For many of us, there is nothing more American than the iconic image of a cowboy on horseback, wide-brimmed hat pulled tight, sitting tall in the saddle against the endless expanse of the open plains. That picture embodies the very spirit that defines our nation – a spirit of freedom and independence, as well as the opportunity to set our own course for the duration of our lives.
The heroic cowboys of the wild frontier captured our imagination in books, and as the subject of many of our favorite television shows and movies. We thrilled to their tales of action and adventure. We envied their independence and rugged self-reliance. They would ride into town and then head back to their ranches, or head out on the trails seeking new adventures and opportunities.
In the 1800s, “cowboys” were the men who worked cattle in the American west. Their job was to drive massive herds to market across hundreds of miles of treacherous terrain. They faced danger and injury or death at every step. If it wasn’t lightning storms and stampedes, it could be rattlesnakes or rustlers. Through it all, the cowboys kept the cattle moving.
In honor of the legendary days of the Old West, America Remembers presents The Cowboys of the Wild West Tribute Rifle. The Tribute features artwork by Mort Künstler, an acclaimed Western artist. For many years, Mort studied and created artwork celebrating the days of the Old West. Working closely with Mort, we selected six of his favorite paintings featuring action scenes of cowboys at work in the Old West.
For this Tribute, we selected the classic Model ’73 rifle, arguably America’s most famous Western rifle. Often called “the rifle that won the West,” the Model ’73 has been admired for decades as an engineering landmark, representing light-weight utility and long-ranged power. Since its days of action on the Western frontier, the Model ‘73 has become a classic – widely desired and highly collectible. Each Cowboys of the Wild West Tribute Rifle is a handsome recreation of the immortal Winchester Model 1873 rifle produced for us by the master craftsmen of A. Uberti, the world’s premier maker of historical firearm recreations. Each rifle is a working firearm in caliber .45 LC with a blued, 20” octagonal barrel with a tubular magazine.
Craftsmen commissioned specifically for this Tribute by America Remembers capture Mr. Künstler’s original artwork in precise detail, with the artwork featured in 24-karat gold and nickel. You will find Künstler’s own stylish signature laser-carved into the stock.
Only 500 Available
Only 500 of the Cowboys of the Wild West Tribute Rifles will ever be produced. Reservations will be accepted in the order they are received. We will arrange delivery of your working Tribute through the licensed firearms dealer of your choice. If you are not completely satisfied, you may return your Tribute within 30 days in original, unfired condition for a courteous refund. To prioritize your order and confirm availability, call us toll free at 1-800-682-2291. You may also visit us online at www.AmericaRemembers.com. Your Tribute will be individually numbered, and a matching numbered Certificate of Authenticity will accompany your Tribute.
This Tribute will transport you back to an era when courageous men on horseback were masters of their domain. It’s an era that lives on in the paintings of Mort Künstler, and his paintings magnificently capture the danger and excitement of cowboy life on the Western frontier. This is a special era in American history, and an era that brings back so many favorite memories for many of us. Order today to guarantee your position in this exclusive edition celebrating the American cowboy.
The receiver is polished and decorated in 24-karat gold and nickel, and the illustrations are featured in 24-karat gold with a blackened patinaed background to highlight the detail. In addition, the hammer, lever, forearm cap, and buttplate are also polished and decorated in stunning 24-karat gold. The official signature of Mort Künstler is laser-carved into the buttstock.
The right side showcases a trio of scenes, starting with a thrilling scene from Wild Horse Mesa. One of Künstler’s most popular western paintings, Wild Horse Mesa captures the chaos and beauty of a wild horse roundup. According to some reports, as many as two or three million wild horses roamed the open spaces of the American West. Künstler’s painting captures a lone rider at full gallop rounding up horses in a huge cloud of dust. Beside the image is a banner displaying a recreation of Mort Künstler’s signature, your assurance that this edition is authorized and approved by Mort Künstler. Also featured is Crossing the River. You can see a wagon master in buckskins on horseback leading a family of settlers in their covered wagon across a river. Crossing a river in a wagon train was often a dangerous maneuver, so everyone in this painting is anxious to safely complete the crossing. Also featured is Thundering Herd. A cowboy on horseback gives chase to a fleeing bison, followed by a full-blown buffalo stampede.
Left side of the receiver features, Riding Point, as a lone cowboy leads a herd of cattle on a trail drive. The center image is a scene from Lightning Stampede, illustrating the chaos kicked off by a sudden thunderstorm. Cowboys on the trail dreaded thunderstorms, because bolts of lightning and cracks of thunder could send a nervous herd into a panic. The final image featured is Dangerous Crossing. Everything seems calm, but the thing about life on the trail was that nothing was as easy as it looked. Künstler said that he was struck by the careful way horses crossed the water. One wrong step could spell disaster for the horse or rider. Taken together, each of the Tribute’s scenes inspired by Künstler’s work paints a vivid picture of life for cowboys on the frontier.
© 2017 Mort Künstler, Inc.
Shipping Procedures
Since “Mort Künstler Cowboys of the Wild West Tribute Rifle” is a working rifle, we will arrange delivery through a licensed firearms dealer of your choice.
Order
I wish to reserve “Mort Künstler Cowboys of the Wild West Tribute Rifle,” a working rifle, at the price of $2,495*. Each rifle is numbered and registered within the limited edition of 500, and is accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. Thirty day return privilege.
* All orders are subject to acceptance and credit verification prior to shipment. Sales tax is required in certain states and will be added. Shipping and handling will be added to each order. Virginia residents please add sales tax.
