Generational Gun Dislay

[Blackdog6]

So with the recent passing of another family patriarch, I inherited another gun.

I have reviewed some of my non-work guns and realized over time I've grown a collection of patriarch owned then inherited guns.

I'd like to have a way to display them that makes sense for their significance, in this case four generations of men in the family who carried them. The problem is they're all different categorically​. A Mauser 98, 1911, Beretta 20ga Bird Gun, Browning A5, and a few others.

Any ideas? (Also for concerned parties, I have a spouse free safe zone for this project. Took a while for the waiver process .)

 

[BOLTRIPPER]

YOU KNOW .............the reality of it is, unless you placard each and every one, no one is going to give a rats behind.....after you pass anyway........so

sell 'em all and get something you like and enjoy yourself,knowing in your mind that all that went before you contributed to you current joy of a firearm decision.

 

[K-tech]

I have to disagree with Boltripper, don't be that guy who sells off the family heirloom firearms. Take care of them, display them, and show the next generation the importance of them. That being said, I don't think it matters as much how they are displayed, but just that they are and you taking the time to show and explain why they are being displayed.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

^^^ This!

I have inherited most (well, all) of my family's firearms. And they'll go on somewhere as a group. Oldest are post-colonial fowler, up through 1950's Smith and Wesson K22... every generation represented.

Find the 'rightful heir' among your family. Pass it on with a history some day. Look on it as an opportunity to involve and educate the next generation, not deprive them of the most personal heritage you could give them. Because your family's guns are as personal an heirloom as you can hand down.

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[MtnCreek]

Does you family have any old barns or buildings that need to be torn down? If so, get old lumber from that and have a cabinet builder (old timer cabinet builder) plane the boards and build a gun cabinet. My dad and another family member have gun cabinets made from wormy chestnut from the old barn that was torn down in the 80's.

 

[Downtown]

I have found that the oldest they get, the more sentimental value they achieve. I will give my children firearms owned and used by their great grandparents they will be stuck with forever. My family has a hard time getting rid of stuff like that and the older the item gets, the harder. Some of the firearms aren't even that valuable, but how do you get rid of the top break. 38 S&W great grandmother kept in her apron pocket?

 

[Downtown]

Especially because it's worth about $70!

 

[Old Soldier]

How about a photo of the family member over the gun then maybe also something used with the gun, a duck call, leg tags etc. A little memorial to the man.

 

[spaniel]

Depends what you want to do with it. This rifle was carried by my great-great-great grandfather as a member of the Ontario Militia when Irish-American Civil War veterans invaded Canada in the years following the Civil War (the Feinian Raids). Mounted with it in the shadow box I built are the belt from his uniform and a woodburned plaque explaining its significance.

I ended up inheriting all passed down firearms in all the generations since; I have a good rack of 100 year old guns. All of the others can shoot, however, so this one is the only one to get locked up in a shadow box.