# Gun Rack



## woodworks (Feb 12, 2008)

I am attempting to make a gun rack that dates around the civil war. Any one that may have some pictures of racks can feel free to send them. Mostly what I need is the full size pattern of the gun holder themselves. The U or J shaped peice that actually holds the rifle. Any and all attempts to help will be well appreciated. Thank you :thumbsup:


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## woodman42 (Aug 6, 2007)

Welcome to the site woodworks!
Sorry, don't know anything about the gun rack that you are refering to but be patient, somebody here will probably help you.


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## kissdude (Jan 9, 2008)

i can check for you my grandpa makes gun racks in need to know exactly what you want out of it send a pic of the guns and what else you need to my junk email at [email protected]


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## woodworks (Feb 12, 2008)

*Picture*

Sorry, can't & won't send a picture of guns. But thanks for trying. Anyone else have any patterns for the holders that hold the stock and barrel of the gun???


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

kissdude said:


> send a pic of the guns quote]
> 
> LOL LOL LOL I knew what your intent was, But in this day and time, that request was funny.:yes:


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## kissdude (Jan 9, 2008)

oh no i love guns and have helped my grandpa with some that he sold i have a pic of it on my myspace if you want i can try to put it on this sight ?


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## woodworks (Feb 12, 2008)

Thanks anyway kissdude, but I think I have it. I'm still working out the pieces parts, but I think I should have it done by the end of the week. I've got it to the point of dry fitting and am trying to figure out how to make the gun holders adjustable.


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## kissdude (Jan 9, 2008)

ko well i tryed


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## kissdude (Jan 9, 2008)

oh no i love guns and have helped my grandpa with some that he sold i have a pic of it on my myspace if you want i can try to put it on this sight ? what did u think i was trying to do ????:thumbdown: :huh: :laughing: :hammer: :ninja: :donatello: sama: :stupid: 











Handyman said:


> kissdude said:
> 
> 
> > send a pic of the guns quote]
> ...


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

kissdude said:


> oh no i love guns and have helped my grandpa with some that he sold i have a pic of it on my myspace if you want i can try to put it on this sight ? what did u think i was trying to do ????:thumbdown: :huh: :laughing: :hammer: :ninja: :donatello: sama: :stupid:
> 
> 
> I thought you were trying to help a guy with him problem.:yes:


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## woodworks (Feb 12, 2008)

If you go back and read my orginal post, you will see that what I asked for was if anyone had a pattern for the gun holders. Anyone can make a gun rack (including me). I needed help with the holders that the gun rest's in. Why would I want to post a pic of the guns??? I had already said they were civil war period. There is no need to post a pic of the guns for the question I had asked. No one so far has been able to actually address the request I made. But I'm still not giving up. Hopefully someone has some plans/patterns that they are willing to share. I don't want something run of the mill. I am doing this as a custom piece and for the money I'm charging, it has to stand out. My customer is very particular and I have done several other pieces for him so he know's what kind of work I can do. 
Again, thank you to anyone and everyone who can and will help. And even those that just come to read.


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## LarrySch (Dec 31, 2007)

I have no idea of what a civil war gun rack looks like - but try this link - not sure if this is what they were or not???
https://www.replicagunsswords.com/weapons_gallery/product.php?productid=981&cat=98&page=2


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## woodworks (Feb 12, 2008)

LarySch;

Thanks for the link. I'm not sure either if that is what they looked liked, but there is some interesting things there. Mainly what I needed was/is the pattern for the rack holders themselves. 
I think I may have it but the one thing he wanted was that the holders themselves would be adjustable. I'm having a hard time figuring that one out. Each holder needs to be adjustable so he can put different size rifles on it (up/down not sideways). So far it's proving to be harder then I would have thought. So please feel free, anyone, to give me your opinions. Some of you guys can have some pretty good ideas and I'd like to hear them.


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## Buffalo Bilious (Aug 20, 2007)

For what it's worth (I'm no Civil War expert), I'd say that decorative gun racks were incredibly rare back then, at least in the US.

Most folks/households had only one gun (if any at all), and it usually spent its time propped up in a corner of the room. Hanging it over the fireplace was about as fancy as it got. A gun was considered a basic tool to be used and abused rather than shown-off.

You might try a search on European gun racks from the same era... there might be more to look at and refer to.


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## woodworks (Feb 12, 2008)

For anyone who is interested, this is what I came up with. The owner likes it so that is all that matters to me. What that means, is that I get paid for it and won't have to re-do it. 

Thank you to any and all who responded to my quest for help. If I can ever return the favor, please feel free to ask.


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## kissdude (Jan 9, 2008)

that thing is so awesome


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## pianoman (Jan 16, 2008)

Up and down...not sideways... WELL, have the butt pivot...and build dividers for each gun area. Then build a craddle that is adjustable in hight for the barrell... sort of like adj. shelves. Rick


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## woodworks (Feb 12, 2008)

pianoman said:


> Up and down...not sideways... WELL, have the butt pivot...and build dividers for each gun area. Then build a craddle that is adjustable in hight for the barrell... sort of like adj. shelves. Rick


:blink: What??? I'm not sure I understand (well actually, I am sure I don't understand). 

I don't know what you mean by up & down, not sidways. And I don't know what you mean by the butt pivot. 

But, I do understand (I think) about the rest of it. Both sides are adjustable for height. Since the owner has the old civil war muskets, I wasn't sure about the spacing between them, so I made the stock adjustable so I would'nt have to do it again (because they wouldn't fit). Since I didn't know where the barrels would fall (since my rifles were not anywhere near the same) I wanted it adjustable also. If you look, you can see the brass screws going through the racks. That was the hardest part of the whole thing. I tried brass inserts then barrel nuts, but just couldn't get anything to work. So I ended up using nuts on the back side. I double nutted it so it can't work loose. I was going to use locking nuts, but they were a little too thick and would'nt fit flush in the groove. 

I would like to know what you mean though, I will be making one for myself and would like to have some more input as to idea's.

Thanks


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## pianoman (Jan 16, 2008)

I thought I read somewhere that you wanted the guns to stack vertically. Side by side! Rick


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## woodworks (Feb 12, 2008)

No, That would be more of a case type. Althought orginally, I had been asked to do a case style to go along with a set of floor to ceiling, wall to wall book cases I had made for him, he changed his mind and wanted a rack instead. I personally would have liked to do the gun case instead, but as you can see, that didn't happen. I did stay with the same wood and clear finish though, since they are all in the same room. The book cases turned out really nice. I would like to have a set for myself. It took about a month to make them and I don't really have the time or the wood to make a set just for myself. I'm still trying to finish (or I should say start) making my kitchen cabinets. I've had the lumber for those for about 6 months now. Too much work and not enough time.


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## pianoman (Jan 16, 2008)

I`m glad the rack turned out good and he was happy. Hope you find the time for your cabinets in the kitchen! Let us know they go... Rick


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## LITLHOF (Nov 18, 2007)

Woodworks:
My grandpa, Big Papa, (1870-1948) used to make gun racks out of deer hooves. He' remove the leg at the second joint and cut the main tendon on the outside of the leg. The lower joint with the hoof, would snap up into a right angle. When dried these were nailed to the wall in paralell rows, hooves pointing upward. Best regards, Litlhof.


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## woodworks (Feb 12, 2008)

LITLHOF said:


> Woodworks:
> My grandpa, Big Papa, (1870-1948) used to make gun racks out of deer hooves. He' remove the leg at the second joint and cut the main tendon on the outside of the leg. The lower joint with the hoof, would snap up into a right angle. When dried these were nailed to the wall in paralell rows, hooves pointing upward. Best regards, Litlhof.


 
I've seen those here and there. I live in the area of WVa., so a lot of these good ol boys have that sort of decor in there homes. I personaly don't want the leg of a deer sticking out of the wall in my house. But then again, I don't even want the head mounted. But at the same time, I don't even like to hunt. The only thing I want of a deer is the meat and that doesn't stay around very long. I go through it quite fast. 

I've also seen the knife handles and even gun racks made from the antlers.


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## woodworks (Feb 12, 2008)

pianoman said:


> I`m glad the rack turned out good and he was happy. Hope you find the time for your cabinets in the kitchen! Let us know they go... Rick


I don't really have a choice of finding the time. I already ripped out the old ones. I'm redoing the whole house and I had to rip up the floor joist's in the kitchen since they had dry rot & termite damage. Plus, I'm taking out the inside brick walls and replacing with studs. Now that's a job. I need to get busy and get the kitchen finished so I can do the other half of the house this summer. If anyone here wants to volunteer to come give me a hand, I wouldn't turn it down. :wallbash:


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## LITLHOF (Nov 18, 2007)

woodworks said:


> I've seen those here and there. I live in the area of WVa., so a lot of these good ol boys have that sort of decor in there homes. I personaly don't want the leg of a deer sticking out of the wall in my house. But then again, I don't even want the head mounted. But at the same time, I don't even like to hunt. The only thing I want of a deer is the meat and that doesn't stay around very long. I go through it quite fast.
> 
> I've also seen the knife handles and even gun racks made from the antlers.


Woodworks:
Big Papa had his den down in the basement of his home and the walls were covered with old time knotty pine panelling. It was on these walls, in his den, that he had the gun rack mounted. I believe it held about 8 guns. Best regards, Litlhof.


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## woodworks (Feb 12, 2008)

LITLHOF said:


> Woodworks:
> Big Papa had his den down in the basement of his home and the walls were covered with old time knotty pine panelling. It was on these walls, in his den, that he had the gun rack mounted. I believe it held about 8 guns. Best regards, Litlhof.


It's a shame how people don't appreciate the old woodworking anymore. I've seen so many homeowners have someone come in and either take it out, or cover it over. And the thing of it is, that same woodworking would cost an arm and a leg nowadays. I have my upstairs walls all done in T&G that I made. It's all different species and width's. The next people who own it will probably just cover it, but I like it.


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