Firearms and Wilderness Conservation

One of the more popular exhibits at the Cody Firearms Museum is our Adirondack Cabin. Built to resemble a cabin of the type used by wealthy hunters from New York, it currently houses the Boone and Crockett Heads & Horns Collection. Additionally, a visitor can take a VERY close look at the Winchester Model 1895 Rifle carried by President Theodore Roosevelt on his African Safari in 1909. The exhibit (and the purpose of the original collection) is here to remind us of what we could lose were it not for hunters and anglers who chose to set limits and laws to govern their sports. At a time (the late 1800s) when many game populations were greatly declining, the Boone and Crockett Club began its life by lobbying for the necessary legislative changes in order to save the game animals they appreciated so much.

The reason I mention this is an article that was forwarded to my by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (of which, we are a non-profit member). This article, posted originally here, discusses a government tax that shows a direct benefit to us. When people talk about the affect of firearms on the American West, take a look at the Pittman-Robertson Act. Over seventy years, the 10-11% excise tax on firearms and ammunition has provided more than $4 billion dollars to restore our wilderness areas. As with most federal monies, the states of the west have received a larger share, per capita, as a result of their smaller population. Not that we would complain.

Cheers,

Dave K.

Easy, do-it-yourself gun rack

I came into the office today and saw some old emails, including one from the National Association of Shooting Ranges (NASR) that included a design for an inexpensive gun rack. It is intended for use at gun range club houses, but this could easily be employed at home or in museums with small firearms collections.

If you are doing this at home, you can change out the materials if you want, but if you are doing this for a museum, I would recommend the following changes:

1. Use undyed Muslin backed by Poly/cotton batting as a buffer/bumper. You can also use Ethafoam to pad everything.
2. Take a router to the edges to round them over.
3. Use a little better quality wood (if you can).
4. Coat all of the wood surfaces in a clear acrylic. Paint it and let is stand for at least a week before you use it around/with collections objects.

All you have to do know is find a secure place for it and you are good.

Cheers,

Dave

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Winchester Wingo - in the original crates

I want to make this one a short one given that we are in a short week, if for no other reason.

Today I took a ride to a warehouse used by the Buffalo Bill Historical Center to store some of our oversized objects that need different housing. In the midst of the objects there are a Model T Ford, several wagons (horse-drawn), storage/shipping crates for past traveling exhibits, old office furniture, and (from the Cody Firearms Museum collection) a crated-up Winchester Wingo machine. This machine is one of two known to exist. It was designed to throw hollow balls of ice for use in an indoor target shooting game. The one that came to Cody from a private individual was, as far as I know, never unpacked.I know that some donors would be concerned to see something like this, but when we are dealing with something like the Wingo machine, it is better to have left it in the original packaging.

Also – on a separate note, I wanted to mention a new blog by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the shooting, hunting and firearms industry. I should also mention at this time that the Cody Firearms Museum is a non-profit member of the NSSF.

Time for me to go home for the day. Have a safe week and don’t eat too much!

Cheers,

Dave