Keeping records for yourself and family

[Niner]

This has been discussed before on many boards, but it is important to have some records of what firearms you have, and what you paid and what you would ask if selling. Not just what's in your C&R book but all of your guns of whatever sort.

I got around to this the other day. I made a computer spreadsheet and in the first column listed the guns, starting with C&R, then milsurps before C&R , then Black Powder guns, then all other guns. In the next column I listed what I had in each, including tax and shipping expense. In the next column I listed what I thought each was worth if I went to a gun show and attempted to sell it. And in the final column I reserved for the serial number and remarks on each particular gun, including why I placed the values I did on the selling price for this date.

This was an exercise for all of my guns, not just C&R guns, relative to today's market.

I learned a few things in doing this. I discoverd that my face insured amount was about twenty percent more than the probable replacement value, which is good. And I learned that although some realistic present gun values were less than I paid by changes in market circumstance or of my own bad buying decisions, some were surpisingly good investments. And in general, over the years the return on investment has been a positive thing.......if I could sell at market value today.

If you haven't done this I'd suggest you do. If nothing else you could print out a copy for your next of kin.

[Stan in SC]

I keep all of this same information on a 3X5 set of index cards and I periodically go thru and adjust (up or down) the current value.

Stan