Hanging a long gun on the wall

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  • phylodog

    Grandmaster
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    59   0   0
    Mar 7, 2008
    18,754
    113
    Arcadia
    So I picked up this M1A awhile back. I had a beater that I refinished several years ago and was unimpressed with it so I let it go, no regrets there. I've always had an M1A on my "someday the right deal will come along" list and now I have it. It's a beautiful pre-ban National Match built in Glen Nelson's shop in 1990. While I honestly have little desire to shoot it, I can't seem to leave it in the safe either. I generally view firearms as tools and aside from a few with sentimental value I don't keep them around if they don't prove useful. This one is different, it was built the month I went in to basic training and with the beautiful stock it seems to me to be a work of art and I'd kind of like to display it as such.

    So I'm looking for ideas. I'm decent working with wood and I have some of the more basic tools (table saw, miter saw, router) so I'm not opposed to building something like a display case. Screwing a couple of hooks into the drywall/studs just won't work with the wife. Anyone do something similar and want to share? For anyone concerned, there is someone home at my house 99% of the time and two out of my three dogs are likely to turn all but the most hard core troublemakers away from my door should they decide my place looks inviting (it will be in my bedroom so not visible to the occasional guest in the house). That said, if we were going to be out of town and the house empty I would need to be able to get it back into the safe so I don't want to build something I'd have to destroy to get the rifle out.

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    Ggreen

    Person
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    49   0   0
    Sep 19, 2016
    3,686
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    SouthEast
    I've seen display a case that was welded steel with a thinner wood on both sides of the metal acting as a veneer. The front was hinged and locked on top (not visible at the height it was mounted) the front had barbed wire (bob wire roun' here) that kind of criss crossed decoratively around thinner round steel rods. Looked cool, but you have to have the right place for it. This was back in my military days in New Mexico, I believe the guy even had a slot drilled to display his challenge coins in side of it. I would imagine you could get similar results with just wood tho.
     

    Ricnzak

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    26   0   0
    Nov 15, 2008
    1,578
    48
    Noblesville
    ^^^I bet the guy at the 1500 that made really nice oak flag display cases might make something like that. Perhaps hinged with a small lock of some sort. Small wood trim around the glass as not to take away from the rifle.
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
    Emeritus
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    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
    191,809
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    Speedway area
    If you have the basic tools you list it is easy to make a simple plaque style back board. I am not done with this one yet. It has a relief around the edge using my router. I have some dowels for the pegs to hang it. I believe the wood is Oak with ting oil on it.

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    Kirk Freeman

    Grandmaster
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    8   0   0
    Mar 9, 2008
    47,969
    113
    Lafayette, Indiana
    Why not just a couple of brass hooks? I have my greatgreatgreatgrandfather's shotgun over the door to the library at Stately Freeman Manor. I went to Von Tobel's, told the old grumpy guys in the island kiosk in the middle of the store what I wanted to door. They walked me to the hooks and pointed. In and out in 3 minutes. Took another 5 to hang the gun.

    Screwing a couple of hooks into the drywall/studs just won't work with the wife

    Nuts, you have the wife to appease.

    Maybe go with what CM did . . . with brass hooks.:D
     

    roscott

    Master
    Rating - 97.5%
    39   1   0
    Mar 1, 2009
    1,652
    83
    I have a rifle hung over the bed using just horseshoe nails. They are small enough that they go unnoticed, and the rifle just appears to be “floating” on the wall. It’s kind of a minimalist approach, and the wife loved it.
     

    Sniper 79

    Master
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    19   0   0
    Oct 7, 2012
    2,939
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    I made a nice backer board out of oak for an old shotgun I dug out of grandparents attic.

    I routered edges nice. Stained and clear coated. I then took the cutoff end and drew out some rough hook shapes. Cut those out with a jig or band saw. Shape them up with sander. Glue and screw on baker. Worked out great. Made it about the same overall size of gun for a clean less is more look. The hooks can be lined with felt. I just sold it so no pics.

    Another tip is try to not hang on an outside wall. Seen plenty of guns ruined. They look great until you take them down and the wall side is rusted all to hell.
     

    Alamo

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Oct 4, 2010
    8,093
    113
    Texas
    That is very nice looking wood on that rifle. But the best thing about a M1A is...you have the shoulder thingy that goes up. :)
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
    Emeritus
    Rating - 100%
    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
    191,809
    152
    Speedway area
    Why not just a couple of brass hooks? I have my greatgreatgreatgrandfather's shotgun over the door to the library at Stately Freeman Manor. I went to Von Tobel's, told the old grumpy guys in the island kiosk in the middle of the store what I wanted to door. They walked me to the hooks and pointed. In and out in 3 minutes. Took another 5 to hang the gun.



    Nuts, you have the wife to appease.

    Maybe go with what CM did . . . with brass hooks.:D

    Brass hooks. I like it.
     

    Mgderf

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    43   0   0
    May 30, 2009
    17,882
    113
    Lafayette
    Forty years ago I had more than one wooden gun rack hanging on my living room wall.
    Together they displayed something more than a dozen rifles.
    When I left home, I may or may not have locked the door, and never worried.

    Today, I don't own any wooden gun racks, only a safe.
    If I were to display a firearm today, even one that was "out of sight", I would disable it.
    Remove the firing pin, or even the entire bolt.

    If, God forbid, it were ever stolen, it would be unusable.
    Just my arrogant opinion, but I wouldn't want a gun that was stolen from me being used nefariously.
    YMMV
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
    Emeritus
    Rating - 100%
    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
    191,809
    152
    Speedway area
    Forty years ago I had more than one wooden gun rack hanging on my living room wall.
    Together they displayed something more than a dozen rifles.
    When I left home, I may or may not have locked the door, and never worried.

    Today, I don't own any wooden gun racks, only a safe.
    If I were to display a firearm today, even one that was "out of sight", I would disable it.
    Remove the firing pin, or even the entire bolt.

    If, God forbid, it were ever stolen, it would be unusable.
    Just my arrogant opinion, but I wouldn't want a gun that was stolen from me being used nefariously.
    YMMV

    The lever gun in my pic is a fake. Looks the part. Action works. No go bang.
     
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