We were in Oklahoma last week and it was awesome. It was an opportunity to visit with a wonderful friend and see the sights. And folks, Oklahoma has them. One of our stops was the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. It’s an amazing place with a collection of Native American artifacts, rodeo trophies, art, sculpture, firearms, and more. The guns on display were impressive, and one of the firearms that caught my attention was John Wayne’s Weatherby.
I’ve always admired John Wayne, and I love Weatherby rifles. This particular rifle was of interest for several reasons, not the least of which was John Wayne’s connection to Weatherby. I remembered seeing John Wayne in Weatherby ads decades ago, and I knew he appeared in at least one of the magnificent Weatherby full color catalogs. I found the photo I remembered in my vintage Weatherby catalogs, but it didn’t show Mr. Wayne with this rifle. Then I did a search on “John Wayne’s Weatherby” hoping to find a photo showing him holding the rifle you see in the photo above, but I did not find it. Wayne appeared in several photos and advertisements, though, like the one you see here:
The Weatherby in the Oklahoma City National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum was interesting from several perspectives beyond the fact that it belonged to John Wayne. Take a look:
So there you have it: John Wayne’s Weatherby at the Oklahoma City National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. We enjoyed our time there, and I’ll add more photos from the Museum in subsequent blogs. If you’re in the area, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum is a spot you won’t want to miss.
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Interesting rifle.
Have you visited Woolaroc near Bartlesville, OK? They have a wonderful museum of regional history; the natives thru the oil boom, including a massive firearms collection. Allow a full day for the museum tour.
Dan, I have not, but thanks for the tip. We were only in Oklahoma for a few days and we were fully occupied the entire time we were there (watch for more on the ExNotes blog about this whirlwind visit). There’s a lot to see and do in Oklahoma, and the roads were impressive. Woolaroc. Got it; it’s on the list for the next visit, and thanks again.
Very very cool! John Wayne being one of my childhood Heroes and seeing a gun that he actually owned used is any kids dream. Of course some of us are maybe beyond the age of being called kids, at least physically, but when you see one of your heroes you are once again a nine-year-old kid. Thanks for sharing once again your travels and things that you see when you travel
For awhile back in that era Weatherby’s Mauser actions were manufactured by FN, just like that, jeweled bolt, and the most beautiful bluing, FN produced them for Weatherby and H&R for their Ultra line for a limited time.
From the pics I couldn’t make out any FN proof marks but I always admired those old Weatherbys. They were very cool, slick pieces back in the day.
Neat article, brought back memories.