Art student needs a bunch of guns

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jkcal436

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I am a college instructor going for a masters in art (graphic communications). I want to do an art piece using several guns (50+). I want real guns, probably military surplus...like nagants. They do not have to be real good guns...just real cheap guns.

Advice? Suggestions? Thanks!
 
Is this meaning, like a sculpture? Destroying them, or what? (if you are gonna wreck them, get M1 garands, they are cluture...and it will look really good. Among other things:D:D:D:D [if you can't tell, i am not a big fan of them]) jk lol

Really, MNs should work, get what is cheap. Which, right now, is nothing.
 
I am using them in a sculpture. I am pro 2nd amendment. I will not be destroying them!
 
Just buy some guns at your local gun store or on-line and having them shipped to your local gun store.
 
Guys, even Mosin Nagants are expensive for this project. Mosins are running at $100 where you can find them. For 50 guns, that's $5000.
 
Your school probably has a class on moldmaking (latex, alginate, and the like) and casting. Take it or talk to the instructor. Unless you have a large budget (50 very cheap guns is $2500-$6000) you will quickly hit a budget constraint with real guns. Instead you could get 5-10 guns ($500-$1000), make molds from them ($300???), and make copies ($5-$10 each), and quite possibly sell the guns off again. Once you have experimented on a couple of "test" guns you might even be able to convince people to lend you their guns to make molds from, if you could assure them that the harm was minimal.

Keep in mind that much "art with guns" is anti-RKBA so your motives will be questioned.
 
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Once you have experimented on a couple of "test" guns you might even be able to convince people to lend you their guns to make molds from, if you could assure them that the harm was minimal.
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I'd think that you don't even have to risk "test" guns to practice. Steel pipe and wood fashioned into a dummy gun...practice on that.
 
Steel pipe and wood won't be a good enough test. Oh, you can start there (or with your hand, or a bottle of scotch, or whatever tickles your fancy) but what you are testing is not so much your ability to make a mold as your ability to do it without harming or crudding up the firearm.
 
High Schools used to have Rifle Corps. They marched with the band spinning and tossing prop rifles. The rifles our girls used look kind of realistic from 10 or 20 feet. ROTC used simlilar guns. You could probably find those for a few bucks.
 
High Schools used to have Rifle Corps. They marched with the band spinning and tossing prop rifles. The rifles our girls used look kind of realistic from 10 or 20 feet. ROTC used simlilar guns. You could probably find those for a few bucks.
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When I was in JROTC they used real demilitarized M1903's. So they are realistic.

To the OP I dont know if you College has a ROTC unit but if they do you could try and talk there CO into letting you try and make a mold out of them, he will not be able to give them to you though since they are still government property. You will also probably have to sign a handrecipt since they have to have accountability for all of the inventory. The Local ROTC unit to me has dimilitarized M1 Garands and M14s
 
give them a call

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You might be able to get some destroyed guns from the LEA. if they are just cut in half, you could have them welded up for really cheap.
 
I've molded guns in silicone before. It's not very hard to clean them afterwards. Silicone doesn't stick to metal, the only problem you might have is getting little bits stuck in nooks and crannies or where there are seams (i.e. the slide on a handgun). A little model clay is good at sealing those areas. You won't get those details anyways so the fill job doesn't harm the overall detail of the mold.

Other than that, get airsoft rifles.
 
Sometimes on gunbroker you can find guns for parts or restoration. I've seen some 22's and old rifles missing small parts but if it's just for a sculpture then who cares.


I have an old Sears 200 12gauge shotgun in really good condition I'll sell you for 100.00. You'll see these for more than that on Gunbroker and it looks like an old gun. Would be great for your sculpture. Send pm if you're interested.
 
ALL STOP! I don't care WHY you're making this sculpture. I don't know where you live, but if this is for a class at any school that is actually worth its salt (accredited), then odds are that it would be highly illegal to exhibit a sculpture made with real guns or even with non-functional PARTS of real guns on campus.

I see that you're a grad student, so I don't think you're stupid. Even if you are planning to make this sculpture and put it on display somewhere off campus to be viewed by whomever is supposed to be evaluating it, you may be opening yourself up to a negative reaction. It has been my experience that Academia is hostile toward the 2nd Amendment in general. This would matter less if you were an undergrad student, but as a grad student, your relationships with other instructors and administrators matters a little more than it used to, doesn't it?
 
I love that just the thought of this art has started this discussion. Yes, this school is SACS accredited. And, as long as they can not fire...I dont think I will have a problem. Thanks for all the help! BTW, you can send me your guns to 117 Top O Tree Lane.... :)
 
Seriously you can buy a ton of 1:1 scale AR-15 airsoft rifles at $20 each (or cheaper) --probably a lot cheaper than silicone and molds. A few cans of spray paint and you're done.

I needed an M-16 for a photoshoot and I found numerous airsoft rifles and mfgs, some times for as little as ten bucks.
 
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