Tip of the Week: Making a Store-Quality Pistol Display Setup

Previously, I covered my tips for magazine storage and alternative long gun storage using re-purposed guitar racks.

I love being able to just look at my guns and handle them at will; it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. So this week, I wanted to go over the solution I came up with for gun shop-style felt-lined pistol storage and display.

Disclaimer: This solution isn’t for everyone. If you have children, other tenants who aren’t amenable, only have a few guns, or have stricter storage requirements, you may want to pass on this open-air storage technique. For other storage options, check out our Best Safes article.

Step 1: Shelving

I opted to use vertical shelving to help save space and keep most of my handguns centralized in a single location.

The shelving I selected is commonly referred to as “boltless shelving,” meaning that no bolts or tools are required for assembly. Gun people may notice that the system for attaching the shelves looks a lot like KeyMod (I don’t doubt they borrowed the idea from boltless shelving).

These shelves are great for three reasons. First, they have a very high load capacity and should stay sag-free for a long time. Secondly, you can customize the height of the shelves fairly easily.

But the last reason is the most important here. These shelves have metal frames, but the actual shelf portion itself is an MDF that sits inside the frame.

Having a board that simply slips into the frame allows you to cover it in felt, which is essential for protecting your firearm while still having it sit in the frame.

Step 2: Adding Felt

Covering the shelf in a layer of felt cloth does two things.

It protects the gun from getting scratched or dinged when being picked up and put down, but it also looks fantastic.

A swath of guns on display on some Hunter or Kelly green felt just gives off Cabela’s gun library vibes. It looks like stuff that would be in a case at a nice gun store.

I purchased a roll of 72-inch wide felt, cut off a relatively large piece, set the MDF shelf on top of it, pulled the felt around the edges as tight as possible, and then used a staple gun (small nails will work, too) to secure the felt to the underside of the shelf.

It does help to have someone hold the felt taut while you staple or nail it. I am lazy, so the bottom of my shelves looks terrible, but the overhang of the shelves covers it up.

Step 3: Prop Rods

While you can store the pistols flat on their sides, this looks goofy and doesn’t always make for the best display.

Instead, you can use pistol prop rods to hold the guns up at an angle. I originally didn’t know the term “prop rod,” so it took me a while to find them, but I eventually found some from Rack’Em Racks.

Having quite a few pistols, I eventually ran out of prop rods. I decided to cheap out and use 3/4-inch wooden dowels from Home Depot cut to about 3 inches in length. I slightly beveled the edges with a sander to prevent them from snagging on the felt and tearing it up.

You can also use the kickstand-type pistol stand, where a wire rod goes into the barrel and holds the gun up. These may be a bit more secure, but they are also more expensive and slightly more difficult to remove the gun from them.

Why Not Just Buy a Pre-Built?

I hate overpaying for storage or display stuff just because it is marketed “for guns.” A felt-lined gun shelf with supplied prop rods would likely run $300-500 or more.

I’d rather make something myself if it isn’t too complicated or expensive

But half of the battle is just finding out exactly what each component is called and where to find them. The information is somewhat gatekept and isn’t always common knowledge.

If you are looking for a simple three-step pistol display setup that you can snag for under $100 or $150, depending on shelving size, this might be worth a look.

Final Thoughts

Again, this storage solution isn’t for everyone, but I have had a few people ask about my shelves.

 People commonly assume the photos are from some gun store or storage facility. Guests who are into guns love it, and it is always a hit.

I have been using this shelving, felt, and prop rod setup for about eight years now with no ill effects on my guns, and the shelves have survived at least one house move. I like the setup and will likely continue using it for the foreseeable future.

What are your thoughts on this setup? Do you have any cool tips or tricks for pistol display? Let us know in the comments below! In case you missed it, check out our tip of the week on Alternative Long Gun Storage!