How do you solve a problem like...

September 3, 2005 4:14 PM

What should my friend do with his new gun?

So I have a friend who recently received a gun from a family member who is getting on in years and didn't feel responsible enough to keep it anymore. He is a pacifist-type but he has target-shot before and enjoyed skeet shooting as a younger man. Now he got this gun from a family member and he doesn't really know what to make of it nor does he feel comfortable enough with his gun knowledge to take it out of the box it is in. What should he do with this thing? Learn how to use it and clean it? Sell it cause he needs cash (but hope it doesn't get in the wrong hands)? Destroy it?

posted by crazy finger to sports, hobbies, & recreation (22 comments total)

uh, is putting it away in a closet and forgetting about it not an option, here?
posted by jimmy at 4:16 PM on September 3, 2005

I would say if he doesn't wish to keep it he should take it to a local licensed gun store and see if they will buy it.
posted by asterisk at 4:28 PM on September 3, 2005

I think it's up to your friend to decide what he wants to do with it--once he decides, you can look into more information about how to accomplish that end.

If he decides to keep it and wants to learn how to use it, the NRA has basic safety courses that are a good introduction.
posted by Brian James at 4:48 PM on September 3, 2005

If he’s at all interested in keeping it he needs to get some training in handling it. If he would rather have the money his best bet would be to find a nearby dealer and see if they will sell it on consignment for him.
posted by Tenuki at 4:54 PM on September 3, 2005

Guns are really fun. Don't confuse gun culture, or stereotypes of it, with the fun of target shooting. I say get some lessons, and learn how to shoot. It's always kind of fun at parties to be scarfing down the vegetarian tray, talking about the latest sufjan stevens album, smearing patchouli oil on your dreadlocks, or whatever, and casually let it drop that you've been out shooting skeet that day. Makes people all twitchy and confused.
posted by craniac at 4:58 PM on September 3, 2005

Yeah, although I've never owned a gun myself, the idea of hanging onto it without training in how to use it safely, store it safely and maintain it properly seems pretty poor. Either do it right or get rid of the thing, I say.
posted by arto at 5:13 PM on September 3, 2005

You can also store your gun at many gun clubs. Which is a decent option if you don't want to have it in the home, but still want to shoot a couple times a month.
posted by klangklangston at 5:39 PM on September 3, 2005

What type of gun is it? If it is a low caliber pistol or rifle, range shooting might be an option. If it is a high caliber pistol it may be a bit much for beginner usage on a range and not enjoyable other than for loud noises. If it is a shotgun, skeet shooting possibly depending on gauge and desire. Otherwise depending on type and model, sell it whole, Make a Lamp, sell it for pieces, or just dismantle it and throw it in a closet. If he keeps it safety classes are a good idea.
posted by arruns at 5:42 PM on September 3, 2005

If you know where the safety is, know how to unload it (including the chamber) and slap a trigger lock on it, I don't imagine it's going to crawl out of the closet at night seeking human flesh.
posted by mecran01 at 6:20 PM on September 3, 2005

In light of recent events, and without sounding extremist; perhaps he should learn how to use it.
I do second the NRA.com reference; seek professional help. NRA went from 1 million members to 4! million members after 9/11; the gun itself is not going to do anything. Do cars cause drunk driving deaths?
posted by buzzman at 6:44 PM on September 3, 2005

I hate to sound like a scary survivalist, but the aftermath of Katrina made me want to go buy a tactical shotgun.
posted by mecran01 at 6:59 PM on September 3, 2005

Perhaps your local poliece station will have options for our friend, if he decides to get rid of it.
posted by johnj at 7:30 PM on September 3, 2005

Add my vote to the "use it or lose it" category. If he feels as though he can become comfortable with the weapon, he can get involved in IDPA or some other tactical/sporting training activity. If being a "gun owner" puts him off, he should sell it to his local FFL (federal firearms license) dealer.

klangklangston is also correct. If he's not comfortable keeping a gun in the house (although, it's only dangerous if you load it, turn the safety off, and point it at something), he can certainly store it at a gun club or target range. But to be honest, a gun is only as dangerous as the person holding it. And unless he's had the proper weapons safety instilled in him, owning a gun is a dangerous thing. He can't have his cake and eat it, too. If he's going to keep it, he HAS to be comfortable and competent with it.

But pistol shooting IS fun! Once you get over the "ohholy shitI'mholdingthisstrangedangerousmachineinmyhandsOh godwhointheirrightmindgavemeagunM palmsaresweatingmanthat'sloud" and learn how to be in control, safe, and competent and actually start putting rounds through the 10 ring, the focus and exhilaration that comes with target shooting is like nothing else.


mecran01, I know what you mean. I keep thinking that an M4 and a .45 would be wise investments.
posted by Jon-o at 7:58 PM on September 3, 2005

Hmm, the timeframe is about right. Did he inherit the gun from a relative who has used it in one of the World Wars?

If your friend has/plans-on-having children, they might be interested in having a talisman to know their older/departed relative with.
posted by PurplePorpoise at 8:02 PM on September 3, 2005

A gun is just an inert bit of metal. It's not going to jump out and bite you, assuming you're smart enough to keep it unloaded when you aren't using it. Good lord.

At the very least, he should hold on the gun until the relative passes away, just because it's in bad form to sell off other people's things while they're still alive. The original owner may still want to make a bequest of the gun, he may have sentimental attachment to the gun, the gun may be in his will...you don't know. Selling the gun, I think, would be in poor taste.

That said, if your friend is afraid of guns, disassemble it and leave it disassembled. If he's not afraid of guns, but is just afraid of *this* gun, again...disassemble it. An unassembled weapon is nothing more than milled metal parts.

If he's not afraid, and just doesn't know know how to fire it, but would like to, call the local ranges and make an appointment for classes.
posted by dejah420 at 9:06 PM on September 3, 2005

Gunsamerica has online classifieds he could list the gun at. If he sells to someone out of state he needs to be aware that he can't ship the gun directly. It has to go through dealer(s) who have FFLs to sell guns.
posted by 6550 at 11:59 PM on September 3, 2005

If your friend has children, he needs to make the gun inaccessible to them. Trigger lock at minimum, gun safe is better, off site storage probably best.
He could sign up himself and the family for Hunter Safety classes if they are available where he lives. They are state sponsored in Oregon.
posted by Cranberry at 12:59 AM on September 4, 2005

The first thing he should do is confirm that it is indeed unloaded. I know that sounds like a totally asnine thing to say, but never, ever assume a gun is unloaded.

If he has children, he should know that there were kids like me that could pick locks, disassemble many things and otherwise bypass most mechanical security devices at a very young age. I probably wouldn't have messed with a real firearm when I was a kid, but then again, I sure loved getting hold of a BB gun and pellet gun, and God knows where else curiosity could have taken me.

If he keeps it, above and beyond all the suggestions of safety and shooting classes and other good ideas, he should also know how to strip the gun, clean it, oil it, and maintain it.
posted by loquacious at 2:19 AM on September 4, 2005

Sell it to a licenced gun store. Nothing immoral about that while it's legal.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 8:42 AM on September 4, 2005

I think he should keep the gun, but absolutely learn how to use it and take care of it; training isn't very expensive. Think of it as a family heirloom or an antique--but one which has the added benefit of being able to save its owner's life, unlike great-aunt Bessie's china or grandpa's photo album.

Also, the older family member really deserves commendation for recognizing that he wasn't in condition to hold onto it any longer. That was very responsible, and considering that most guns cost at least a few hundred dollars, it was a very generous gift. Definitely don't sell it while the family member is alive; that would be rude.

(And to the other people in this thread who might think only rural red-state Republicans own guns, nearly all of my gun-owning friends and family are liberal blue-staters, live in major cities, Ivy and UCLA educated, multi-ethnic/multi-religious, and so on. We're not all "extremists" or "survivalists", honest! Heck, the current president of the NRA is a Jewish woman from Los Angeles, and not even their first woman president either. So don't let stereotypes of the pro-gun crowd scare you away from making an informed choice about whether or not this is something you want to pursue.)
posted by Asparagirl at 11:05 PM on September 4, 2005

Take it to the police and or sell it.
posted by pracowity at 2:04 AM on September 5, 2005

Why have several posters said "sell it to a licensed gun store"?
I recently inherited a couple of handguns, and there was a gun show that weekend at the local fairgrounds. It was the second ammendment in action, baby. I walked in with a bag o'guns, and walked out with a fist full of cash.
posted by gnz2001 at 3:11 PM on September 6, 2005