Really weird gunshop situation

[Indycar]

Jason Conley and I went to Beech Grove Firearms yesterday. When we walked in, there was a customer dealing with the staff concerning some estate guns he had that belonged to his late father. He was interested in selling some and finding the value of others.

Since Jason and I are both S&W fans we were looking at the shops nice selection of Smiths in the display case. While looking at the display case, one of the clerks held up a nice looking S&W Model 15 (from the other customers estate collection) and asked if we would be interested in it. Jason answered in the affirmative and they handed him the M15. Jason examined it, aimed it and tried out the double action. He said he was interested in it and how much.

The "Estate" customer then said "Oh, that's a family heirloom, I don't want to get rid of it since that's the gun my dad used to kill himself".

The whole store instantly went quiet and weird looks appeared on everyone but the "Estate" customer's face. Jason couldn't give it back to him fast enough.

When we left, we discussed the situation in the truck and thought that was macabre. Who in the hell considers the gun his father killed himself with to be a family heirloom? Both Jason and I both said we would never want to ever see it after an act like that.

Are we alone in this thinking? We also discussed that both of us own surplus military guns and are sure some of them were in battle, but that didn't bother us. Someone considering his fathers suicide gun a family heirloom was too over the top for us.

 

[Sasquatchhunter]

I guess everybody deals with grief differently. Thats pretty strange though

 

[shooter521]

You're not alone in your thinking, but neither is the customer alone in his. Sometimes the desire to maintain a connection to a deceased family member makes one do strange and seemingly irrational things.

 

[Crystalship1]

Are we alone in this thinking? We also discussed that both of us own surplus military guns and are sure some of them were in battle, but that didn't bother us. Someone considering his fathers suicide gun a family heirloom was too over the top for us.

Uhh... yeah. Weird and unusual to say the very least!!!!

 

[Joe Williams]

Not the first time I've heard of that. Not as unusual as you might think, as uncomfortable as it is. I don't pretend to understand the reasoning.

 

[KPierce]

I agree that would definitely be a strange situation. Not really sure what to think.

 

[Archbishop]

My grandfather used my dads rifle to kill himself. To this day my Dad doesn't own guns. I've always wondered what happened to that gun, but figured it would be in poor taste to ask even if we are family.
And ya that's really weird.

 

[hodgej1843]

wow

i dont know if i would even want the gun my dad killed himself with.

 

[Mgderf]

Inanimate objects! The car you are driving could have been in a wreck that killed someone, the house you are living in could have had a death(even suicide) occur within.
A lot of folks see this as a turn-off? Inanimate objects are just that! People do strange things all the time. I just read about some guy that kept his dead mother in an upstairs closet for more than 6 years so he could continue to receive her SS checks. Other people can't deal with the loss of a loved one and commit suicide themselves.
Glass is half full, or half empty. Everyone sees things in their own light? Hard to tell what motivates some folks to do what they do?!

 

[flatlander]

"Heirloom" might be a really bad choice of a word to use. A lot creepy but I could understand it I suppose.

Bob

 

[Indycar]

"Heirloom" might be a really bad choice of a word to use. A lot creepy but I could understand it I suppose.

Bob

"Heirloom" was the word the "Estate" guy used. That added to the creepiness

 

[2cool9031]

If that was a pistol he wanted to keep....I wonder why he brought it with him?
Could be this guy just said that for shock value.

 

[pgw0321321]

A close Friend's 33 year old son shot himself in the head, his mom was outside talking with the neighbor and heard the noise, ran in the house, found her son, and with the neighbor standing there shot herself in the head also. That .44 mag still sets on the bookshelf in my buddys house. He got home just in time to see both body's being carted out the front door.

 

[flatlander]

"Heirloom" was the word the "Estate" guy used. That added to the creepiness

That's the way I read it also. Meant the "Estate" guy maybe could have used a better word. Gotta wonder though if, announcing it the way he did, he was telling the truth as has been said.

Bob

 

[redneckmedic]

Surprised he brought it in to show it off!!!

 

[PappyD]

I thought you were going to say the guy was going to try and cut you a deal in the BGG shop.

I'm going to cut the guy some slack knowing that losing a parent, especially in a tragic way, could cause some incredible stress. Who knows?

Personally, if I was told about a weapon in that manner I would run away from the sale in a big way. There is some powerful dark mojo at work. Whoa...

 

[lilop]

In a weird sort of way, I kind of understand it. Heirloom might not have been the most appropriate word, but I can understand the sentiment. Also, it may have had more significance than just being the gun that his father shot himself with. It may have been his father's favorite gun, or it might have been the gun that his father first taught him how to shoot with.

 

[Bigum1969]

A friend of mine's wife's brother killed himself in the garage in his car. She got the car when the estate was settled and insisted that her husband (my friend) drive it. But, she would never ride in it. I always thought she wanted the car around but it was too painful to actually go inside where her brother died.

 

[paddling_man]

Unusual choice of words and even more unusual choice to bring it in and be so forthcoming. I guess I can understand the sentimentality... I can see where someone could feel very strongly about keeping it or never seeing it again.

Still, at the risk of being in bad taste, as I read the post I kept recalling the gold watch scene with Walken in Pulp Fiction.

 

[hotfarmboy1]

I just don't know to take that. IMO I would never want to see that gun again. But I could see where it could have some sentimental value of some sort, esp if it was one that his dad taught him how to shoot with, or was his dad's fav gun or maybe duty gun. But either way I wouldn't say its an heirloom like that.