Luger Lottery & Firearm Surety Plan(Long)

[Roadkill]

Been thinking, I know, not good for me but I can't help it sometimes. Here's the deal. The problem inevitably comes up what to do with our guns when we are no longer here. I've accumlated about 35 which no one here will have much interest in when I go on to the great beyond (been there once & was brought back, it does happen),granted, my stuff isn't near as good as most of your stuff but there are some nice guns there. I don't want to burden my family with sorting out the helmets, pistols, bayonets, rifles, ect., but I know that there are many of you who would love to get into it as I would your stuff. And I hate to think of this stuff ending up in a yard sale where we know it can go, or to the local pawn shop where they pay .10 on the dollar. In Vietnam when we had a bad day and people got medevaced out the custom was to divide up their stuff between the fellow squad members based on drawing cards. Not personal stuff, but rucksack, canteens, magazines, socks, **** books ect. We should start an organization in which members pay a set monthly amount so that when a comrade departs a drawing is held to see who gets the departed's stuff. Those items not of a family or personal nature would be purchased by the organization for a reasonable amount from the bank account. A drawing held between members, and the winner works out the details to get the remaining items. I know I don't want to burden my family with what to do with all this stuff, and I don't think any of you would either. Say, $25 a month for a year is $275 yearly times 20 members is $5500 per year. My stuff is worth about $15,000. Would it be worth $25 a month? There would have to be a pay out limit though. What do ya'll think? I'll even volunteer to open the account and hold the money.


Roadkill

It Just don't seem right. I mean the thought of my stuff being sold off for dirt cheap prices don't make me feel good, I hope that I somday will have a Son (or Daughter) that I can pass my stuff down to, and before I go I will tell them this stuff isn't junk so when you get it I will have the current Values written in my last Will and Testament, So it won't be sent to the Pawn shop. Just my opinion.


Best Regards,Brandon

[Roadkill]

But Brandon, everybody wants that but the stuff keeps on showing up as "vet widow purchased" or estate sale. I know a dozen stories of items being brought into pawn shops by uninterested relatives. The worst one I know of personally is an absoultely mint SS dagger being brought into a pawnshop by the exgirlfriend of an idiot who it was given to by his grandfather. He gave it to her for "protection", they broke up, she pawned it for $150.


Roadkill

That people will do stuff like that. Why my own great aunt sold a Luftwaffe double decal helmet and a Kar98k bayonet with the scabbard both for $25.00 in wonderful condition! Tell me thats not a disgrace! She did that not long after her husband died! I have two swords he captured. Her husband's brother who is kinda "slipping" if you know what I mean took his brother's captured Nazi Flag and a Visor hat and burried them in trash bags on top of a mountain!!!! Shameful! I guess I'll decide what I'll do with my stuff a little later in life.


Best Regards,Brandon

[Chuck Shoun]

I am at the age that this is a subject my wife and I address often. I have in my will that a friend who is a dealer dispose of my collection. I know none of my kids really care what happens to the stuff, even with me going on record that if they give it away I will haunt them for the rest of their lives. And, I know from the guys I shoot with that even though most still have half of everything they ever earned, that they would buy it for a dime on the dollar.


To set something up like this is a daunting task -- which I regret eo say that I do not care to do, but might be interesting in enrolling once it is going.


Perhaps one method of disposing would be to show the inventory of the deceased, and let all members have a crack at it through an auction, or something like that. Just a suggestion.

[Roadkill]

How's this: If I go first you get my stuff, if you first then I get yours? I want to see your birth certificate and medical records before any deal is reached. Its obvious that I illustrate real problems with satire, but this is a reality. My kids would like some of my guns, but what would they do with them? Where would they keep them with the ammo ect? What if they move to a communist liberal state like Kalifornia or NY where its not possible to have this stuff? What if their wives/husbands will not have a gun in the house? Out they go. Pawnshop special.


Roadkill

[MikeP]

This is a good topic--I got medivaced with a sucking chest wound and they divvied up my stuff-a month later I was back and had to collect it.


They traded my crossbow for a bunch of chow to the airforce along with the VC flags we were having produced and I never got another one.

Some of the Montagnards had some of it and my interpreter had my S&W mod 60.


The very least anyone should do is make some kind of inventory including value for your potential survivors. Have heard too many stories about widows being taken-or sons trading stuff for drugs. They should at least know what you left.

[Dwight Gruber]

You have broached an interesting topic. I think your ad-hoc, draw-lots military solution would be difficult to administer on the kind of scale as is represented by the ever-shifting internet, and could only work by advance iron-clad agreement by all parties involved. You might accomplish the same thing by simply making a list of your collection, making a list of people you would like the items to go to, and note so in you will. I'm sure that the effort would be about the same.


As a more general comment, this has been on my mind as well, but from a slightly different direction--I expect, in the fullness of time, to inherit a large collectin of military books, some quite rare, which I am not interested in but do not see any point in breaking up and selling piecemeal. I will probably approach the local library and see if they are interested in establishing the XX Memorial Reference Collection. If you are truly concerned about the disposition of your Luger and associated material collection, you might be think of doing something similar.


You might find nearby a local military museum, or if you live in a small community and have long-time family ties there a local history museum, who would be interested in the donation of your collection. You might want to arrange in advance what kind of display might be most appropriate. Bequeathing an amount of money to help defray the costs of setting up such an exhibit is appropriate, and would certainly be appreciated. Make sure that you understand the museum's policies for acquisition and de-acquisition, once your collection is in their hands they can move things around as they see fit. You might want to include a condition that the collelction never be broken up.


There is a lot more to this topic, but you get the idea. This is one way to avoid the vet's widow or the un-caring descendants just selling this stuff off, and it allows the maximum number of people to appreciate a well-considered lifetime collelction.


--Dwight

[Roadkill]

I BS a lot but this is for real. There is a National Guard Museum located at the old Fort MCClellan Al. post. I visited it a few times and for being small it was well represented. Quality items for all periods, very decent displays. Last week in the newspaper was an article that an investigation is underway trying to recover the firearms donated to the museum by the State of Alabama Armory (receptacle for donated firearms & military stuff from Civil War-Vietnam), seems the museum was short of funds but had plenty of guns so why not? They sold 62 firearms from Civil war on up to "interested parties", no FFL, no transfer papers, no background checks, just cash & out the door.


Roadkill

[The Old Man]

Most museums will not accept a collection with any strings attached. So, if the folks who run it like ceramics best,the guns can be sold off and pottery purchased, period!


You cannot control people or things from the 'other side'--when you die, you are dead, and folks can do whatever they please, legal or not! I understand that the Colt Museum was 'raped' by a curator who took care of his buddies and the guns are now gone!


I have transferred my collection to my son, and now, I can only hope that it is retained in some semblance of a group or collection for my grandson?

[Dwight Gruber]

A temptation faced by all museums everywhere, and yielded to on occasion. You can never be sure when there is a human involved. Your odds with a museum option may be better, nonetheless.


--Dwight

[John Sabato]

If they don't have one like it, they will display it forever with your name as the donor...


If it duplicates something they have, they will legally dispose of it to someone who cares about firearms...and use the money to further the right to keep and bear arms in this country.


just my $0.02


-John

My Father in Law passed away, I am sitting in Houston as I type this. We got back from his funeral an hour ago and I needed to relax away from the others, ;>)


So, this last week, I have been to his house and going through his things.


He was a Major, US Army, 3 time Vietnam Vet, flew helicopters, retired after 20 years, flew medivac and saved a lot of lives.


He was a good man and a good Texan.


I am proud to have known him. My sister and I have divided up a nice Colt collection, but I would rather have tossed it in the trash, if he could be sitting next to me.


He was wrote out values, had items marked, etc., but nothing in the will stated who should get what. The excutor could have said, this and this, but he is a good man (his son) and there have been no problems, but it would have been easy for some to fight over mementos and such. But he raised his kids well.


Sorry for the long story, but he was a good soldier and one I would have served under willingly, I have met and gotten e-mails saying they would have gone to hell and back at a nod from him.


Make a will, tell what the guns are, and the story. One bring back gun he had was cool to me, and I found it compelling to keep. Then I just happened to found out his best friend gave it to him and had picked it up himself in Vietna.


I gave it back to him, it was his and he deserved it. But imagine what could have happened to those that wanted everything or wanted to fight over it.


Even tho he wrote out a lot, I don't know the story of some items, and what it meant to him.


Edward Tinker

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss Ed. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.


Best Regards,Brandon

[Thor]

Hang in there Ed! Thinking about you and your family! Thor



Ted's Luger Strawing Service

Ed, I am sorry for the loss of your father in law. Our prayers go out to you and your family. You mentioned that he raised kids well. It sounds to me like he has a great son in law also. Take care of yourself.

Sid.

[Roadkill]

I started this off in a light hearted vein but as always reality sets things in an accurate light. What are you going to do with your stuff? Sorry for the loss Ed.


Roadkill

Ed my condolences to you and Terry will remember you all in my prays.


Bob

[John D.]

Ed...


Jen's any my prayers and warmest thoughts to you and your family during this difficult time... Your post was wonderful to read, and sorrow-filled at the same time. Know you aren't alone.


John and Jen