Death by neglect

[Questor]

After about 7 years, I decided to sell my Kimber. Believe it or not, I decided that having two good quality bullseye 45s was enough and that I really didn't need the Kimber. Not even as a plinker. Couldn't stand to have it around unused. After a brief period of using it as the bottom end for a 22 conversion I decided that my other bullseye 45 was a perfectly good platform for that application.

I guess the lesson here is that I should have bought a dedicated bullseye gun in the first place, instead of hoping the Kimber would serve indefinitely in that capacity.

The other lesson is that the Kimber did give me a chance to try bullseye to see if I liked it. Turns out I did and soon went for some dedicated guns.

One good thing is that the Kimbers hold their value well enough so that I got a good return, and the new owner got a good gun at substantially less than a new Gold Match sells for.

I had been holding on to the Kimber mostly because I wanted to see if my son took an interest in shooting pistols. He didn't. He likes rifles, though.

[BUSHMASTER1]

I have never sold a gun that I didn't regret later. Guess I'm a hoarder.

[Heavy C]

Questor next time you have a Kimber that needs a home please let me know.  My safe has become a home for wayward Kimbers.   

[Mikey]

Questor:  A significant number of my handguns and rifles suffer regular neglect, unfortunately.  There simply isn't anything I can do.  My opportunities to shoot are becoming fewer and fewer only because of time and work.  I have only two hands but many more hand guns.......

And although some of my hand guns may sit quietly in the safe for many years without being used I would never give one up (spoken like  a true parent).  Far too parochial.  They are like my pets - I will bury them before I give any away, but I speak only for myself (said with sadness and despondency in his voice at the thought of all those homeless handguns out there).

And a Kimber at that.  Questor, a Kimber has a name......it's not just 'a 1911'.  Isn't that like giving away your 14th or 15th child, the one with a name???  Someone worked on that gun special just so you could have it fer-eva, and not give it up just 'cause ya think yor son may not want it.  Hold it fer yor grandson and teach him how to shoot with both hands at the same time.  And if you need to, adopt another son, one who likes handguns and all your problems will go away. 

My wife was famous for telling her children that if they didn't behave she would either adopt Chinese orphans or raise goats.  The strategy seemed to work, on occasion.  Would you like an egg roll? Mikey.

[rbwillnj]

I have two Kimber Stainless Gold Matches (Series I) that haven't seen the light for a while for the exact same reason.  My two Bullseye wadguns are getting all the action.  None-the-less, those Kimbers aren't going anywhere. 

Maybe someday they will let us shoot our Kimbers as hardball guns.  I mean how stupid is that, what difference does a beavertail and a few extra serrations on the slide make.

[Questor]

Mikey:

I'm openly weeping now. But take heart, the sale of the Kimber will be used for a good purpose, if you know what I mean. I.e., the void in the safe won't last very long.

Questor Jr. had every opportunity to use the Kimber with unlimited ammo had he desired to do so, but alas,  I have failed as a father somehow and he just wasn't interested. On the lighter side of the news, he is taking rifle practice to heart because I won't let him go big game hunting with a rifle until he gets good at 100 yards from field positions with his .308. I think he'll continue to hunt as an adult, but probably won't be into recreational shooting.

On a likewise sad note, the Kimber wasn't the only one. The youth guns went too. Mrs. Questor doesn't like shooting either. But I'm starting to work on her. Slowly but surely I'll get her to the trap and skeet ranges as something for us to do together without the kids.

Rbwillnj:

I agree about the hardball gun argument. It always puzzled me that the regulations are what they are. I've wanted a hardball gun, but I so seldom shoot outdoor matches with leg matches that it's not worth owning one. My wad guns get by far the most rounds through them, especially now that I'm using the Marvel conversion unit exclusively for .22. (By the way, though this implies that the Pardini-Nygord 22 is suffering neglect, I'll never sell it. I really like that gun and always have. It also implies that the S&W 41 is neglected too. That thing has appreciated so much in value it's practically become a collector's item. I'll keep it as-is for those occastions when I want to shoot an iron sighted 22 auto.)

[Mikey]

Questor - please, not the youth guns too.  My heart is broken open and tears spill to the ground at the thought of such a painful experience. 

Actually, you must be a fine parent.  I woulda thot 'bout gettin' another kid, and wife............. but that's just me............(fulla stuff............).  Mikey.