THIS ISSUE IS CURRENTLY CLOSED.
“I am an old-fashioned, honest-to-goodness, flag waving patriot.” – John Wayne
American legends don’t come much larger than John Wayne. In the movies he towered above audiences on the big screen. More importantly as a proud American in support of our great country, he stood tall. Few actors have better embodied the spirit of America than the man affectionately known as “Duke.” Off-screen, he was a man who loved God, his country, and freedom.
As proud Americans, we treasure the symbols of our nation. We stand taller at the sight of our flag waving in the wind. A bald eagle soaring across the sky still takes our breath away. We swell with pride with every rendition of the National Anthem. These things remind us how lucky we are to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave. It means even more when our heroes feel the same way.
John Wayne never missed the opportunity to share his love for America. He was a staunch American who wasn’t afraid to speak up and show his unwavering support for our great nation. If you asked him about freedom, he’d say it was our most valuable national resource. The U.S. government recognized his commitment to the nation with two of the country’s highest civilian decorations: the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
John Wayne’s love for America was legendary around the world. In fact, to most of the world, John Wayne was a symbol of America. As our unofficial ambassador, he perfectly captured that uniquely American mix of individuality, strength, and pride that makes our country so great.
A Handsome Patriotic Salute
America Remembers, with authorization from John Wayne Enterprises, is proud to announce the John Wayne Patriotic Tribute Revolver. This handsome firearm was created to honor John Wayne’s dedication and unwavering love for the United States of America, and features patriotic artwork honoring the USA with stirring quotes from John Wayne. Only 2,500 Tribute revolvers have been authorized in this edition.
The Tribute is issued on a Smith & Wesson Model 686 Plus Revolver in caliber .357 Magnum. This popular 7-shot stainless steel revolver provides the perfect canvas for patriotic artwork honoring the USA and John Wayne, an American legend and proud ambassador for our country. All artwork is featured in stunning 24-karat gold with blackened patina highlights. Each Tribute revolver is decorated by some of America’s most talented craftsmen under an exclusive commission from America Remembers. For this handsome Tribute, we also chose to include highly-polished rosewood finger-grooved custom grips which perfectly complement the handsome 24-karat gold artwork on this powerful stainless steel revolver.
Decorative scrollwork in elegant 24-karat gold adorns the cylinder, barrel, and frame. The revolver’s hammer, trigger, ejector rod, and release are hand-polished and also finished in lustrous 24-karat gold. Both sides of the revolver also feature John Wayne’s legendary Red River “D” brand, along with John Wayne’s signature on both sides of the barrel.
The Powerful .357 Magnum Revolver
As the Roaring Twenties became the Great Depression, peace officers found themselves outgunned and overwhelmed by a new breed of criminal. Legendary gangsters such as Al Capone, “Baby Face” Nelson, and Bonnie and Clyde turned city streets and dusty back roads into danger zones with .45 semi-automatics and Thompson submachine guns. America’s lawmen and federal agents were at a disadvantage because of their less powerful department issue .38 Specials.
Lawmen needed a fighting chance against the bad guys and they needed it quick. One of the first companies to answer the call of duty was Smith & Wesson who created a special handgun to handle a lengthened, extra power cartridge. The first Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum revolver was presented to FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and the rest is history. Today, the .357 Magnum remains a powerful and popular handgun cartridge. In the 1980’s, Smith & Wesson developed the classic Model 686 revolver.
John Wayne was no stranger to firearms in his films. Even though he was most famous for Western roles with revolvers and lever-action rifles, we are certain that Duke would have appreciated this handsome, Made-in-America revolver. He certainly liked firearms with power and authority and the Smith & Wesson Model 686 would have fit the bill perfectly. In fact, John Wayne carried a Smith and Wesson revolver as a police officer in one of his movies which was filmed before the introduction of this classic .357 Magnum revolver. It’s easy to see why this Smith & Wesson model has been a popular American handgun since it was first introduced, both for law enforcement and shooters. Straight from the factory, it’s a thing of beauty, but once we added the custom artwork and expert detailing, it becomes a stunning museum quality work of art.
The John Wayne quote on the right says, “Sure I wave the American flag. Do you know a better flag to wave?” The quote captures the straightforward honesty of a man who was never one to mince words… especially when it came to his opinions on the state of the nation. There weren’t many people who could speak so well from the heart and say so clearly what it meant to be an American. John Wayne stood up for America and supported our country and leaders even in the most difficult times. His boldness inspired and encouraged many Americans and it’s this unending love of country we honor today with this handsome Tribute.
Along the barrel, classic patriotic quotes from John Wayne are featured. While countless screenwriters have been responsible for some of his characters’ most memorable lines, Duke had his own way with words when it came to talking about national pride. The featured John Wayne quote on the left side of the barrel is, “America is the land of freedom and that’s the way I enjoy living.”
Display Case Available
An optional, luxuriously lined custom-built wooden display case with locking glass lid is available for purchase to protect your Tribute.
Secure Your John Wayne Patriotic Tribute Revolver Today
John Wayne was truly an ambassador for America. He was an outspoken man of principle who firmly believed in the idea of liberty and justice for all. Much like the characters he played on film, Duke was never afraid to stand up for what he believed. The John Wayne Patriotic Tribute Revolver will stand as a tribute to the legacy of a Hollywood legend, as well as a constant reminder to never take our nation for granted. As John Wayne himself once said, “My hope and prayer is that everyone know and love our country for what she really is and what she stands for.” America is still the greatest nation on earth, and like John Wayne, we need to remain as proud supporters of our country. Only 2,500 Tribute revolvers will ever be produced and they are available only from America Remembers. Act quickly to guarantee your place in this edition (CANNOT BE SHIPPED TO CALIFORNIA BECAUSE IT IS NOT ON CALIFORNIA’S APPROVED ROSTER OF HANDGUNS).
JOHN WAYNE®, 
,DUKE & THE DUKE® are the exclusive trademarks of, and the John Wayne name, image, likeness and voice, and all other related indicia are intellectual property of John Wayne Enterprises, LLC. ©2015 All rights reserved. www.johnwayne.com.
