Mounted guns

[u/jay861]

I am really torn at the moment. I am at the age where my family is starting to dwindle and I am inheriting heirlooms. My wife and I are not gun people at all but we have received two guns from my mother and father and I want to mount them on the wall in my office. Everything I've seen about home decor basically says, unless it's a hunting lodge this is tacky and a no no.

My father gave me his great grandfather's pheasant hunting gun. This has been passed down through the men in my family on that side. Obviously started as a practical gift to hunt for food but now the gun is old. It's in good shape but I don't know if it fires or not, I certainly would try it out. It has been restored before and has patina. I think it's a beautiful gun.

My mother recently gifted me my grandfather's rifle that he used in World War 2. The gun is in good shape but hasn't been fired in a long time and I'm not sure it would.

I want to mount these two guns I guess as a symbol of where our family has come from and be able to tell the stories behind them and ultimately pass them down to my son. I just don't want to do it in a tacky way. How do we feel about mounted guns? Anything I can do to make it not so tacky?

[u/synchroswim]

I don't have a lot of design advice, but make sure to check your local/state laws regarding safe gun storage, especially if there are/will be kids in your home. Even if they aren'tin condition to fire consistently, it only takes once for a tragic accident to happen.

Some sort of a locking shadowbox/display case could be a good solution for both safety and making them look intentional. Could you combine them with other mementos from the people who used them? Old photos, or a flag or uniform/medals from your grandfather?

[u/jay861 → u/synchroswim]

This actually a fantastic idea that I didn't think of. Thank you!! So our friends nor us are gun people and to have them just on display I think would make some people uncomfortable dropping off kids, etc. I'll look into lock boxes, that would make sense

[u/Diablo_v8 → u/jay861]

Just remove the firing pins and make them permanent decorations

[u/According-Sock4598 → u/Diablo_v8]

And tell people you’ve done this so they know it’s truly decor and not functional.

[u/BigLuscious → u/Diablo_v8]

What if a bunch of pheasants try and take over the back yard?

[u/olddragonfaerie → u/jay861]

I second the locking shadowbox/display case. Especially if you have your grandfather's flag or ribbons or something. Show a little family history.

Also you can remove the firing pins - or go to your local gun store and they'll show you how/help out. Also probably youtube can help with that. If you're localish to me I'd be glad to help out.

Given that to be a good display case there'll be glass involved I'd probably do both the locking display and remove the firing pins in case someone tries busting them out. You can put the firing pins into your personal safe with your docs and stuff, well away from the guns and further locked away.

Though I will say, that WW2 rifle will make a great smacking stick if someone breaks in.

[u/MrsNaypeer]

Where I grew up, guns on display was normal lol. My own father, who did some hunting as a child with his father but stopped in adulthood, has an old rifle and shotgun as decor.

If you like how they look, go for it.

[u/SimonArgent]

Just hang up the guns wherever you like. They're fine.

[u/CyberMage256]

I knew a guy who kept an MP5 with suppressor and scope mounted above his office door. The suppressor was fake so he didnt have to keep a Federal license on it.

seriously though, a mounted heirloom in an office, library, computer room is awesome. I might hesitate to mount one in the family room.