21 GUNS IS VETERAN OWNED, MEET TOM WALSH

I was always incredibly proud of my father—for his service as a veteran and for his 35 years as a Minneapolis firefighter. That pride was one of the main reasons I joined the Marines shortly after high school. As a veteran myself, I felt an overwhelming sense of honor at his funeral when the rifles were fired in tribute. After the service, I was handed the shell casings, and as I drove home, I found myself reflecting on how meaningful they were—and how I wished there was a way to transform them into something lasting.

I thought about other shell casings I had received from a fellow service member, sitting quietly on my dresser, and how powerful those symbols of service truly were. During that drive home, the idea took shape: to create timeless keepsakesfrom these shells—pieces that would honor fallen service members and provide their loved ones with something deeply meaningful, enduring, and worthy of their legacy. In that very moment, this business was born.