecting the tools, moulds and equipment to allow him to do so. Bob died last year without any family and to the best of Terry's knowledge all the irreplaceable kit wound up in a skip. We all need to confront the fact that our days on this planet are limited and make sure that our toys are disposed of in accordance with our wishes. The best way to do this is to start while we are still breathing.
Regards Grandpamac.

Definitely worth planning for your eventual tumble off the perch, pilgrims. My (younger) wife is licensed, so no problem dealing with the arms after my final countdown. I have a firearms auction house organised to come and uplift them, and my beloved will receive the cheque. Sorted. Think about the hassle for your nearest and dearest if you are not organised.

Originally Posted by Got-ya

However it opened her eyes when turning up to sudden deaths to see the police emptying out the safe.

How is that not government theft of a deceased person's estate/private property?

In the UK a suitable relative will get a temporary firearms cert for either disposal or short term safekeeping.

Have really only started to think about it now.
It is your property and forms part of your estate.
Should be disposed of properly not taken.
Dad only had shotgun , 22 and 22 hornet.
He gave them to my nephew early in the piece when he got crook.
I really wanted hornet.
He had got it new 1950s Brno with twin triggers
He got it to bomb up goats when his brothers had Coronet Peak.
Best story he had was the tour bus guys didn't like the smell going into Skippers after a few successful clean ups on bluffs by the road.
But surely some legislation covers it.

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