Need a good argument for use with an anti....

[Stradawhovious]

My grandfather, when he passed away, left my father a Winchester Model 12, 2 BSA .22 rifles (IIRC the ones with the heavy octoganal barrels) a single action 8 shot chromed revolver (the make eludes me right now) and some other assorted firearms possibly including my grandfather's service revolver from the Minneapolis PD (not sure on that one though......

I just remembered about these last week and asked my mother about them. Her response was "You can have them when we die." We meaning herself and my father. If that's the case, I have no issue with their plan, and hope to never own these firearms under those conditions. The problem comes from how these are being stored. My mother is an anti, and my father is rather indifferent. As a result, these items have spent the last decade in cases, in the attic of their home. If a significant amount of damage hasn't already been done, it most certainly will if they are in storage over the next 40 years. I realize that there isn't much monetary value in these firearms, but I would really like to make sure that they are maintained and cared for (and restored if necessary) so that in the event I ever breed, I can keep them in the family. I have raised this issue with her [my mother] and received the typical "hrumph" response followed by an "I'll talk to your father"....... It feels like Im' fifteen again.

Any ideas on arguments I can use to sway them?

[White Horseradish]

Have you ever won an argument with your parents? If not, this might be kinda futile...

[Stradawhovious]

Have you ever won an argument with your parents? If not, this might be kinda futile...

Several. That isn't really the main issue. This isn't an argument about who has posession as much as it is trying to get them to understand that left unattended the firearms will be more than likely be beyond servicing in another 40 years. If they decide to hold on to them, but keep them maintained, I'm all for it. Best case would be me taking posession though......

[jgalt]

I know that logic doesn't typically work as the basis for any argument with an anti - or any holder of a similarly-irrational belief - but I always default to it as my first step...

"If you are never going to use them, I'd be happy to get them out of your way..."

or

Explain how storing them the way they currently are dramatically increases the chances they'll be 'destroyed' by the time they are passed on to you, so they may as well just get rid of them now...

etc, etc...

Good luck.

[plblark]

focus on the lineage and historical / familial value. You wouldn't leave pictures of a relative you dislike to rot in the attic to be passed down to me some day would you?

that's not the right tone, but I think the historical and familial significance angle is the better angle to approach it from.

These items mean more to me for their connection to Grandpa than for what they are. I hope it's a LONG time before I ever see them under your terms but come that day I'd be sad to see them ruined by neglect.

[dismal]

Maybe suggest that they should be stored safely to keep them from being stolen. Then offer to buy an inexpensive safe w/ dehumidified that they can keep them in.

[JoeH]

I'd go with an emotional approach verses a logical one. What would grandpa have wanted? Is this a way for you to connect with him/his memory? She's indifferent but it's important to you. Should that tell her something?

If she's anti, she shouldn't want to own any guns anyway.

[Stradawhovious]

focus on the lineage and historical / familial value. You wouldn't leave pictures of a relative you dislike to rot in the attic to be passed down to me some day would you?

that's not the right tone, but I think the historical and familial significance angle is the better angle to approach it from.

These items mean more to me for their connection to Grandpa than for what they are. I hope it's a LONG time before I ever see them under your terms but come that day I'd be sad to see them ruined by neglect.

Yeah, I got done with this route shortly before posting. I should have been more specific........

last conversation... (Reader's Digest Version)

Mom - Your Father and I have discussed it, and you can have the guns when we die.

Me - That's reasonable, just pleas make sure that twice a year Dad takes them down and cleans and oils them. If he is having trouble with this, I would be happy to show him how.

Mom - I don't want the guns in my house, and I'm not sure he wants to go throught the trouble.

Me - They need to be at least oiled, or they will be cases filled with rust.

Mom - Oh, I didn't know that.

Me - I would be happy to take them now, that way Grandpa's guns will be stored properly and maintained so that some day they can be passed on to your grandson

[edit] - Now I thought that this would have been the most persuasive argument....... Giving her a glimpse of a Grandson in the future..... No such real luck.

Mom - I hate guns.

Me - I know. I'm happy to get them out of your house, so you don't have to worry about it......

Mom - Where would you put them? Dont Tickledpink's boys come over a lot?

Me - Yes, they do. I would put them in the safe with mine. As a rational thinking adult, want to make sure that children would never have unsupervised access to firearms.

Mom - But they are rifles.... Where would you put rifles?

Me - In the safe, with my other rifles......

Mom - You have rifles??

Me - Yes. And they are well maintained, properly cared for, and safely stored.

Mom - Oh. I'll have to talk to your father......... (translation - I'm going to let this drop in hopes that you forget about it and never bring it up again. I'm not actually going to talk to your Father about it.)

the conversation continues on non-firearms related issues.....

I am looking for the clencher.....

[plblark]

Mom, To you, they're "guns", to me, they're so much more. It's like having Grandpa's tools. every time I clean them, every time I use them, I have a connection to grandpa and I remember him fondly. It's a link if you will to a shared experience that I miss since he's gone.

[farmerj]

bring it up when they are both in the room together then.

[Pred]

What's the rational for not giving them to you now? Offer to buy them so that you can be assured they will be taken care of. I like JoeHs line, that your grandfather would prefer that you were able to enjoy them and take care of them rather than them sitting in an attic?

[Stradawhovious]

What's the rational for not giving them to you now?

This is the only left leaning in my Mother...... I think she sees all guns as evil, and doesn't want her only Son to have them. she knows that this view is irrational since she knows I own firearms, but as a mother with that view of firearms, I can see how this one would be difficult to let go of.

[JoeH]

I don't think that there is a clincher. In fact, going for the close may kill the deal.

Drops of water on the stone... Break her down over time.

[Stradawhovious]

I don't think that there is a clincher. In fact, going for the close may kill the deal.

Drops of water on the stone... Break her down over time.

Yeah, probably best course of action..... My issue is that the longer they sit unattended, the more damage is done. I may just have to let this one go, but not without being sporadically persistant.

[DeanC]

Buy them plane tickets to Florida. While they are gone
1) clean and oil the guns
or
2) replace the guns with rusty lengths of pipe inside the cases.
or
3) replace the guns with some broken down surplus mosins