These are all old guns, and pretty-much all ex-soviet pattern rifles which we can largely assume are beat-up pretty well. It's a bit selfish to say they should have, instead, been sent to the use as parts-kits or sold off to arm other conflicts. The soviet union has certainly sent out plenty of rifles around the world, so a few thousand recycled for use as art is no 'crime against humanity' nor is it a waste of 'precious resources' by any stretch when we've got enough rifles in the US-alone to arm pretty-much everyone.

The concept of 'putting guns to better use' certainly seems to stem from an 'anti-gun' viewpoint but the message is not altogether one we must decry as 'anti'.

The only argument I can really make against this is that impoverished people who can't afford quality weapons were denied cheap surplus in the area, but I don't think that the situation over there is much affected; those who want/need guns will still have sources that meet their needs.

All-in-all, at least they weren't simply burned, melted down, or cast into the ocean… in fact i'd love to have some of this stuff in my own home at some point, it's not all kitschy crap, the coffee table is well designed, and I'd love that green easy chair.