just remember  without a Buyer it is Just Old Junk.,  it is unfortunate Today  there only interested In the cash. That why I always  have said Sell it while your alive. 
  if no one is interested it will Go to the pawn shop
JW

marlinguy wrote on Dec 4^th, 2018 at 12:02pm:

I like your attitude. Amen
I used to lament the conversion of single shots to varmint rifles. Then I realized it saved a lot of actions. Things go in cycles.   

I can't speak for large gun shows, but I watch the auctions a lot and no one is giving anything away.
Prices are very steady.

Aaron

Personally I have very few guns I'd want to donate to a museum. Although I have a #1 Rolling Block Sporting Rifle with local history, and have made arrangements for it to be donated to the Oregon City Historical Society Museum. 
It's value to someone not familiar with Oregon Pioneers and  E.C. Hackett (the owner, and prominent historical figure to Oregon City) would likely not be of much interest to collectors outside of Oregon. Since the museum has so much documentation on Hackett, I felt they'd appreciate having his personal rifle for their display use.
Most museums that get guns donated are often likely to divest themselves of those guns later to generate funds. Even if the will states the donation of those guns is not to be sold. What the museum does later can't be controlled, and I've heard of people going to see guns their family donated and finding out the guns were gone. 
I'd rather mine went directly to private parties, instead of donated to museums and then them sell to private parties.

Having worked both in and for public museums, I can vouch for what Vall states.  But I will also note that most often museum's deaccession from their collections because that's the best way - and sometimes the only way - they have of raising funds for necessary and often overdue maintenance,  improved storage facilities, new acquisitions, and other expensive projects.  Furthermore, please remember, what you donate is often accepted under the general umbrella of "aiding the museum's mission", and sometimes money is the aid they need.

Bill Lawrence

Muzzle loaders?

Aaron

Don't forget that "Cabela's" is Bass Pro.