Display pieces

marineman · December 7, 2012, 12:32 AM

I figured this was the most accurate place for this, anyone here buy guns in non-firing condition just to use as decorations around the house or is everything you own fireable? Bidding on a set of inoperable shotguns now to hang on the wall, just wondering if I'm alone there?

armsmaster270 · December 7, 2012, 02:32 AM

I only have operable firearms. I do not display deactivated weapons it invites break in's.

couillon · December 7, 2012, 03:17 AM

No, all are functional, but I just can't afford to shoot some of them. Portuguese Kropatschek in 8x60R and Swedish Rolling Block in 8x58RD for example. So yes wall hangers.

tahunua001 · December 7, 2012, 07:58 AM

all of mine fire. the oldest gun I own turned 100 this year and she still makes semi regular range visits with me.

madcratebuilder · December 7, 2012, 10:07 AM

I made a floor lamb with a Damascus barreled shotgun and a table lamb from a flint lock pistol. Wife wanted them in my office and not the living room

James K · December 7, 2012, 11:07 PM

Years ago, Interarms had so much stuff they couldn't sell that they turned a lot of them into lamps. Old rolling blocks became floor lamps and old Italian revolvers became table lamps. They made rather nice displays and most were in such poor condition that they were small loss as guns.

I once knew a man who had some old junk revolvers chrome plated and displayed under glass on blue velvet in a sunken coffee table. He figured any intruders would go for the shine and not look for the concealed room where he kept some very good stuff. I don't know if it would have worked, since AFAIK he was never burglarized

Jim

bedbugbilly · December 8, 2012, 03:23 PM

Personally I don't have any that are just "wall hangers" but that's not to say that there isn't a market for them. I've known several men over the years who wanted something like that to hang on the walls of their restaurants and bars - decorative pieces. I once bought a collection that had a few in it - mostly old damascus barreled shotguns that were missing parts, pieces. I put them out at a gun show I was at - a fellow came along with his young son looking for "projects" he could work on with his son as his sone really was getting to like guns - especially older ones. He was a nice fellow and his son was a very nice kid - reminded myself of me when I was his age with his interests. I ended up giving him three of them as I could tell he didn't have a whole lot of money to spend. They were thrilled. He later sent me some photos of one that they had "fixed up". He'd helped his son refinish the stocks and re-blue the metal, etc. Even though I hadn't charged him anything for them, I got my payment just seeing the results and knowing that they had done some father/son bonding.

Just don't go overboard on what you pay for them. Most of 'em are worth more in "parting out" IMHO than as a assembled gun.

1 old 0311-1 · December 8, 2012, 03:39 PM

I got a REAL old flintlock as a wall hanger. Looks good.

BigRick · December 9, 2012, 05:32 AM

No interest at all in wall hangers. Especially Camel Guns, old Enfields, or caplocks.

ronz · December 10, 2012, 12:17 AM

Just bought one yesterday an old parker shotgun but wouldn’t have gotten it if it wasn’t functional but don’t think I will be able to resist shooting it but would more than likely be only once and only a couple of shots
the wife was with me when we bought it I asked her what she thought
She said “it would look good above the fire place” so it really didn’t matter if it worked or not it’s a decoration just a little better decoration if it works and a little better yet if you shoot it

johnm1 · December 10, 2012, 12:20 AM

I just can't do it. I bought a Steyr M95 Long Rifle as a wall hanger. It had been decommissioned by drilling the chamber. I just couldn't let it stay the wall hanger I bought it for. It now shoots and pretty well at that. Now I have to do something with the parts left over from the donor/parts rifle.

Magnum Wheel Man · December 11, 2012, 08:36 AM

Um... not intentionally... all of mine must be shootable

I do have an old glass fronted case full of grandpa's & great grandpa's shotguns... AFAIK, all are "shootable" but most are damaskas barreled, so I wouldn't shoot them... I guess they are decoration, being in an antique glass front case, but not intentionally... I also collect antique pocket guns, & have some in obsolite chamberings ( like 30 rimfire ) on those, I had my machinist buddy make rifled chamber inserts, so they can shoot 22 rim fire, & I do shoot those with Aquila Colibri's... I have an old bottom break S&W, that I made functional after I bought it in unfireable condition... I have never shot it, even with the lightest of 22 rim fire, because of the fragile design... however, I don't display that one, it's more a safe queen

DennisCA · December 12, 2012, 05:32 PM

BigRick (and others) I agree:

I prefer to collect shooters - not wallhangers

jimbob86 · December 12, 2012, 05:51 PM

Quote:

I prefer to collect shooters - not wallhangers

Why not both?

It's real, but it's not terribly old.

MJ1 · December 12, 2012, 07:35 PM

...

johnwilliamson062 · December 12, 2012, 09:45 PM

B/c of my involvement in local Firearms rights issues it is a little difficult for me to play the "I don't have any guns" card. I keep all but the basics off site now, but no way to stop a lot of people from knowing the gun I open carry is at my house.

There are always those glass cabinets with space for a half dozen guns on craigslist. I have considered willing one with replicas, de-milled, etc. for looks.

December 7, 2012, 12:32 AM	#1
marineman Junior Member Join Date: May 31, 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 8	Display pieces I figured this was the most accurate place for this, anyone here buy guns in non-firing condition just to use as decorations around the house or is everything you own fireable? Bidding on a set of inoperable shotguns now to hang on the wall, just wondering if I'm alone there?

December 7, 2012, 02:32 AM	#2
armsmaster270 Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2008 Location: California Posts: 1,951	I only have operable firearms. I do not display deactivated weapons it invites break in's. __________________ http://www.armsmaster.net-a.googlepages.com http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/f...aster270/Guns/ Retired LE, M.P., Sr. M.P. Investigator F.B.I. Trained Rangemaster/Firearms Instructor & Armorer, Presently Forensic Document Examiner for D.H.S.

December 7, 2012, 07:58 AM	#4
tahunua001 Senior Member Join Date: July 21, 2011 Location: Idaho Posts: 7,839	all of mine fire. the oldest gun I own turned 100 this year and she still makes semi regular range visits with me. __________________ ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar. I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin

December 8, 2012, 03:23 PM	#7
bedbugbilly Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Posts: 3,287	Personally I don't have any that are just "wall hangers" but that's not to say that there isn't a market for them. I've known several men over the years who wanted something like that to hang on the walls of their restaurants and bars - decorative pieces. I once bought a collection that had a few in it - mostly old damascus barreled shotguns that were missing parts, pieces. I put them out at a gun show I was at - a fellow came along with his young son looking for "projects" he could work on with his son as his sone really was getting to like guns - especially older ones. He was a nice fellow and his son was a very nice kid - reminded myself of me when I was his age with his interests. I ended up giving him three of them as I could tell he didn't have a whole lot of money to spend. They were thrilled. He later sent me some photos of one that they had "fixed up". He'd helped his son refinish the stocks and re-blue the metal, etc. Even though I hadn't charged him anything for them, I got my payment just seeing the results and knowing that they had done some father/son bonding. Just don't go overboard on what you pay for them. Most of 'em are worth more in "parting out" IMHO than as a assembled gun. __________________ If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63

December 10, 2012, 12:20 AM	#11
johnm1 Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2006 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 652	I just can't do it. I bought a Steyr M95 Long Rifle as a wall hanger. It had been decommissioned by drilling the chamber. I just couldn't let it stay the wall hanger I bought it for. It now shoots and pretty well at that. Now I have to do something with the parts left over from the donor/parts rifle. __________________ John M. Mesa, AZ

December 7, 2012, 03:17 AM	#3
couillon Member Join Date: August 3, 2012 Posts: 58	No, all are functional, but I just can't afford to shoot some of them. Portuguese Kropatschek in 8x60R and Swedish Rolling Block in 8x58RD for example. So yes wall hangers.

December 7, 2012, 10:07 AM	#5
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 4,923	I made a floor lamb with a Damascus barreled shotgun and a table lamb from a flint lock pistol. Wife wanted them in my office and not the living room

December 7, 2012, 11:07 PM	#6
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Years ago, Interarms had so much stuff they couldn't sell that they turned a lot of them into lamps. Old rolling blocks became floor lamps and old Italian revolvers became table lamps. They made rather nice displays and most were in such poor condition that they were small loss as guns. I once knew a man who had some old junk revolvers chrome plated and displayed under glass on blue velvet in a sunken coffee table. He figured any intruders would go for the shine and not look for the concealed room where he kept some very good stuff. I don't know if it would have worked, since AFAIK he was never burglarized Jim

December 8, 2012, 03:39 PM	#8
1 old 0311-1 Junior member Join Date: November 5, 2012 Posts: 89	I got a REAL old flintlock as a wall hanger. Looks good.

December 9, 2012, 05:32 AM	#9
BigRick Member Join Date: November 27, 2012 Posts: 22	No interest at all in wall hangers. Especially Camel Guns, old Enfields, or caplocks.

December 10, 2012, 12:17 AM	#10
ronz Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2012 Location: milwaukee wi Posts: 220	Just bought one yesterday an old parker shotgun but wouldn’t have gotten it if it wasn’t functional but don’t think I will be able to resist shooting it but would more than likely be only once and only a couple of shots the wife was with me when we bought it I asked her what she thought She said “it would look good above the fire place” so it really didn’t matter if it worked or not it’s a decoration just a little better decoration if it works and a little better yet if you shoot it

December 11, 2012, 08:36 AM	#12
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	Um... not intentionally... all of mine must be shootable I do have an old glass fronted case full of grandpa's & great grandpa's shotguns... AFAIK, all are "shootable" but most are damaskas barreled, so I wouldn't shoot them... I guess they are decoration, being in an antique glass front case, but not intentionally... I also collect antique pocket guns, & have some in obsolite chamberings ( like 30 rimfire ) on those, I had my machinist buddy make rifled chamber inserts, so they can shoot 22 rim fire, & I do shoot those with Aquila Colibri's... I have an old bottom break S&W, that I made functional after I bought it in unfireable condition... I have never shot it, even with the lightest of 22 rim fire, because of the fragile design... however, I don't display that one, it's more a safe queen __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

December 12, 2012, 05:32 PM	#13
DennisCA Senior Member Join Date: June 3, 2012 Location: Union City CA (a.k.a. Poople's Republik of CA) Posts: 451	BigRick (and others) I agree: I prefer to collect shooters - not wallhangers

December 12, 2012, 07:35 PM	#15
MJ1 Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2008 Posts: 329	;) ...... __________________ "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" --Unknown Soldier-- Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid. - David Hackworth -

December 12, 2012, 09:45 PM	#16
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	B/c of my involvement in local Firearms rights issues it is a little difficult for me to play the "I don't have any guns" card. I keep all but the basics off site now, but no way to stop a lot of people from knowing the gun I open carry is at my house. There are always those glass cabinets with space for a half dozen guns on craigslist. I have considered willing one with replicas, de-milled, etc. for looks.