Lynx Defense

The end of a road well travelled....

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  • Mad John

    Active Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 15, 2019
    746
    76
    Rural Illinois
    I am announcing that I will be taking down my shingle as "gunsmith" after 50 years of devotion to the care and repair of our hobby. All of this may boil down to individual states keeping the 2A alive while others will deny our rights. Where I live. Illinois, is just such a wasteland. Democrat ownership of everything in Illinois by way of Chicago and The State House that can be purchased is very troubling. To say that it is very un-friendly to gun ownership is only the beginning of the end here.
    I have already sold most of my tools, parts and supplies. I will be inventorying my collection with few exceptions for liquidation. This will be an arduous task with over 600 guns to evaluate. There are also a large number swords, sabers, bayonets and other weapons to be surveyed. I owe a debt of gratitude to several museums collections that I had worked for and will be making contributions to their exhibits.
    I am not getting any younger and I have no children to pass along what I have and learned. I have a few nieces and nephews that are only interested in what will become of uncle John's collections. Just dollar signs.
    Military Camp
     

    Coyote9

    Well-Known
    TGT Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    14   0   0
    Jan 13, 2020
    1,487
    96
    Granbury Texas
    I am announcing that I will be taking down my shingle as "gunsmith" after 50 years of devotion to the care and repair of our hobby. All of this may boil down to individual states keeping the 2A alive while others will deny our rights. Where I live. Illinois, is just such a wasteland. Democrat ownership of everything in Illinois by way of Chicago and The State House that can be purchased is very troubling. To say that it is very un-friendly to gun ownership is only the beginning of the end here.
    I have already sold most of my tools, parts and supplies. I will be inventorying my collection with few exceptions for liquidation. This will be an arduous task with over 600 guns to evaluate. There are also a large number swords, sabers, bayonets and other weapons to be surveyed. I owe a debt of gratitude to several museums collections that I had worked for and will be making contributions to their exhibits.
    I am not getting any younger and I have no children to pass along what I have and learned. I have a few nieces and nephews that are only interested in what will become of uncle John's collections. Just dollar signs.
    Sounds like it was a good path, fair winds
     

    baboon

    TGT Addict
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    May 6, 2008
    22,447
    96
    Out here by the lake!
    I grew up in Chicago’s armpit Joliet and left in 1982 with $500.00 and a place to crash in Houston.

    Even at the young age of 23 I knew I had to get out of Illinois. Houston was booming & every thing seemed new compared to the rust belt I left.

    Now I find myself old fat & gimpy living in a rural area and wondering just how my family still lives up there.

    Month’s back when Houston was under threat of another tropical storm a great niece made her way to Houston via FEMA. She is trained as an EMT and off on an adventure.

    Like all things done by the government we didn’t get a chance to meet up, even with her being literally blocks away.

    She told me back then she had plans to relocate to Dallas. I sent her a text message last week, but never heard back. Perhaps it was the area code of my new paradise!
     

    Axxe55

    Retiretgtshit stirrer
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 15, 2019
    47,021
    96
    Lost in East Texas Elhart Texas
    MJ, the best of luck to the next fork in the road you take sir. I hope you will continue to share the vast amount of knowledge and insight you have gained over the years. We are truly richer for you being here.
     

    avvidclif

    TGT Addict
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Aug 30, 2017
    5,794
    96
    Van Zandt County
    May you enjoy retirement as much as I have. I quit doing the work 2.5 years ago but still enjoy providing guidance for someone needing help. I would not have sold the tools though. After 2 years my "job" had morphed back into a hobby and I had all the good stuff to enjoy it.

    Happy Trails.
     

    TexMex247

    TGT Addict
    Rating - 100%
    19   0   0
    May 11, 2009
    3,369
    96
    Leander(NW Austin)
    Best of luck wherever life takes you. Gunsmithing is a dying art much like my work as a mechanic. We live in a "just replace it" society now instead of a "rebuild or make it better one". I imagine that one day when I get burned out fixing cars I'll inevitably put more time into my gunsmithing skills. Future society permitting.
     

    Mad John

    Active Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 15, 2019
    746
    76
    Rural Illinois
    Best wishes and Godspeed on your path!

    Wish I was closer...I’d love to pick out a nice piece to pass on to my grandson.
    I doubt that I will be selling anything piecemeal. It would be so time consuming. I will probably be looking for a single investor to move the entire lot. With the current political situation, selling individual pieces would take an incredible amount of time. Those pieces that are family heirlooms have already been given.
     

    Mad John

    Active Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 15, 2019
    746
    76
    Rural Illinois
    Best of luck wherever life takes you. Gunsmithing is a dying art much like my work as a mechanic. We live in a "just replace it" society now instead of a "rebuild or make it better one". I imagine that one day when I get burned out fixing cars I'll inevitably put more time into my gunsmithing skills. Future society permitting.
    I am getting tired of fighting the political scenario. I retired from my engineering job in 2003 and took up my passion for historic arms care. I have done hundreds of pieces for museums and private collections. I devoted time and considerable funds purchasing historic antique American for my personal collection. The services I was providing to museums was totally without charge for anything. For years I was spending more than my monthly mortgage on collecting. It sure adds up!
     

    Mad John

    Active Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 15, 2019
    746
    76
    Rural Illinois
    Sorry to hear that. It's a shame.
    But I hope you get to enjoy your retirement. I'm sure others would agree, we would welcome you in Texas.


    Sent by an idjit coffeeholic from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
    Texas has been in my sights. I am old and moving would be an incredible undertaking. People are leaving Illinois like rats leaving a sinking ship. My health is not good and moving expenses would be astronomical. I would not be able to move myself and hiring a moving company is weird when guns and weapons are concerned. Most won't even consider it.
     

    Mad John

    Active Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 15, 2019
    746
    76
    Rural Illinois
    MJ, the best of luck to the next fork in the road you take sir. I hope you will continue to share the vast amount of knowledge and insight you have gained over the years. We are truly richer for you being here.
    I would truly love to share my experience. Unfortunately no one around here cares to get involved. It takes time and dedication.
     

    Axxe55

    Retiretgtshit stirrer
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 15, 2019
    47,021
    96
    Lost in East Texas Elhart Texas
    I would truly love to share my experience. Unfortunately no one around here cares to get involved. It takes time and dedication.

    I wished I did live close to you to be able to learn from you, but I was more referring to as to sharing your information and experience with firearms in the written manner. I hope you are not "retiring" from the forum as well. I have read several of your posts and find them very informative.
     
    Every Day Man
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