Visited The National Cowboy And Western Heritage Museum

[44caliberkid]

I just returned from a trip that included a visit to the NCWHM in Oklahoma City.  What a great place.  They have a fantastic collection of hundreds of guns from the cowboy era, including Hollywood cowboys.
  Now on to my favorites.  Tom Mix's Colt SAA 45.  I loved this pistol.  It is a blued version with about 50 or 60% engraving, very tasteful.  Apparently blued after it was engraved.  It had very thin gold lines inlaid around the end of the barrel, barrel next to the frame and around the rear of the cylinder.  Again, very understated, you could almost miss them.  It also had ivory grips with a Mexican style eagle except he is holding an American flag.  I stared at it through the glass for many minutes.
   My other favorite was Gene Autry's Colt SAA.  A nickled model, it had had all the sharp forward edges rounded, muzzle, front of the cylinder, etc.  to aid in smooth holstering.  I've heard of this being done but had never seen one and whoever did Gene's was an artist to be sure.  The nickle was not bright, like chrome, but had a buttery smooth look to it.  The grips were amazing.  I don't know the material, but it was marbled with cream colors, tans, blue grays.  They were fully checkered except for a smooth area around the edge, about 3/16's wide.  It was very practical, not fancy, a nice working man's gun.  I could only imagine how smooth the action must be.
  If you have never been there it is a must see and worth the trip.  Also travel to nearby Muskogee and see the USS Batfish, a WW2 era submarine that you can tour the inside of.  Imagine having to live in that tin can with 80 other guys.  We were going to visit Ft. Gibson also, but heard it was closed for refurbishing. We also made a swing through Ft. Smith on the way home.  A great western heritage trip.

[GunClick Rick]

Did ya see the End of the Trail statue? A big painting of Tim Holt? My friend Ivan Jesse did the painting and the End of the Trail used to be two miles west of me,the city gave them that one and we got a bronze one. Got pics? Love to go there myself!