I don't want to make this too long to read so I will give the short version. Back in 1979 my father was hurting for money for Christmas presents so he sold my grandfather's guns to a local gun shop in NJ that has since closed. I was 6 and not yet into hunting and the outdoors as I am today. That decision has pained my father greatly and is a very sore subject. Fast forward to today, my father is very sick and I found the original receipt documenting the sale. My father has said that those guns would have gone to me and my son but obviously, his choice at the time changed that. I am trying to locate them and bring them back home to him before he dies. He got a poor diagnosis in October and time isn't on our side. The guns were a Remington 870 12 gauge Serial #61680V and the second is a Winchester Model 94 30/30 Serial #2769698. My ask is that if you own these types of firearms, please check your serial numbers and let me know if you have one of them. I know it's pissing in the wind, but I have to try. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Good luck on your journey I checked my safes and none in there I know I’m in Arkansas but you won’t believe how far something can travel praying that you can recover them

Hope you somehow find them.My brother stole my grandfathers shotgun from me.

What your father did was an act of love. Let him know that his treasures stored in heaven are what important.
Almost 50 years is a long time. You and you son, family are his legacy. Hears a Bible passage Matthew 6:18-21
may help explain.

I hope You have Success

Wish OP well. Might also try posting on Craigslist or face plant. You never know.

But topic also raises the question........what to do with ancestors guns? They have intrinsic value and can be converted to cash, but what about sentimental value? We had an ancestor who served in Union army during civil war. His relics were a sword and a pistol. We still have the sword, but his pistol fell into hands of a cousin who sold it to a pawn shop in KC. It's gone forever. That it got away bothered my father to his grave.

My grandfather had two shotguns. I have one, a cousin the other. We have talked and the one I have is going to the cousin to be kept together. In his care, they will survive at least one or two more generations.

My dad ended up owning 6 or 7 various guns.....nothing special, all of them mass produced users. But they were his. The question has been raised.......what to do with them? Keep them together as a set, or divide them up among the grand kids? And now great grand kids?

I was fortunate, my father gave me his .410 when I was 14. He gave my brother the .22 pistol he used for coon hunting, which he sold. It took me a few years but I was able to track it down and buy it back. All my guns are going to be divided amongst my kids with the understanding that if they are going to sell them they must first offer them to their siblings at a fair price.

I just recently got my father's guns. My son and I took a trip to my folk's place a couple years ago when it looked like his mind was goin. I put them out on the floor and gave some to my 2 nephews The rest came home with me. Some I have kept, others I sold off to buy guns I would rather have. Alot of the guns he had, like the lugers weren't any thing special and were more using grade, they went to get a couple semi auto .308s stuff like that. I gave a couple to my kids and when I go they get all of them. There's also a couple high end Japanese Swords from the 1300's and some genuine African shields. and spears and knives. One of favorite places to see as a kid was the Field Mueseum in Chicago and that's how my living room looks, very patient wife

I know you are looking for the same gun down to the SN#

you might find the same gun similar SN# range and go for a day at the range and make a memory with him before he passes if that is still possible

or even a new gun and go make a memory

It isn't the same but it can still be special.
I hunted with my great uncle for 27 of 29 seasons that he was alive and I was of age to hunt so from the year I turned 12 till he passed from cancer.

he has 3 kids and I was never in line to get any of his guns , so I bought the closest thing I possibly could to the gun he carried all those years.
no it isn't his but it is near identical so it still carries memories.

You need to post this message on Gun Broker and any gun trading or used gun forum you can find. Good luck.

That sounds like a pretty good plan.

my will also has a clause , the kids are not to sell the guns , they can trade among themselves or give to other family or family friends so close they are like family.
that clause was in there since before all the kids were born.

I can give guns to whom ever I wish until my last breath I started this year and gave each of my nieces a 22lr.