Ten years ago my father in-law gave me his Winchester Canadian Centennial 1867-1967 30/30 with octagonal barrel.  This rifle was given to him by his father and has never been loaded much less fired.  This is the only 30/30 I own and with the demise of Winchester I am contemplating buying a model 94 just to shoot.  

Am I being too anal about this rifle?

Shoot the damn thing already.

I have no safe queens.

It's the law in my house.

I buy guns to shoot them.....

Quoted: I buy guns to shoot them.....

When I buy them I shoot them but this is a 40 year old gift.  

I probably wouldn't shoot it either.

I'd go buy a similar one and shoot it.

Thats just me.

I don't have any safe queens though... I do have guns that don't get shot alot, but not by choice.

I'd say if its old, and in good enough condition, to be sought after by collectors and actually be worth something, I'd keep it unfired.

Otherwise, don't forget the eyes and ears!

Quoted: Quoted: I buy guns to shoot them..... When I buy them I shoot them but this is a 40 year old gift.

OK, lemme try it this way...  "Ill only own guns that will be shot. Gift or not...."


Oooooooooooooo,  Im a poet and didnt knowit....

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I buy guns to shoot them..... When I buy them I shoot them but this is a 40 year old gift.   OK, lemme try it this way...  "Ill only own guns that will be shot. Gift or not...." Oooooooooooooo,  Im a poet and didnt knowit....

Thanks for clarifying

Quoted: Quoted: I buy guns to shoot them..... When I buy them I shoot them but this is a 40 year old gift.

nothing wrong with that.   if you think it is neat and since win is closing shop maybe you should buy one to shoot all you want.

id sell it and buy something I would shoot.

Quoted: I probably wouldn't shoot it either. I'd go buy a similar one and shoot it. Thats just me. I don't have any safe queens though... I do have guns that don't get shot alot, but not by choice. I'd say if its old, and in good enough condition, to be sought after by collectors and actually be worth something, I'd keep it unfired. Otherwise, don't forget the eyes and ears!

+1

Pre-89 Chicomm w/ spike bayonet SN ~0250.  Shoot it as much as I can.

PRE-89 Chicomm 56S purchased NIB w/ mags, sling, cleaning kit, oiler etc. See above.

S&W 125th anniversary model 25 in 45LC. So faqing odd w/ the chambering and short cylinder why not shoot the damn thing?

Savage "Model 1895" 75th anniversary in .308 win w/ 24" +/- tapered octagon barrel.  Gonna be a great deer rifle.  (I say "1895" because it's a 99' just messed up w/ engraving and "It could be* a 95', even though it will never be a 95'")

If the only interesting guns are accurate guns...  The only guns worth owning are the ones you either shoot, or intend to shoot.

Sly

I have no safe queens either. While some firearms are historical, or rare collectibles, and should not be fired, the rest are there to shoot. Guns are tools, and I treat mine as such....every chance I get.

Quoted: Ten years ago my father in-law gave me his Winchester Canadian Centennial 1867-1967 30/30 with octagonal barrel.  This rifle was given to him by his father and has never been loaded much less fired.  This is the only 30/30 I own and with the demise of Winchester I am contemplating buying a model 94 just to shoot.   Am I being too anal about this rifle?

I have one of them myself. Never been fired, still have the box, papers, hang tag, etc.

The only other safe queen I have is a 1965 SP1, don't plan on firing that one at all. And yes I have another SP1 that is a shooter.


____________________________________
The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you are already dead. And the sooner you accept that, the sooner you will be able to function as a soldier is supposed to function, without mercy, without compassion, without remorse.

I had the box and papers too but they got ruined during a little house flood

I have a 3 guns that I never shoot. They are a 1916 Model 96 Broomhandle (mint), an unfired Persian Mauser, and an unfired Venezuelan Mauser. Sometimes I think it would be cool to shoot them, and I'll plan to do it, but I never do. It's a tough decision to fire a 70+ year old unfired gun. Once you fire it, it will drop in value maybe 20%. I have lots of guns that I shoot, so it's not that bad to not shoot these three guns.

Sentimental value among "hand me down" family guns is always stronger if you shoot the damn things.


Think about the meaning that the rifle would hold if your grandfather had taken it out shooting with your father, think about the meaning it would have if you had shot it while in the company of both men...

Only firearm that I wouldn't shoot would be something worth several thousand dollars.    I'm talking 10k dollars or more.


You can always take good care of the gun and keep it in near new condition.     However, not shooting the gun only preserves it's monitary value and does little to help bring much enjoyment beyond that.     Let's see, keep it 100% original unfired and have it be worth 1500-2k dollars or shoot it a bit and truely enjoy the hell out of it only to have it be worth 800-1200 dollars.      Break that down over the course of the rifle's life which lasts several generations, is it worth it now?



That's my own personal opinion after becoming a dyed in the wool N-frame S&W addict.      What started me down this path?    Inheriting an old 38/44 Outdoorsman that was my grandfathers, a man I never really got to know but like to think I would have a lot in common with.    It came well used when I inherited it but it's still in great shape, I will continue to use it and hopefully one day if I have children it will goto them along with the other N-frames such as this "shooter".    Bought for 650 dollars NIB, rather than hope it will some day be worth 800 dollars I'd rather enjoy it for many years to come and pass it onto children who will cherish it as well.

Note that a 25-3 like the one below is a pretty common gun but the fact that it was had NIB(original shipping box for that matter) left many saying not to shoot it.     It will never magically double in value and there won't be any guilt in shooting it should it somehow manage the impossible.




Sit down and consider the future of this rifle and whether it will be a family heirloom type firearm.    If that is the future of the gun, shoot it and enjoy it with as many in your family as possible.

I am ashamed to admit I have a Colt Gold Cup Model 70 that I have never shot.  More embarrassed to admit I have a P-88, Wtby .300  mag, DSA STG Intermediate, Wilson Combat UT and AR50.  Maybe I should be shot.

Once, and only once, I took out Great grandfather's original model 1873 Winchester in 32-20 caliber and shot it wearing   the biggest pair of safety glasses I could find.  The bore is very dark from, I expect, from using black powder ammunition, but it did function and fire fine.  That was a one time event, and it has been returned to honorable storage in the safe ever since.

It was one of a case of these rifles he bought to equip watch stations on his oyster grounds when oyster piracy was a big item in the Chesapeake Bay.  That was when we had oysters, of course.  It is still a fine old rifle with a lot of good history surrounding it.

I've got a Browning Lightning with a tapered octagon barrell in 7mm Mag that I have never shot and probably never will.
I would like to get it out of the safe and display on the wall, but that sounds like a bad idea.

Nothing wrong with collecting guns, but personally I only buy guns that I shoot.

I will have one safe queen someday..........., hopefully not too soon as I kindof enjoy having dad around for as long as possible.

It's a Model 29 S&W 8 3/4" I gave him for Christmas about 20+ years ago, which I paid $300 bucks for, (the nice thing about it is "it was made 3 years before Dirty Harry came out" and had/has never been fired)

S&W just don't blue firearms like they did back in the sixties, it's a beauty.

Mike

Quoted: Ten years ago my father in-law gave me his Winchester Canadian Centennial 1867-1967 30/30 with octagonal barrel.  This rifle was given to him by his father and has never been loaded much less fired.  This is the only 30/30 I own and with the demise of Winchester I am contemplating buying a model 94 just to shoot.   Am I being too anal about this rifle?

Nice Alternative Force Impact Weapon you have there.

Shoot the damn thing!

No, I wouldn't shoot it either.

I shoot all of them.  

Quoted: Ten years ago my father in-law gave me his Winchester Canadian Centennial 1867-1967 30/30 with octagonal barrel.  This rifle was given to him by his father and has never been loaded much less fired.  This is the only 30/30 I own and with the demise of Winchester I am contemplating buying a model 94 just to shoot.   Am I being too anal about this rifle?

Sorry about the off topic, but I didn't know Winchester went under???
On topic:
If it's made it this long unfired, why shoot it now?

Quoted: Sentimental value among "hand me down" family guns is always stronger if you shoot the damn things. Think about the meaning that the rifle would hold if your grandfather had taken it out shooting with your father, think about the meaning it would have if you had shot it while in the company of both men... Only firearm that I wouldn't shoot would be something worth several thousand dollars.    I'm talking 10k dollars or more. You can always take good care of the gun and keep it in near new condition.     However, not shooting the gun only preserves it's monitary value and does little to help bring much enjoyment beyond that.     Let's see, keep it 100% original unfired and have it be worth 1500-2k dollars or shoot it a bit and truely enjoy the hell out of it only to have it be worth 800-1200 dollars.      Break that down over the course of the rifle's life which lasts several generations, is it worth it now? That's my own personal opinion after becoming a dyed in the wool N-frame S&W addict.      What started me down this path?    Inheriting an old 38/44 Outdoorsman that was my grandfathers, a man I never really got to know but like to think I would have a lot in common with.    It came well used when I inherited it but it's still in great shape, I will continue to use it and hopefully one day if I have children it will goto them along with the other N-frames such as this "shooter".    Bought for 650 dollars NIB, rather than hope it will some day be worth 800 dollars I'd rather enjoy it for many years to come and pass it onto children who will cherish it as well. Note that a 25-3 like the one below is a pretty common gun but the fact that it was had NIB(original shipping box for that matter) left many saying not to shoot it.     It will never magically double in value and there won't be any guilt in shooting it should it somehow manage the impossible. home.bak.rr.com/varmintcong/nframes/m25/25-3.jpg Sit down and consider the future of this rifle and whether it will be a family heirloom type firearm.    If that is the future of the gun, shoot it and enjoy it with as many in your family as possible.

Very good argument to shoot it  .  I know I will NEVER sell it.

I don't shoot my SP1 often. It's not seen much use, and is all original, box, sling, manual, etc. I'd never sell it, so I don't really see what the problem I have with shooting it is, though. Took it out to the range a few months ago and ran a few mags through it. It impressed me with it's accuracy.

No safe queens in my house.

In fact, I just popped a cherry on a safe queen. The guy I bought my H&K 93 from, (Humbert), had never fired it and I put 300 rounds through it in one day.

When I find something is acting like a safe queen, I sell it.

If you want a safe queen, you should just buy the deactivated models they offer.

Queens dont have to be virgins

A few years ago I saw this old luger at a gunshow.  It was a .45 which I thought was kind of odd as I was under the impression that they only came in 9mm.  It was in pretty good shape surprisingly enough, and I was able to talk the guy selling it down to $200 so I bought it.  Must have been an early production run as the only thing I could find resembling a serial number was this little "3" on it.

It shoots nice and take it out every so often to the range.  I feel a bit guilty as I don't take that good care of it which I probably should considering how old it seems to be...but usually I just toss it into the bottom of the safe when I'm done with it and rarely even clean it.

Demise of Winchester?  Did I miss something?  Their website is still up and they seem to still have a full product offering.

Quoted: Quoted: Ten years ago my father in-law gave me his Winchester Canadian Centennial 1867-1967 30/30 with octagonal barrel.  This rifle was given to him by his father and has never been loaded much less fired.  This is the only 30/30 I own and with the demise of Winchester I am contemplating buying a model 94 just to shoot.   Am I being too anal about this rifle? Sorry about the off topic, but I didn't know Winchester went under??? On topic: If it's made it this long unfired, why shoot it now?

A collecter rifle like that will only have extra value in unfired condition. If you shoot it, it will only be worth what any used 94 is worth.
You need to do some reserch to see what it's collecter value is, then see what a 94 from that era is worth. The difference is what pulling that trigger will cost you.

Then it's up to you to decide if it's worth it.

Quoted: A few years ago I saw this old luger at a gunshow.  It was a .45 which I thought was kind of odd as I was under the impression that they only came in 9mm.  It was in pretty good shape surprisingly enough, and I was able to talk the guy selling it down to $200 so I bought it.  Must have been an early production run as the only thing I could find resembling a serial number was this little "3" on it. It shoots nice and take it out every so often to the range.  I feel a bit guilty as I don't take that good care of it which I probably should considering how old it seems to be...but usually I just toss it into the bottom of the safe when I'm done with it and rarely even clean it.

Uh.....

God I hope this is a joke post...

Quoted: Demise of Winchester?  Did I miss something?  Their website is still up and they seem to still have a full product offering. Quoted: Quoted: Ten years ago my father in-law gave me his Winchester Canadian Centennial 1867-1967 30/30 with octagonal barrel.  This rifle was given to him by his father and has never been loaded much less fired.  This is the only 30/30 I own and with the demise of Winchester I am contemplating buying a model 94 just to shoot.   Am I being too anal about this rifle? Sorry about the off topic, but I didn't know Winchester went under??? On topic: If it's made it this long unfired, why shoot it now?

Decent link with information about the closing as well as the fate of things like the FN SPR,
www.snipershide.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=009607

Quoted: Sentimental value among "hand me down" family guns is always stronger if you shoot the damn things. Think about the meaning that the rifle would hold if your grandfather had taken it out shooting with your father, think about the meaning it would have if you had shot it while in the company of both men...

Thats what provides the intrinsic value of my Great Grandfathers gun to me. Its worth way more than replacement value to me because its the one thing he used that I (And Grandfather and Dad) used.



Great died 40 years before I was born, Grand died a year before I was born, but we all held that rifle and fired it.



I also have a 30-30 that my Grandfather gave to my Great Uncle that they killed a pile of deer with.

I shot my Finnish Luger on Sunday.

Quoted: Ten years ago my father in-law gave me his Winchester Canadian Centennial 1867-1967 30/30 with octagonal barrel.  This rifle was given to him by his father and has never been loaded much less fired.  This is the only 30/30 I own and with the demise of Winchester I am contemplating buying a model 94 just to shoot.   Am I being too anal about this rifle?

I have the exact same rifle, but I have the rifle/carbine matching serial number set and was given to me by my father.  They also have never been shot and are still in the shipping box from Winchester.  I oil them every six month's and I would never shoot them.  I guess I'm anal too.

What could it hurt to shoot it one time?  

How do you know if it even works?

Grandpa in-law would want you to at least give it a try.

GM

Anyone ever shoot one of their safe queens?

I had one that I did not shoot,  eventually decided I did not need, nor did I wish to keep it any longer. It sat in its case collecting dust for nine years, along with forty rounds of ammunition.

When I ordered the firearm, I had planned on using it but, things change, my interests changed.

I've got a 7mm Rolling Block that I got with the intention of rebarrelling to something simple like 45-90.  Got some 7mm surplus and fired it, showed some headspace or pressure signs so it has remained a queen.

if it's a rare or antique gun , i wont shoot it