Displaying guns-Does anyone still have open gun displays?
- Thread starter gordon21
- Start date
THE PILGRIM
Member
Way back in my puppy dog days, I just knew that I was soon have a nice house with a big gun cabinet. By the time I got a nice house and quite a few guns that didn't seem like the move to make. My guns are locked up in two safes which are bolted to the floor.
A while back I was visiting a guy up in Chama , New Mexico. He owned quite a few guns. The local standard up there is you don't lock up your house or your guns. There seems to be a rule up there that the harder your house is locked up the harder the burglars try to get in. So he leaves his house unlocked and his guns in Plain view. Made me nervous just Hearing him saying it.
A while back I was visiting a guy up in Chama , New Mexico. He owned quite a few guns. The local standard up there is you don't lock up your house or your guns. There seems to be a rule up there that the harder your house is locked up the harder the burglars try to get in. So he leaves his house unlocked and his guns in Plain view. Made me nervous just Hearing him saying it.
nawilson
US Veteran
My grandfather had something similar. As a kid I thought it was about the coolest thing ever. I think my uncle got it when he passed on.
Eugene 9mm
Member
RING RING RING
Caller: Good Morning Mr. Trusting, this is Joe Rhunn from Whee Fleasum and Rhunn Home Insurance. I'm just going through your claim, and I see you are asking $12,000 for some stolen firearms. Please could you clarify how they were secured?
Trusting: I kept them on display in a glass cabinet.
Rhunn: Ah.
Caller: Good Morning Mr. Trusting, this is Joe Rhunn from Whee Fleasum and Rhunn Home Insurance. I'm just going through your claim, and I see you are asking $12,000 for some stolen firearms. Please could you clarify how they were secured?
Trusting: I kept them on display in a glass cabinet.
Rhunn: Ah.
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kamloops67
Member
I would really enjoy displaying my revolvers, love showing them off.
but I keep them locked up in a safe , it just makes good sense.
I would like to point out that just because a kid is raised well and is trained in gun safety doesnt mean they arent going to play with the guns when you aren't there.
They are children, thats what they do. I was one of those kids, trained disciplined and i did what ever i thought i could get away with.
but I keep them locked up in a safe , it just makes good sense.
I would like to point out that just because a kid is raised well and is trained in gun safety doesnt mean they arent going to play with the guns when you aren't there.
They are children, thats what they do. I was one of those kids, trained disciplined and i did what ever i thought i could get away with.
I remember going with my father-in-law to pick up a new wooden gun cabinet that he bought. It had the glass windows in the doors, etc. He had a "man cave" and it looked good in there. No way I would ever display guns like that nowadays...and I live in a relatively crime-free area.
fat tom
Absent Comrade
I still have a nice gun cabinet that contains a few lever guns. I really don't worry about them as much as I once did,but then,there's a lot of stuff I don't worry about as much as I once did.
f.t.
f.t.
wildenout
Member
My x-father-in-law has all of his rifles still in an old gun cupboard with the glass front. He collects older guns so it is really pretty to see, but I am going to have to have a talk with him now that my boy can walk and so can his other grandkid. I personally would love to get a nice looking older gun, and one day display it in a home office setting, above a fireplace or something manly.
joeintexas
US Veteran
Actually I'm guilty as charged. I still have the old glass window gun case I made in high school shop class in 1968. It stores a couple of old shotguns three .22 rifles and a whole bunch of reloads.
Gentlemen, the answer for those fortunate to have the space and wherewithall is a walk in vault/gunroom, truly the best of both worlds, security and the ability to share and observe with close friends and fellow collectors.
I HAD a nice gun cabinet, held 6 long guns and had a under drawer for other things. That was about 1980. Two things were going on, one was I now had more guns than fit the cabinet and the second was we both worked and were gone from the house for 10 hour stretches most every week day.
What to do, choices choices! I was working a lot of OT and decided to get one of those new fangled gun safes that were just then getting popular. Bought a Pro Steel (now called Browning). It held many more long guns and also had plenty of room for my now growing short gun accumulation. It felt so good to leave the house and realize that my guns were safe from most anybody. Safe was an early model and had no fire proofing; it was just a good secure box with many locking rods and an S&G combo lock.
Traded off the nice wooden/glass cabinet to a friend and never looked back. That Pro Steel safe is now long gone also as I left it in the house we sold as part of the deal (new owner was a gun person also) and I bought a even bigger fire-resistant safe.
What to do, choices choices! I was working a lot of OT and decided to get one of those new fangled gun safes that were just then getting popular. Bought a Pro Steel (now called Browning). It held many more long guns and also had plenty of room for my now growing short gun accumulation. It felt so good to leave the house and realize that my guns were safe from most anybody. Safe was an early model and had no fire proofing; it was just a good secure box with many locking rods and an S&G combo lock.
Traded off the nice wooden/glass cabinet to a friend and never looked back. That Pro Steel safe is now long gone also as I left it in the house we sold as part of the deal (new owner was a gun person also) and I bought a even bigger fire-resistant safe.
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Al least where I live, those days are long gone. 
Kind of depends on where you live, how many people you have in your house, and what kind of people come into your house. I won't comment on the siliness of the statements about liability.
gdnagle
US Veteran
Never be honest to a insurance adjuster. They were in the safe that was also stolen. I wonder if the adjuster would pay for the $12,000 in jewelry that might also have been stolen on the dresser stored nicely in a easy to carry jewelry box, or the tools, etc.. Keep serial numbers stored safely and photo's of everything of value.
Got some hanging on the wall some behind the doors and other places. No kids no visitors no neighbors. Big and little dogs and alarm. I like looking at mine. I like being able to grab one if need be, pesky skunk and ground hogs just had a skunk walk out in front in the middle of the day. Not a good sign for me.
Currently I only have two hand guns mounted on the walls in my fortress of solitude in shadow boxes. And I have two cowboy guns in leather holsters and cartridge belts hanging on a rustic style "hat tree" I built in my shop several years ago.
But I'm currently working on the plans for a vertical free standing gun cabinet to be made of oak and glass. It will feature glass panels in the front three sides. It will be six sided. the back 3 walls will have hand gun mounted on them and in the middle will be a revolving base for the long guns and a few artifacts. It will be lighted and the base will contain 3 drawers for various and sundry items. The front door and all 3 of the drawer will be lockable just to keep the honest people honest. I know it won't be much in the way of security or fire protection but it will be beautiful. And the S&Ws will be front and center
This is still in the planning stages and there are many details left to work out. I no longer have the shop or the physical and visual capabilities I ones had so I won't be building it but I do have a friend that is a cabinet maker and has agreed to help me with the design and to build it for me. But it won't be cheap. A big factor on if/when will be the "drive out" price I get when I turn in the plans.
I have been dreaming of this project for years now so if y'all want to wish me luck on this I'd appreciate it. I'm going to need it. Thanks!
But I'm currently working on the plans for a vertical free standing gun cabinet to be made of oak and glass. It will feature glass panels in the front three sides. It will be six sided. the back 3 walls will have hand gun mounted on them and in the middle will be a revolving base for the long guns and a few artifacts. It will be lighted and the base will contain 3 drawers for various and sundry items. The front door and all 3 of the drawer will be lockable just to keep the honest people honest. I know it won't be much in the way of security or fire protection but it will be beautiful. And the S&Ws will be front and center
This is still in the planning stages and there are many details left to work out. I no longer have the shop or the physical and visual capabilities I ones had so I won't be building it but I do have a friend that is a cabinet maker and has agreed to help me with the design and to build it for me. But it won't be cheap. A big factor on if/when will be the "drive out" price I get when I turn in the plans.
I have been dreaming of this project for years now so if y'all want to wish me luck on this I'd appreciate it. I'm going to need it. Thanks!
I have 4 shadow boxes containing various S&W pistols. One is Model No. 1 1/2's, 3 32RF and 2 32 CF. Another holds .32 Safety Hammerless. A 1st issue, a 2nd Issue, and a 3rd Issue. One holds a Nickle 32 Safety Hammerless 2" bicycle gun, and one case holds only a No.1 2nd issue, (with space reserved for a 3rd issue one of these days).
I don't have pictures of all of them, but this one is of the No. 1 1/2's. (Picture was taken before I added the 4" 32 RF to the group.
These sit on top of my roll top desk in my home office just next to my computer desk. I have my recliner in there as well as a bookcase full of reference books. It's where I spend a lot of time so I want to be able to enjoy them. There are also a couple of more modern bottom feeders located in that room, but not visible and so I can get to them if in need.
I don't have pictures of all of them, but this one is of the No. 1 1/2's. (Picture was taken before I added the 4" 32 RF to the group.
These sit on top of my roll top desk in my home office just next to my computer desk. I have my recliner in there as well as a bookcase full of reference books. It's where I spend a lot of time so I want to be able to enjoy them. There are also a couple of more modern bottom feeders located in that room, but not visible and so I can get to them if in need.
H Richard: Those are great displays!!!! I like the little name plaques. They look museum quality. That is the kind of effect I want either in the living room or in my home office/den.
At my age, I want to start enjoying things more. Too may years of 70 hour work weeks. Being able to look at SOME of my guns would be a great start.
Thanks.
At my age, I want to start enjoying things more. Too may years of 70 hour work weeks. Being able to look at SOME of my guns would be a great start.
Thanks.
SW_shooter
Member
Me and the Mrs have this conversation every so often. Unfortunately we live in a neighborhood that has high crime. If anyone even thought we had numerous firearms we would be at risk for a break in. Even the teenage kids talking about seeing a collection could spread like wildfire and put us higher risk. So, to the OP, if you feel safe and don't have to worry about said safety then GO for it! I wish I could display a few of my collection even just for me to look at with out having to take them out of storage and set them on my desk for a few hours and then pack em up and put them back in hiding.
I have 3 safes, the ones that don't fit are on display.
