Posted 11 years ago
Hardbrake
(30 items)
My Time Machine sets inside the blue and gold cover of my copy of "The Trail Drivers of Texas" copyrighted 1924 by George W. Saunders (second edition) printed by Cokesbury Press, Nashville. I read this book in the early 70's and enjoyed every minute of its 1,044 pages and I will read it again soon. It is a book made of individual accounts of cattle drives as remembered by members of "The Old Time Trail Drivers Association." Historians have place the American Cowboy period from about the end of the civil war to the 1920's. Cowboys were equal opportunity employers having a make up of approximately 1/3 White, 1/3 Black and 1/3 Mexican Americans. They were hard working, mostly uneducated, migrant worker. The need for the cowboy to arm himself came about for many reason mostly personal defense from a hole host of different sources of trouble. The real trouble came in the form of Whiskey, Gin, Beer and what ever else was for sale in the cattle towns that sprang up on the American plain. I have placed my copy of "The Trail Drivers of Texas" in a group of items which were or could have belonged to anyone of several cowboys. The rifle is a Winchester Model 1886 in 40.82 cal. and a very heavy rifle with octagon barrel. I have shot this rifle dozens of time and it is nice to shoot. The Pistol is a Colt Model 1878 D.A. in 45 Long Colt, it has a 7 1/2 inch barrel and is also very nice to shoot. The Spurs are very heavy and are stamped "Garcia Elko Nev" and are nicely engraved. The pocket knife is a Case Tested XX with a "French Pearl Handle" this style of pocket knife is commonly called a coke bottle style. The 3 early silver coins 2 Morgan Dollars and a silver 50 cent piece are all from the 1800's as a small Top, a gambling device used by many a Cowboy to win or lose money sets next to the coins. The stage handle strait blade knife is a "M.S.A.Co." Marbles Safety Ax Company "Special" made in Gladstone, Mich.. The Elgin pocket watch was the common time piece of the day. Not all cowboys carried pocket watches but just about all wore chaps and the chaps are a set of early "Stove Pipe Woolies" which would have been nice in cold weather. The Branding Iron with a "Diamond G" brand is from somewhere in New Mexico and it age is unknown. I will add close up pictures of the insides of my "Time Machine" soon. Hardbrake
Thanks Phil: I found it very informative and funny in parts. I am looking forward to reading it again. The individual stories as relayed by the cowboy who's telling the reader, what happen to him for the most part is not Hollywood movie cowboy drama. If you ever run across a copy pick it up it will be worth your time, Hardbrake.
Glad I took time to scan back 4 pages of CW as I have been traveling & now in KY. This alone was worth it! Great collection and I want to compliment you on you pic layout. Like Phil, I would love to get my hands on a copy of the book. Never owned an '86 Winchester as they aren't all that common. You say it is "in 4082". Meaning what? .38-40, .44-40?
Great weapons!
If you have a chance take a look at this 1890s cabinet card of a man holding a similar Winchester:
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/93834-cabinet-card-of-african-american-man-wit?in=user
scott
Thank Blunderbuss: This Winchester Model 1886 is is cal. 40.82 not unlike the 38.56, 44.40 and dozens of other rounds, it shoots a 40 cal. bullet backed by 82 grains of ffg.(black power). I shoot this rifle with a reduced load in smokeless power or I used 2. I will be reloading all my 40.82 from now on in black power full loads (82 grains ffg). Old rifle cal were funny I have several 38.56 rounds as well as 38.55 both rounds are the same in ballistics. It was a marketing thing which still goes on today. I have always wanted a 44.110 or a 50.110 maybe someday who knows, John Oh the bullet for the 40.82 is 410 grains.
Scott: Thanks I like the cabinet card and the rounds could be 40.82 cal as they look just like them. They made this rifle is several different cal. Thanks again Hardbrake
I never heard of .40-82 & I thought I was fairly versed in the old cals. Must not have been around long. How do you come up with cases?
Thanks for the question: With the start of the Single Action Shooting Society (S.A.S.S.) there has been a rebirth in older rounds and a market for manufactures to produce the rounds or casings. The 40.82 has been used by big boar shooter for a long time and has been available from gun shows or direct manufacture sales. I have brought new rounds at about 2.00 per round and saved the casings. Now that I have well over 100 casings I will reload the in black power only. I was lucky and found a set of old R.C.B.S. dies at a "Gun show" (I hope you do not think bad of me, I like gun shows) This will help me save money and get the most out of my Rifle. I will be hunting deer with the 40.82 this year I hope. Another thing that might not be correct I hunt, Hardbrake
I started reloading for my old guns in the early 60's & reloaded .45-70, .44-40, .38-40 & .32-40, but never remember running across this cal. & I made all the gun shows within a reasonable distance.
Blunderbuss: I know there was something about that I liked. I reload for the 45.70 also and I currently have a Springfield 1884 model. I run across old calibers every once in a while that I have never heard of. I have a small bullet collect and I will be posting parts of it real soon, I think you might like some of the rounds. One I like a lot is the 46-100 (Rim Fire) and the 50 Sharps Rim fire. My I ask where in this great county do you live? I am in the California ( I will keep my felling to myself about the state I live in but I bet you can guess what they are. Hardbrake
Blunderbuss: I just paid a visit to your Collector Weekly page and see that you live outside the U.S. Is that correct?
Oui, Hardbrake. I'm visiting & think I am heading for that big Civil War gun show in Richmond next weekend. The statute de limitations expired so I'm on the mainland for 2 wks..
Well then you have a great time, the Los Angles, California gun show used to be the biggest gun show in the nation. But the Socialist L.A. city government shut it down. Now we has just a lot of little ones.
Thought Vegas was the biggest for decades?
It is now, but L.A's. took up the L.A. Fair grounds in Pomona, California, with 9 huge buildings and a large part of the outside grounds. There was hundreds if not a thousand dealers. Not only guns but antique dealers, knife dealers and almost anything else you can think of. That ended for us about 11 years ago. Hardbrake
Wow-- sounds like it was a great show.
With that many sellers there were bound to be a heck of a lot of bargains out there!
scott
There was and I found a few things. When the idiots who run Los Angles county into the ground canceled the contract with the Great Western show who put the sale on they had to give 7 million of the tax payers money to them for backing out of the contract.
I'm two years late to the party here but thought I would include the link to this book (in PDF format) if anyone is interested in reading it. The Internet Archive is my first go-to source for tracking down stuff like this:
https://archive.org/details/traildriversofte00hunt