Bullet in a Glass.
A real bullet. A handcrafted glass. A 10-hour process few can replicate. Each piece is individually made in South Africa by embedding a real spent round into hand-finished glassware — creating a conversation piece you won't find anywhere else.
Ten hours. One bullet. One glass.
Mug Shot started as a question: could we fuse a real spent round into glassware without weakening either? After more failed prototypes than we care to admit, we landed on a 10-hour heat-and-anneal process that actually works — drink-safe, dishwasher-safe, story-loaded.
Every glass is hand-made in our Cape Town workshop. Every glass features a real copper .308 or .45 calibre round, hand-selected to suit the specific product.
- 1.Source the roundWe use authentic .308 rounds because they’re iconic in the hunting and outdoor world — making them the perfect fit for our glasses.
- 2.Position & pre-heatThe round is placed and the glass blank is pre-heated to thermal-shock tolerance.
- 3.Fuse over 10 hoursA long, slow heat-and-anneal cycle bonds the bullet to the glass without cracking either.
- 4.Inspect & finishEvery glass is leak-tested, edge-polished, and signed off by hand before shipping.
“We don't make a thousand of these a day. We make a few — and we make them properly.”
Three Glasses. One Idea.
Whether you sip whiskey neat, take shots on a Saturday night, or pour a cold one after a long week — we have a glass with your name on it. And a real bullet in it.
For the Occasions That Call For a Story.
Mug Shot glasses are the gift you only have to give once for the recipient to remember it forever. Here’s where ours end up most often.
Christmas
The bullet-in-a-beer-glass under the tree.
Weddings
Groomsmen sets in fours. Bride gets one too.
Big Birthdays
21st. 30th. 40th. 50th. The story stays.
Corporate
Engraved unit logos. Branded gift boxes.
Proudly made in Cape Town. Shipped to the world.
Mug Shot is a side-project of Guns & Tactics — Africa’s largest kydex holster manufacturer — that grew into a brand of its own. We make the glasses by hand, ship internationally.
What people say when the box arrives.
“My husband nearly cried.”
Bought the whiskey tumbler for his 40th. He's an avid sport shooter and could not believe a real .45 round was fused into the glass. Best gift I've ever given him in 18 years.
“Groomsmen gifts sorted in one click.”
Ordered six whiskey tumblers for my wedding party — engraved with their initials on the base. The Mug Shot team turned them around in two weeks. Wedding gift sorted, story for life.
“They handle the dishwasher fine.”
I was sceptical — figured the bullet would loosen up in heat. Six months and many dishwasher cycles later, still perfect. The 10-hour fuse really works.
Branded glassware for your team.
Mug Shot makes excellent corporate gifts — for shooting clubs, security firms, end-of-year staff thank-yous, conference giveaways, and wedding parties. Minimum order: 12 glasses. Standard turnaround: 3 weeks.
We offer custom engraving on the base (initials, dates, unit insignia, company logos), branded gift boxes, and matched-calibre sets.
Pick your glass. We'll pick the bullet.
Most orders ship from Cape Town within 48 hours. International shipping available — quote on request.
Africa’s largest kydex holster manufacturer. Body armour built and certified in Cape Town. Mug Shot glasses made by hand, also in Cape Town.
📞 +27 (0)21 791 0556
✉ info@guns-tactics.co.za