What to do?

[257Robt]

This is the short and sweet of it. At the end of October I was given my great-grandfathers Winchester 1894. Several days after getting it, my Great Aunt who gave it to me at the request of my Great Uncle asked for it back. I spoke with legal services and they said it was up to me to decide what to do. Several weeks later she called me and told me what to do with it, even though I technically own it. She also accused me of some pretty unbelievable accusations, such as my Uncle never said I was to get it, even though my grandparents heard her say he wanted me to have it. There are also several other family members that want it. Do I tell her to go blow smoke or what? My name is mud anyways now and I have talked to several others about and they said to keep. What to do?

[magooch]

It sounds like your great-aunt isn't so great.  Your answer probably should have been--"whatchutalkinbout, goobye".

[Cowpox]

You have drawn a tough hand to play .257, Family matters are the pits ! My Grandad had two kids. My uncle who had three sons, was a lifer in the Navy, and as a result , other than phone calls, letters, and two weeks a year, my Grandparents had very little contact with his family. My mother lived about 4 blocks from my Grandparents, so I spent a lot of time hunting and fishing with Grandad. He died in 1987, and expressed his desire for my 17 year old (at that time) son to have his deer rifle. It was a very pristine 1898 ,long Krag. It wasn't worth a lot , about $250 at that time, but my uncle claimed it in spite of objections by all of the family members. I didn't put up a struggle, because it was HIS DAD'S gun.  He sold it to his gun collecting neighbor as soon as he got back to Florida. The whole family kind of holds him in contempt, even his own kids. If he could get it back, and return it, I doubt if any of us would change our minds about him. I would keep it as long as that was your Grandad's wishes. Your great Aunt probably found out the rifle was worth a little money, and would sell it if you gave it back. That would make her the recipient of family ire, but the rifle would be gone from the family, for all time.  It's all up to you. How broad are your shoulders, when it comes to holding up under family strife ?   Cowpox

[Cowpox]

257Robt, Just a reminder, IT GOES ON IN THE "BEST" OF FAMILIES.  Cowpox

[257Robt]

It was my great-uncles wishes that I have the rifle and because of that I am going to keep it. My great-uncles son is saying that my great-grandpa wanted him to have, but with nothing written down for either of us, who is right? My not so great-aunt said my great-uncle had told her a couple of weeks before he died that he wanted me to have it. My wife, grandparents and my parents heard her say this, to bad her memory is bad. This is just the half of it. If I told you what she said you probably wouldn't believe it. I know my family couldn't. When I told them they had a pretty good laugh. I am a bad person with Jedi mind tricks, according to her. What is worse is before my great-uncle died I let him take one of my rifles home with him to use. When I found out he passed away, I called asking about my own rifle and now she is using that against me. I didn't realize that it was wrong to ask for your own things back. Even worse is that this all happened right after my wife and I told my side of the family that we were adopting a child from Korea. Makes me wonder a bit? At least I know where I stand with legal services. According to the person I am dealing with, when the gun was given to me, I became the owner and it is up to me to decide what to do with it. To bad my not so great-aunt and the rest of the family who want this gun can't figure it out.

[257Robt]

I should add that when my great-grandfather died back in the late 70's that my great-uncle got one of his 2 guns and this was one of them. My great-uncle that I hunt with has the other one.

[powderman]

257ROBT. Offer to pay her for it. Even if she accepts, it won't help the bad feelings from the rest of the family. In any case, KEEP THE RIFLE. POWDERMAN.        

[Dali Llama]

This is the short and sweet of it. At the end of October I was given my great-grandfathers Winchester 1894. Several days after getting it, my Great Aunt who gave it to me at the request of my Great Uncle asked for it back. I spoke with legal services and they said it was up to me to decide what to do. Several weeks later she called me and told me what to do with it, even though I technically own it. She also accused me of some pretty unbelievable accusations, such as my Uncle never said I was to get it, even though my grandparents heard her say he wanted me to have it. There are also several other family members that want it. Do I tell her to go blow smoke or what? My name is mud anyways now and I have talked to several others about and they said to keep. What to do?

Keep the rifle, say Dali Llama.  Dali say family harmony be like leaf on tree; it change direction as do wind.

[Num_1_Dad]

Keep it.

[bullet maker]

Keep the Rifle, and don`t worry what they think. A very good friend of mine went through the same thing you are, he gave the rifle back, and the family still thinks he`s a bum. So keep it.
   I might add that when my favorite uncle past away, (he took me hunting all the time, and I lived with him and my aunt during every summer), all the relatives, came and took everything. I was trying to be polite and wait to be asked what I wanted, ( it was his browning shotgun), that I cherished the most, cause that`s the one he used when we quail hunted together. Needless to say, that nothing was left. The vultures had taken everything.
  So my advise is keep the rifle.

bullet maker

[Brett]

It was given to you by request of it's original owner, in front of witnesses no less, it is yours not your great aunts.  Enjoy it and let the chips fall where they may. Hope it turns out all right for you.

[longwinters]

I agree with Brett.  The original owner's request was straight forward.  The rifle is yours.

Long

[ratgunner]

257 keep it that was his he gave it to YOU.I think she just see $$$ Honor his will. :wink:

[VTDW]

I was lucky in that I was the administrator.  My father's guns are still in our family and I got to decide where they went period.

Keep the rifle and cherish the good memories.  Let the buzzards peck at themselves.

Dave

[MSP Ret]

Keep it and don't look back or hold bad feelings against the others. You can only be responsible for your actions, not those of others. This from 60 years of experience(s)....<><.... :grin:

[Bigdog57]

Keep it, and enjoy it.  It carries the history of your Greatgrandfather.
I went thru the same thing earlier this year.  My uncle living 700 miles away called my mother (his sister) wanting me to bring the little Stevens singleshot .22 he gave me thirtyfive years before up to Indian when I drove my mother up there for a reunion.  He wanted to give the rifle to his grandson.  After that long, how could he be sure I even still had it (I do!), and that it would be in decent condition (I had just restored and refinished  it).  I grew up with this little rifle, learning my shooting skills with it.  It's nothing special, and a million were made - but it is MY rifle.
Needless to say, I still have it.  I told Mom to tell Unk to get his grandson a new rifle, that he can make his own memories and history with.  This little gun isn't a great shooter - but it has beacoup personal value to me.

[MSP Ret]

Good for you Bidog57!!! , enjoy it and leave it to you son or daughter....<><.... :grin:

[old06]

Keep the gun and let them sit there till smoke pour's out there ears. Here my 2 cents years before my father in law passed he gave me his guns. Well lets say I helped him get them out of the pawn shop. His son my brother in law stoled them and pawn them. This not being the first time but my father in law's health was going and he told me, my wife and my mother in law that I was to take them and keep them along with what tools he had left and keep them also. Five years later my brother in law said to me he wishes he had his Dad's shotgun my reply was short and too the point " you did have it and now I have it I just picked it up from where you pawned it " he hadn't said another word since we hardly see each other. My mother in law said the week after he asked that he would like just this one shotgun but she afraid that he would sell it I put her fear's to rest by saying that he will never have that chance I already put it in my will to one of her greatgrand children. Everyone needs to put down on paper who gets what and that will end that.

[257Robt]

What gets me is my great-aunt brought the rifle to my grandparents house and gave it to me. When she left the next day she told me "remember to keep it in the family." Three days later she wants it back. Shortly there after I told her that it was up to me to decide what to do with it, because she gave it to me. Now I am a no good so and so because I stood up to her and I was very polite doing it.  Even worse is that when I found out my great-uncle had passed away I called her that day to give my condolences. In that conversation I also told her that my great-uncle had said that one of the neighbors had one of his guns (he told me this about 4 weeks earlier) and to ask about one of my guns that I let my great-uncle borrow, not the 1894 in question though. No harm in asking for your own stuff back and I thought that she might like to know about the neighbors having one of his guns. What gets me is she brought up the 1894 in our conversation the day my great-uncle died, which she happened to forget (go figure) and yet now she says that I put it in her head that I was supposed to get it (I guess I have Jedi mind powers! lol). My uncle must have told her about it because why would a person bring something such as this.
From reading your posts, I feel much, much better about keeping the rifle.

[Dali Llama]

I feel much, much better about keeping the rifle.

That be because you have done the right thing, say Dali Llama. :grin:  :-)