Western, anyone?

[Grizzly Adams]

Never been there. Well I never have been in America...
Sadly, CAS do not exist in my Country (I think that kind of competition do not exist in Europe).
That gun is a pellet gun (it appears a bit in the first picture). It's the only gun that resembles a Winchester lever action available to me without a gun licence/permit.
The other one in the picture is a 1873 replica made in Spain.

I know many of the firearms laws in Europe are very restrictive, but it still pains me that law abiding citizens anywhere in the world can not enjoy the right to bear arms peacefully. You are obviously a man who enjoys and appreciates many things about the history of the American West. If you are ever in this part of the world, drop me a line, and I will see that you get to shoot a Winchester 1873, and anything else you would like to try, Amigo.

SASS currently has many active clubs in Europe. I don't find any in Portugal or Spain, but maybe there is a way provided under your laws for sporting clubs?

 

[Joao Encarnado]

I know many of the firearms laws in Europe are very restrictive, but it still pains me that law abiding citizens anywhere in the world can not enjoy the right to bear arms peacefully. You are obviously a man who enjoys and appreciates many things about the history of the American West. If you are ever in this part of the world, drop me a line, and I will see that you get to shoot a Winchester 1873, and anything else you would like to try, Amigo.

SASS currently has many active clubs in Europe. I don't find any in Portugal or Spain, but maybe there is a way provided under your laws for sporting clubs?

I expect to visit USA at least 1 time
Firearm laws aren't very restrictive, but it's a pain to get a permit/licence.
Sporting clubs do exist but none covers "cowboy's guns", but anyway you have to get a permit, only the restrictions are not so "heavy".

Got this hat last year. I still don't understand the connection between ski with Stetson. Is this older than me?

 

[suitedcboy]

Billy Kidd was an Olympic Silver medalist in the 60's and then won some other world competitions of that era. He wore hats when not competing. He was a promotional person for Stetson and they did a few hats with his name on them.
I think the hat line with his name was done in the 70's.

 

[TipTop]

I expect to visit USA at least 1 time
Firearm laws aren't very restrictive, but it's a pain to get a permit/licence.
Sporting clubs do exist but none covers "cowboy's guns", but anyway you have to get a permit, only the restrictions are not so "heavy".

Got this hat last year. I still don't understand the connection between ski with Stetson. Is this older than me?

I was just outbid (not the end of the world) on a navy blue Billy Kidd hat on ePrey. I was interested in the navy color more than the Olympic ski-relationship (which I recall as being 70s also). The seller said there were no XXXs or felt content labels. Is yours wool or beaver?

 

[Joao Encarnado]

I was just outbid (not the end of the world) on a navy blue Billy Kidd hat on ePrey. I was interested in the navy color more than the Olympic ski-relationship (which I recall as being 70s also). The seller said there were no XXXs or felt content labels. Is yours wool or beaver?

Very nice color! Mine doesn't have xxx marks or labels. I don't know if it is a beaver blend fur but I can say it is not wool.
I only bought this one because of the strap. Got it for $36 + shipping.

Billy Kidd was an Olympic Silver medalist in the 60's and then won some other world competitions of that era. He wore hats when not competing. He was a promotional person for Stetson and they did a few hats with his name on them.
I think the hat line with his name was done in the 70's.

I have read about Billy Kidd in the internet but didn't know he wore hats when not competing.
Have it been sold again or was it only sold in the 70's?

 

[TipTop]

Very nice color! Mine doesn't have xxx marks or labels. I don't know if it is a beaver blend fur but I can say it is not wool.
I only bought this one because of the strap. Got it for $36 + shipping.


I have read about Billy Kidd in the internet but didn't know he wore hats when not competing.
Have it been sold again or was it only sold in the 70's?

It just dawned on me that you, sitting in Portugal, may not know the "origin" of "Billy Kidd": it presumably was an intended play on the original name "Billy The Kid" a western legend here in the US.

You can read more here and decide for yourself!

 

[hatophile]

It just dawned on me that you, sitting in Portugal, may not know the "origin" of "Billy Kidd": it presumably was an intended play on the original name "Billy The Kid" a western legend here in the US.

You can read more here and decide for yourself!

The "original" Billy the Kid didn't ski, but he shot a few folks.:eeek:

 

[BR Gordon]

Here is a little history of the Cowboy Downhill that started Billy Kidd wearing the western hat. http://www.allsteamboat.com/events/cowboy_downhill.php

 

[Joao Encarnado]

It just dawned on me that you, sitting in Portugal, may not know the "origin" of "Billy Kidd": it presumably was an intended play on the original name "Billy The Kid" a western legend here in the US.

Billy the Kid I do know.

Here is a little history of the Cowboy Downhill that started Billy Kidd wearing the western hat. http://www.allsteamboat.com/events/cowboy_downhill.php

Now this looks to be fun to watch!

 

[TipTop]

Here is a little history of the Cowboy Downhill that started Billy Kidd wearing the western hat. http://www.allsteamboat.com/events/cowboy_downhill.php

I was not aware of this tradition, but it sounds like a hoot. i remember skiing in an Easter Sunday Keg Race--every time you missed a gate (slushy wet cement corn snow) you had to drink a beer, thereby assuring that you'd never cross the finish line. Judging by the female comments posted, I'll bet the Bud Light gets a workout. thx. for that.

 

[TipTop]

Today, I had to go for some Xrays, and I rode my Victory Hammer S. Feeling snappy when I got home, I popped on my Butch Dorer Pure Beaver from M.L. Leddy's. Great hat in need of some serious shaping and I'd love to take it to Montana with me next month. But, considering all the camera gear I'll be lugging, and its hugeness (getting in the way to focus), I guess I should go for something less cowboy awesome...

 

[randooch]

Ray, that's a whole lotta hat!

 

[hatophile]

Ray, that's a whole lotta hat!

+1

Hope your X-Rays were negative.

 

[TipTop]

+1

Hope your X-Rays were negative.

Thx Randall and Hato; actually they were mechanical--tracing swallowing. Since larynx surgery, 18 mos ago, I've been having (more) dry food hangups at the top of my esophagus and they were checking the pathway. Will probably decide as they did 10 years ago that I have a "lazy" flap back there or some such (congenital) thing. But they sure have improved the xray technique; last time was like profile snapshots as I swallowed; this time they tipped me up, down, to side etc. and I could follow the "bouncing ball" on the screen beside me! Fascinating.

 

[Rustin]

I'm much more a lurker and an occasional one at that, but I have a couple of questions and after doing a bunch of searches I haven't yet found the answers. I am hoping that someone here will know the answers off the top of their head.

I just bought a Stetson Rancher in 'Cream' color, it's a 10x and the liner (white) has a silver Stetson logo / emblem instead of the picture of the cowboy watering his horse. There is a paper with the hat identifying it as the Rancher model and cream color. Can anyone here tell me how to determine the approximate age of the hat and whether the age has any bearing on what the 10x quality means? I did see the thread about dating a Stetson by the liner but it seemed to be mostly Royal Stetsons and not hats like the Rancher model. Any info would really be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[carouselvic]

Your hat is a post-Philly(after 1970) Stetson. I would guess 15-20 years old (or newer). I've only had one 10X, its quality was very good.

 

[Rustin]

Thanks carouselvic. Was the picture of the cowboy watering his horse something that all Stetsons (Western at least) have after a certain date, or is there some other pattern to which ones have it and which don't?

 

[carouselvic]

"The Last Drop" liner has been used in Stetson hats since around 1948. I believe they might still use the logo. Stetson first used the The last Drop image in an ad campaign in 1921. No real hard and fast rules as to which hat will have it(but yes western hats are the most likely to have it.)

 

[gtdean48]

"The Last Drop" liner has been used in Stetson hats since around 1948...

To add to what Victor has stated, the earlier liners were embroidered versions of the Last Drop scene. Later on, they were silked screened. I don't think the embroidered ones went past the early 1960's.
The more modern versions are multi-colored & not as classy as the earlier ones, IMHO.
10X Rancher is a solid lid.

 

[Rustin]

Thanks again for the information. I'm not a hat expert but I've got a number of cowboy hats and like to know something about them. I'd have expected a 10x Stetson Rancher to have the cowboy / horse picture but I've seen other Stetson Western hats posted on Ebay that didn't have the picture in the liner. I was a little suspicious of this one when I saw the Ebay listing described it as 'cream' colored but it really is, and has a mfr paper in the box stating the color as such. If the box belongs with the hat, it's just a fairly plain chocolate brown box with no labeling outside other than 'Stetson' and a string wrap to keep it closed.

My other recent buys (after a couple years of standing pat) include a Thoroughbred 10x, and a Stetson Merced 'prototype' with a 2 3/4" brim in Silverbelly - very classy, it'll be my 'best' I think.