richard hale is a tattoo enthusiast who studies and researches the symbolism, meanings and history of tattoos.
gun tattoo designs
If you’re looking for a tattoo that suits your outlaw ways, a gun is a surefire way to go. there are a variety of different people who have associations with weapons. Soldiers, hunters, police officers, and ordinary people use firearms for a variety of different reasons, such as protection and hunting. Any type of weapon can be tattooed, but if you have a preference for a specific type, make sure you know what it is called. weapon skins can render the weapon to look artistic, realistic, or have a cartoon look. When it comes to weapon skins, the variations are endless.
When looking at examples, guns are easily the most common choice among men and women. pistols are small and slim in most cases and can fit in a variety of different places like a piece of art on the body. 9mm and colt revolvers are two popular types when it comes to gun tattoos. rifles, machine guns, aks and shotguns can also be used when it comes to weapon skins. you see more rifle designs in the army, like in the us. uu. army and navy.
18 awesome gun tattoo meanings
a brief history of symbolism
Guns have been criticized for centuries, ever since they were first created. in the tattoo world, it is no different. many people associate them with violence and evil. this is only partially true. yes, sometimes they represent gangs and violence, but not all of them do. they serve multiple purposes for those who use them for symbolic purposes.
Although they are mainly worn by men, more and more women are choosing this type of design. women often choose to decorate them with a variety of different symbols, such as flowers and vines. women are not alone, as men also decorate their gun tattoo designs in a similar way, which helps to minimize the huge publicity and criticism that surrounds them.
gun tattoo meanings
There are a variety of different meanings associated with weapons. Many people believe that the gun tattoo can only be associated with negativity, but this is simply not the case, sometimes it can also be positive. In the table above, you will find the meanings regularly associated with the gun tattoo.
Both men and women choose these designs for different reasons. some people get them to attach to their symbolic meaning, while others may get it for personal reasons. others may wear it just because they like the way it looks. either way, they look great when done correctly and with good detail.
They are usually done in grey, silver or black in most cases. however, some artists have created their own designs that are very colorful and distinct. since the weapons are long and short, they are often inked on the arms, sides, legs, and back. a popular spot for both men and women is on the sides of the stomach. this gives the impression of pistols on a belt. some of them represent a single pistol, while others may appear in a holster. there are many things you can do when it comes to layouts.
what to know before getting a tattoo!
There are some very important things to remember before choosing your design. you want to make sure you do your own research and understand what yours represents and means. you want to choose one that suits your personality and symbolizes you. don’t rush through the process before you’ve thought it all out. when you rush, we tend to get something we later regret. do your own research, take your time and understand the one you want. Thanks for your visit and have fun!
© 2012 richard ricky hale
comments
usman on October 19, 2012:
very nice
richard ricky hale (author) of west virginia on June 28, 2012:
theredesense, thanks for the comment and your time. I’m glad you enjoyed this article. take care.
theredesense from leeuwarden on June 25, 2012:
big center – I love all those images and I didn’t know they could have so many different meanings. good 🙂
richard ricky hale (author) of west virginia on April 25, 2012:
amy, that’s a great question. it all depends on who you talk to. you see a lot of tattoos of weapons, especially pistols, pointing downwards. this is simply because of the projection of it being held in the holster. this symbolizes more the art than the symbolic meaning of the weapon. but once you get into gang tattoos, biker tattoos, etc., raised arms can represent “battle ready” per say. this is not pointing out gangs, bikers, etc. once again, it depends on the purpose of the design and who wears said tattoos. a big question for some, it’s certainly symbolic.
amy on April 24, 2012:
Is there any meaning to having the barrels pointing up instead of down?
richard ricky hale (author) of west virginia on April 24, 2012:
midnightbliss, thank you for taking the time to visit us and comment. I hope you enjoyed it and found it useful.
haydee anderson from playa hermosa on april 18, 2012:
good article. I myself have several tattoos, but I don’t have any weapons yet.
richard ricky hale (author) of west virginia on April 12, 2012:
thank you all very much. Frank, absolutely. I agree 100%. femme, if done right, the color can last for a few decades. eventually, it will fade, some colors more than others. however, it is not difficult to fix them. hbn, gypsy, alocsin, ardie, ae, rosemay, thank you all. I wish the best for everyone!
gypsy rose lee from daytona beach, florida on april 7, 2012:
having a weapon will travel. Too bad you can’t shoot them.
sondra from neverland on April 5, 2012:
I was a little skeptical at first, but there are some really great designs in this hub. I wasn’t quite sure what kind of meaning could be put behind a gun tattoo, but you explained it very well.
ruby jean richert of southern illinois on april 5, 2012:
wow i’ve never seen a gun tattoo, it brings back an old song, ‘pistol packing mama’…they really are quite colorful…cheers ricky
frank atanacio from shelton on April 05, 2012:
the lyric writer wasn’t playboy tattoos but it was cool…the lady with the two shooter tattoo was hot…lol I mean the tattoo she had was cool 🙂 frank
aurelio locsin of orange county, ca on april 5, 2012:
I’ve seen this in black, but I hadn’t noticed the colored ones before. upvoting this and beautiful.
femmeflashpoint on April 5, 2012:
letter,
I don’t think I’ve come across any gun tattoos in person, but these were awesome!
I’m curious if the ink stays as bright (for the most part) as it shows in the photos.
Until now, I haven’t gotten a tattoo and probably won’t. but, if I were so inclined, I’d expect it to be colorful and stay that way. 🙂
woman
rosemary sadler from hawkes bay – new zealand on april 04, 2012:
very interesting ricky. I’ve never seen a gun tattoo on anyone, some of them are quite intimidating.
once again you did a great job
gail sobotkin of south carolina on april 4, 2012:
another great tattoo center that has been thoroughly researched and was very interesting.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a gun tattoo in person and I’m glad you gave so many examples.
These tend to be quite bold and impactful, especially with the placement of some of them, but they are also very artistic.
thanks for sharing this.
