Decorating your gun? ...Folk art

[Sav .250]

If you want to Jass up your weapon..........have at it.

But you only have to look around at Gun Shows, Ranges, etc to see it`s not the order of the day.

Unless your an American Indian in some sort of ceremony, it has no
value to all those who think a weapon, lives in it`s natural state, is the
only way to go.

Geronimo......................left the bldg. a long time ago.

 

[aarondhgraham]

As Kids we did it back in the early 60's,,,

As Kids we did it back in the early 60's,,,
When Mil-surp .303's were less than $20.00.

I bought a spare stock for my 8mm Mauser for $3.00,,,
I chopped and carved all over that thing,,,
I won't try to claim it was pretty,,,
But it definitely was unique.

Some of my friends did very nice things though,,,
I remember one kid who inlaid a cheek-piece in his stock,,,
Then inlaid diamond shapes and circles all along the fore-piece.

After all was said and done,,,
They were not very pretty at all,,,
But it satisfied our need for something "customized".

Aarond

.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I get a kick outa it

Out here there are a lot of authentic and modern phony cowboy and Indian "art" guns. Sometimes the art is indicative of a repair and sometimes just for customizations sake.

I have a Winchester model 97 with an otherwise beautiful stock but a slight crack at the pistol grip. I took several attempts to get the look I wanted in using sinew to reinforce the stock and now appreciate it on an aesthetic level. So, to me it's art.

Indian studs or leather, Mexican coins and silver, sinew and bone use... All these things together are one of the highlights of trolling through shows out west here.

Another thing I'm a sucker for - old school "dime" compasses well emplaced.

 

[Coltdriver]

I love the personal touch on a hunting rifle. I make all of my own slings. I have some feathers hung off of my 45 70 (that an Indian gave me and promised they would bring me good hunting) along with a shell holder on the stock that I made from leather. I have fitted a couple of stocks and forearms and finished them myself.

I have not carved up a stock yet (beyond fitting one) but making a very personalized stock is in my plans for the 45 70. I don't care who does or does not like it and I use all of my rifles so none of them are collectable. If it did not cost so much I'd have some basketweave carved into the stock. I have seen many Austrian hunting rifles with nice relief carving in the stock.

In the worst case the stock can be replaced. I always thought a well done inlay of gold wire and something like inlaid lapis or an inlaid arrow head or some other colorful stone would look cool. And the tacks that adorned old western rifles add character in my opinion. Not for every rifle, but everyone should have one highly personalized rifle.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I've customized LOP and sights and screwed on mini rails for weapons mounted lights but that is about as far as I have gone. I have not ruled out carving the wood. I would probably buy a used stock for that and keep the original. For the most part I dint sell so it doesn't worry me. I assume carving up a gun will hurt its resell value and then make my informed decisions from there.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Pounding brass tacks into the stock of an 1866 Winchester was 'American Indian Cool' at one time.

This is the only thing I like for the historical aspect. I'm nostalgic about the old west stuff, thus my love for single action big bores.
If I had an old beater Winchester (modern one, not an original collectors item) I think it would be pretty cool to try and duplicate some of Indian art.

Here's a modern gun that is decorated in that style and I actually think its kind of cool. It's not over the top.
Now I wouldn't do it to a valuable antique because like rc said, it would kill the value.