Commemorative firearms—you’ve seen ads for them in magazines, on the internet and sometimes actual pieces for sale at gun shows or in the used sections at our favorite sporting goods stores. Some of them look kitschy, while others may inspire us by their artwork or the theme represented.
The more common samples these days are usually commissioned by a third party, but at one time Winchester and Colt put out more commemorative firearms than they did standard grades, or at least it seems that way if you browse a collector’s catalog.
One of the beauties of factory commemorative rifles is the number of themes represented, and some will have more appeal to others as either a wall hanger or a shooter. Rifles have been commissioned to celebrate state jubilees, support the National Rifle Association and honor historical figures such as Teddy Roosevelt and Annie Oakley.
According to the staff at the Cabela’s Gun Library in Reno, Nevada (who buy more second-hand firearms than all of the other stores in the country combined), there’s always a huge demand for the John Wayne Commemorative lever actions. Most people still buy these as display pieces.
Some collectors love them, and others scoff at them for being “mass produced pop art.” I’ve seen more than one that made me at least ponder for a minute or so before turning
