cool stuff from a recent trip--- Tons of pics

[Streetstar]

Ok-- i had business in San Antonio, 2 stops were on my agenda for the drive back --- a Lonesome Dove 20th anniversary exhibit in the library at Texas State-San Marcos, and a visit to the Texas Rangers museum in Waco --- for those of you that live in the area --- stop on by either of these places if you can . Lonesome Dove, i just saw for the first time a month ago, and have totally engulfed myself in all its spin offs ever since -- and a few of these pics are from that exhibit ---- the rest are from the Rangers museum

note: some of the pics are of guns that were on display and may have the name or a snippet of a pic of the Ranger that donated the piece. If anyone on the forum is related to one of these fine officers, or if you are in LE yourselves, please understand that i am posting to display pics of a public display and wanted a few more people to enjoy these pics.

Many of the pistols are what Sheriff Jim Wilson refers to as "BBQ Guns" because when a peace officer goes to a function, he straps on his finest , most embellished firearm and nicest leather.

I was also surprised at the number of 1895 lever guns i saw there. I had formerly ignored these and thought they were kind of "ugly ducklings" until this trip where i saw many examples of them --- but anyway - here goes -- lots of pics, so this posting may be in several parts --- Lots of fun stuff -- posting them allowed me to relive my visit and drool some more




Sign from the HaT cREEK RANCH





McCrae's prop body and grave marker






patchwork pants Danny Glover wore in the movie --- wonder if i can buy a pair of these somewhere?

[Pathfinder09]

Very Cool. Lonsome Dove is one of my favorite stories and movies. Robert Duvall is just awsome.

[Streetstar]

Okay -- Lonesome Dove stuff out of the way --- now on to some of the stuff you guys might get into a little more

Wall of lever guns


1895 on display



Here's another display with an 1895 front and centr



earlier stuff -- Spencer rifles and such



chrome plated 30-30 trapper

[Streetstar]

More

garden variety early model 94 30-30 --- these were very common in the museum --- makes me like my 30-30 even more to know about its law enforcement heritage



Sorry fellas -- i really dont know what these are, but they looked cool






Guns used in and captured from the Bonnie and Clyde incident



A presentation grade model '94 (later moddel - note the receiver safety) and the coolest Thompson i have ever seen

[Streetstar]

Okay -- now on to the pistols

whew --- this is quite a mind boggling presentation for a vintage firearms fan, and i have only posted pics of a small portion ---
Lots of single action Colts, and a ton of 1911 variants but i will add a brief description if it is anything else








interesting to note all the wear on the slide of this one --- looks like it was actually used

[Streetstar]

More pistols --- they were all so tricked out and awesome looking i couldnt help getting a little camera happy though







Beautiful Royal Blue Colt Python with gold plated cylinder


another slick Python


Hmmm -- what is this -- oh! another Python -- surprise ----- stuff like this is a recurring thing throughout the museum --- the Rangers use nothing but the best it seems


Sorry about the glare-- but there are a few Smiths in there too -- this is a heavilly embellished Model 29

[Streetstar]

One of the .45's has an "inside the pocket" clip on the side --- too cool






Like i said -- nothing but the best -- the saddles got the treatment too













ThATS ALL FOLKS !

[Ysabel Kid]

That's all? Heck, that was enough to empty all the drool my poor little body could hold.

Must fight dehydration... must fight dehydration...

VERY COOL!

[major]

That is some awsome pic's thanks so much for posting them...

[geobru]

That is some awsome pic's thanks so much for posting them...

+1

[RIHMFIRE]

great post
thanks

[kimwcook]

Excellent, thank you for that. Those BBQ guns are beautiful pieces of artistic endeavor. Gotta get one made up like that some day.

[Old Savage]

Neat stuff.

[crs]

Thanks for the post. It has been a while since I visited the Ranger museum and this makes me want to run down there again.

[Borregos]

WOW
Thanks for posting

[Griff]

WOW! Makes me wanna take another trip down there and watch LD again.

[JReed]

That's all? Heck, that was enough to empty all the drool my poor little body could hold.

Must fight dehydration... must fight dehydration...

VERY COOL!

And that is why I always have a water bottle handy when looking at picture posts.

Way cool thanks for sharring

[TedH]

Holy Cow! Lots of cool stuff there.

[Sixgun]

Streetstar,
That was very kind of you to take the time and energy to post all those pics. Thank you!! While scrolling down, looking at them, I was mesmerized in another world. Those Thompsons are just the ticket to bring me happiness and I'm a leverguy.

Not to mention the fact you saved me big bucks from taking a trip down your way Ahhh, just as well as Griff probably would have stole my carry gun. ----------Sixgun

[Dave]

Wow! They have got some great stuff! I like old guns that have some history better than an old gun that still looks new.

[Aussie Chris]

Wow! Lots of great photos there, thanks for posting. Those .45s look cool, very cool.

[FWiedner]

What a great set of photos.

Thanks for sharing your tour.

[Streetstar]

What a great set of photos.

Thanks for sharing your tour.

thank you guys for the positive comments ------ i posted all this as soon as i got in because i was afraid if i sat on the pics for a week or two, i would forget about them and my wife would eventually erase them. It was awesome to post these as i got to re-visit the place again

The Lonesome Dove exhibit was cool and i love the movies, ----- but the Ranger museum is almost surreal in comparison. LD is a wonderful movie series, but it is in fact .... fiction, , but these Rangers, they lived it. The place breathes history

And just like someone commented, i also liked seeing the deeply embellished pewter and pearl gripped pistols with slide wear or burn marks at the muzzle --- very cool --- those guys used the best, but weren't afraid to use them, and that is inspiring on typical LE salary levels . But thats Texas, and you Texas and Oklahoma guys know this ----- very few places can you see so many people pairing a $25 pair of jeans with a $200 belt/buckle set and a $400 pair of boots. Using that logic, a presentation grade pistol that costs more than 3 house payments almost seems justified.

[Warhawk]

The Texas Ranger museum in Waco is one of the best museums I've been to, just outstanding.

Did you take time to watch the film? I learned a lot from that film.

[C. Cash]

Thank you for sharing those! I had read about the Lonesome Dove exhibit....very neat. Now why does the cross look so big in the display when it is very small in the movie? Just curious.

[JohndeFresno]

Very Cool. Lonsome Dove is one of my favorite stories and movies. Robert Duvall is just awsome.

+1 - One of my favorite moves of all time; Duvall is one of the best actors of our generation, I believe. And I've always been an great admirer of the Rangers. Thanks for the vicarious tour!

[Birdman]

Thanks for the pics. Lonesome Dove is an all time great. I want to see the Cody Mesuem and now the Ranger's too.

[Jaguarundi]

Thanks for posting the pictures .Simply priceless collections .

[rangerider7]

Neat stuff from the LD exhibition! I Have been going to the "TEXAS RANGER MUSEUM" in Waco, Texas since 1971. I thought y'all might want to see some Texas Ranger items I have. The first one is a car badge that Capt Tom Hickman used then gave it to Capt "Lone Wolf" Gonzaullas. It is custom made and "one of a kind". They put it between the tubular bumper on their cars in the old days before they had the Texas Ranger license plates. When they pulled up they would just point to the badge and say "open up!". That is an actual Texas Ranger Captain's badge in the middle. A bolt held it in place. I have all the provenance from "Lone Wolf" himself. The second is a "scout" belt that some of y'all have seen before. It came from the museum originally. The third is a badge that came from a Texas Ranger used in the 20s. I have other things but I like these the most. I was lucky to have acquired these many many years ago.

[Streetstar]

Neat stuff from the LD exhibition! I Have been going to the "TEXAS RANGER MUSEUM" in Waco, Texas since 1971. I thought y'all might want to see some Texas Ranger items I have. The first one is a car badge that Capt Tom Hickman used then gave it to Capt "Lone Wolf" Gonzaullas. It is custom made and "one of a kind". They put it between the tubular bumper on their cars in the old days before they had the Texas Ranger license plates. When they pulled up they would just point to the badge and say "open up!". That is an actual Texas Ranger Captain's badge in the middle. A bolt held it in place. I have all the provenance from "Lone Wolf" himself. The second is a "scout" belt that some of y'all have seen before. It came from the museum originally. The third is a badge that came from a Texas Ranger used in the 20s. I have other things but I like these the most. I was lucky to have acquired these many many years ago.



]

Very cool personal museum you have . Lone Wolf Gonzaullas has a prominent booth at the museum! I see you have an 1895 Saddle Ring rifle as well, --- i have to aquire one of those soon if i can -