By now many of you all have seen pics of my "Sin Cellar" but a little-known fact is that nearly all of the shotguns and some of the rifles (antique or otherwise) were either inherited from a close family member that has since passed or gifted by a close friend (or their estate). As such whenever I take those guns to the field (and I do regularly) I always cherish the memories they bring. It's like walking with an old friend or family member, and I always imagine that they are with me, watching and knowing that I still cherish what we shared and still think of them often.
That being said, a few that particularly stand out are my grandfather's (on my paternal side) Winchester Model 12 16 ga shotgun. It was manufactured in the early 20's and so it's about 100 years old. When I inherited it after my dad passed, the shotgun was a rusted heap. I paid more than it's actually worth to have it completely restored and now it's one of my most cherished heirlooms.
Another that stands out is my grandfather's (maternal side) 1906 Winchester Pump .22... same story, after he passed, I inherited it. it used to be his "barn gun" for shooting rats and varmints around his farm. When I inherited it, it was horribly rusted. I again paid more than it was worth to have it completely restored.
I have my Great Grandmother's old Stevens .22, and the last one I'll mention is an NVA Chinese SKS that was gifted to me by a very close friend that has since passed. He wrote it in his will that he wanted me to have it because he was concerned his family and especially his grandson would pawn it. He had been a Seabee during Vietnam and was creating an airstrip in the jungle when his group came under attack. A brief firefight ensued and after the NVA retreated into the jungle, he went over to where he had shot one of the attackers. He removed the SKS from the NVA's person and kept it. The rifle hangs, revered, in my Sin Cellar with the US Government authorization paperwork authorizing him to bring the rifle home, and the paperwork details the event. It was the only man he ever killed and was a very important memoir for my friend. As such I've cherished it.
Others are the Glock 34 that I won at a SWAT Conference/Competition that they engraved for me, The gold cerakoted AR 9mm SBR that the SWAT team engraved and presented to me upon my retirement from the team, and a black AR that my team in Special Investigations engraved with my badge number and gifted to me upon my retirement...
Attached are some pics of the Sin Cellar and some of these specific firearms I'm talking about.
