Heirloom Guns Question

[dbllunger]

I have been thinking about this as my kids get older.  My first gun was purchased and given to me by my parents at 8 .  Then as I got older my grandpa started giving me some of his guns to hunt with.  My dad had some guns for ranch work, but he had gotten rid of his hunting guns when he quit hunting after getting married.  Grandpa also gave my brother guns to hunt with.   My grandpa was 100% a meat hunter, and if a rifle worked then there was no reason to get a new one.  He never sold guns, but if the old sporter stocked Mauser 06 killed deer then why get a new 06 was his outlook.   He hunted with the same 7mm RM for as long as he was alive, and never even mentioned getting a new gun.  I was always getting a new rifle or planning on my next one after I turned about 16, and I replaced the guns my grandpa gave me with newer, faster, modern guns.  I camo painted the 06 Mauser he gave me, and would have to leave it home when he took me hunting.  He would have BEAT MY ASS literally if he ever knew I did that.  I even put a Bell and Carlson stock on one of my rifles that was literally foam wrapped in fiberglass back around 1980.   
Anyway, I have always bought new SS/Syn Stock guns for my kids mainly because of their all weather durability.  I do not have a lot of SS guns that I do not use for hunting, so insteasd of giving them one of my blued guns I just bought them a new one.  It was really about the durability and less worry.  If there was not SS guns then I am sure I would have just given them one of my guns to use.  I also like a lot of the new calibers that used to be wild cats, so that influences what I get the kids.  I have a few friends who do the same thing, and I was wondering what everyone else does. 

[mossback91]

I used my dads first rifle for the longest time and killed a few deer with it. A marlin 336 s.c micro groove from the 60's actually used that the first weekend of deer season this year, but mainly I use my grandpa's model 700 30-06 which I've upgraded a bit with a better scope but I'm not too in love with it but choose not to do anything to it to change it tremendously. my sister loves that gun so shes the main user of it. Myself I kinda like the .30-.30.

[ZEN]

I'll read between the lines a little and say this.  The heirloom is one of those things that holds immeasurable value.  I have one rifle from grandpa.  He gave it to me.  So it skipped a generation and that makes it pretty cool too.  I shoot it, and it can shoot, but I want it to out live me.  So I don't shoot it much.  It's really the gifting that makes the gun special.  So if you're buying your kids quality and durable guns then suddenly that's the most valuable gun they'll ever see...not to mention they won't be as afraid as I am to shoot the old thing when they're older.  The history may be different but in the present the scenario is the same.  Dad gave me a sweet gun and he thinks I can handle it.  That's pretty cool for them and always will be.  Plus, you initiate it's history right then and they'll impart their own upon it as they adventure.  You may as well inscribe your family name on it because you've made it a classic for them. 

[dbllunger]

Zen...that is what I am hoping for.  They take care of them, but I was the first that I am aware of in my family that did not have their kids use a gift gun first.

[ZEN]

Glad to help!  Doubts can weigh heavy on parents.  Hind sight can interfere with the present.  As long as your motivation is to do the best for the kids in your family it's hard to go all the way wrong.  Plus, when you show them how to respect good quality and how to handle themselves safely they'll you've saved them some time learning the basics the hard way.  There's a kid I know who just got a youth bow with a little set of target arrows.  He plays in band too.  I plan on talking to him about how he respects his horn.  He keeps it in a nice case.  He should keep it dry inside and oil all of the little moving parts a little.  He knows that stuff.  He knows it was expensive.  There seems to be a break down because he thinks the bow is a toy.  He leaves it laying around the house like on the couch where one of the little dogs, ( who shouldn't be on the furniture but also can't see up above the cushions), could jump up there and be impailed; not to mention if one of us doesn't look and gets an arrow up the @ss.  Plus, it will break and he will have a hard case to pitch with the P's when he wants them to replace the weapon he hasn't been safe with and treated with respect.  I think he should have a case for it too of some kind...or a cover.  It should have it's own safe place in the house and those little arrows should be safe too.  God forbid those were proper arrow heads with blades.  Anyway, Now that i think of my point is this.  You've done well.  I'll talk to his parents,not him at first, so that they can set the good example for him in the house by mandating that equipment safety.  That was supposed to be a short response.