2003

  SPRING

by Mark Anniballi
A chance find at a gun show proves to be a documented Civil War gun.

ARKADELPHIA RIFLE   
By Rick Steed in collaboration with Jamie Deason
From out of the brush an Arkadelphia (Arkansas) Rifle, historic ancestor of the famed Tyler Texas Rifle, appears - quite unexpectedly.

LOST AND THEN FOUND   by Jack Howard
The author has a little bit of April Fools fun at the expense of a couple of buddies.

TEXAS AUTHORITY IN METAL    by Donald M. Yena
Texas lawman badges and other artifacts - the men and the metal.  This comprehensive and insightful study of the badges of Texas law enforcement departments is required reading for those interested in this area of collecting.  Profusely illustrated.

THE METZGER COLLECTION - TEXAS  A&M: A HALF CENTURY OF TRADITION   By Clyde W. Howard III
An alumnus from the Class of '65 returns to The Sanders Corps of Cadets Center at Texas A&M University to, once again, view the famed Carl Metzger Collection of antique firearms and the Sam Houston Sanders Collection of  commemorative firearms.

JACK HELM MEETS JOHN WESLEY HARDIN   By David George
"Jack Helm had a knack for finding trouble wherever he went."  So begins this account of the bad blood that existed between the Taylor and Sutton clans in the latter half of the nineteenth century in Central Texas. 

 P 38 PISTOLS and A P 38 THAT TRAVELED  By Richard Garrett
Various markings on the Carl Walther Waffenfabrik's famous P-38 auto-loading pistol; and the strange story of one that found itself in the most unexpected of places.

SISSY TEXAS LAWMAN GOES BAD IN THE OKLAHOMA TERRITORY   By Bill Welch
Self-styled humorist Bill Welch aptly subheads this little piece as being "On the lighter side."

*SAN ANTONIO'S MOST FAMOUS GUNFIGHT   By Kurt House
"On July 11, 1882 occurred the first violence which was the prelude to one of the most famous gunfights in Texas..."  Another account of bad blood between various factions and personalities in Texas in the days of the Old West.

DISCOVERING AN OLD TEXAS RANGER   By Roddy Chambless
A family man shares the memories and memorabilia of his great, great grandfather, o one time Texas Ranger and Deputy Sheriff, a man who devoted his life to law enforcement, and who eventually made the ultimate sacrifice while on duty.

RESEARCH - COLT 1851 NAVY ENGRAVED PISTOL/GENERAL JOHN WILKINS WHITFIELD CSA  
By Frederick A. Bahlau, Jr.
The owner of this engraved Navy discovers some hidden writing which may lead him to the history of his great gun.

MEDICINE PIPE TOMAHAWK  By John Baldwin
The author continues his mini-series on America Indian pipe tomahawks.

PARADE OF WALKERS - 2003  a Pictorial
This spectacular exhibit cannot be done justice within our pages, but it is hoped that six pages of Walkers and transitional Dragoons will record the event for posterity.

JOSEPH PAUL HENRY - PISTOL ENGRAVER  by Charles F. Lee

THE SECOND AMENDMENT  AND THE PREAMBLE TO THE BILL OF RIGHTS
by Robert Greenslade & Claude Ellsworth
A must-read for all students of the Second Amendment, and for anyone else  who may be confused as to the exact meaning of this most important of the  American citizen's rights confirmed by the US Constitution.

 EL PASO GUNMEN  AND THE TOOLS OF THEIR TRADE 
 by Bob McNellis
 A fascinating look at the men who lived and died by the gun in Frontier El  Paso, by the late owner of the El Paso Saddlery Co. who collected fine and historic guns, had many friends and who always had a story.

 NRA NATIONAL GUN COLLECTORS LEADERSHIP SEMINAR
 by Dow Heard
 Not so much a report on the seminar as an account of the fun had
 by all participants afterwards.
 
THE FORT BENTON, MONTANA STORY  by Bill Welch

THE STORY BEHIND C49– THE EASTWOOD WALKER
by Roy E. Lake, Jr. and Susan R. Lake

TEXAS RUNT ELUDES SHERIFF IN OREGON  by Bill Welch
Another report by our resident humorist from Atlanta Georgia, who delights in weeding out the wimps and scoundrels from Texas, and the guns associated with them

TRIBUTE TO BOBBY McNELLIS,  EL PASO SADDLERY Co.  by Peter Steins 
A well known collector of gun leather from Germany pays eloquent tribute to his long term friend from El Paso, who sadly passed away earlier this year.