Before Curator's Corner returns to the movie theme theme, the guys are headed back on the road to share some of the National Firearms Museum's (NFM) treasures with the rest of the world. Over the next two weeks, they can be seen at the Las Vegas Antique Arms Show, the SHOT Show, and SCI's 38th Annual Hunters' Convention in Reno, Nevada. During that time, we thought Curator's Corner would be better spent showing you what they're taking on the road.

First on the card is a television classic. Set in the 1890s New Mexico Territory, rancher Lucas McCain wielded his modified 1892 model Winchester rifle during episodes of The Rifleman. Staring western icon Chuck Connors, the popular ABC series ran from 1958 to 1963. And that classic Winchester now resides at the National Firearms Museum.

The Winchester is a lever-action repeating rifle manufactured between 1892 and 1938. With a 15 round magazine and varied caliber, the company produced over a million editions before Winchester past the design on to overseas manufacturers like Chiappa Firearms in Italy. A distinct characteristic of this particular rifle is the oversized lever that allowed Connors to cock the rifle with a simple swing.

This rifle and more will be on display over the next two weeks before returning to the National Firearms Museum for its place in the Ruger Gallery's new "Son of a Gun - The Return of Reel Heroes" exhibit, which is replacing the popular Guns West! display.

There it will join other famous Hollywood guns from films like “Dirty Harry,” “Beverly Hills Cop,” and “Avatar.” If you live out West and you're not heading to Virginia any time soon, it might be a good idea to attend one of the shows and see these icons while you can.

That's all we have for now, so tune in tonight for all the details as Senior Curator Phil Schreier tells it all at 10:20 pm EST tonight at NRANews.com or on Sirius Patriot channel 144.

Senior Curator Phil Schreier of the NRA National Firearms Museum reminds us the popular GUNS WEST! exhibit in the Museum’s Ruger Gallery will be packing up soon.

“Sad as it is to pack up this collection, the Ruger Gallery has bright things in its future,” Schreier said. "Hurry in for one last viewing of Guns West!, and come back to see "Son of a Gun - The Return of Reel Heroes," which will feature over 50 famous firearms from classic films."

Stay tuned for details on what to expect in 2010. 

Thanks to Senior Curator Phil Schreier of the NRA National Firearms Museum for the following:

NRA museum staff will participate in the Single Action Shooting Society “Convention and Wild West Christmas” in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

The Eighth annual SASS Convention and Wild West Christmas take place at the Riviera Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas, December 3-6, 2009. The annual event is designed to bring together all that is Cowboy Action Shooting in a non-shooting arena presented to showcase everything imaginable pertaining to the fastest growing shooting sport in the world.

The National Firearms Museum will have a selection of items from the Guns West! exhibit featuring the firearms that made cinematic history in such films as Quigley Down Under, Stagecoach and the Outlaw Josey Wales. Find more info here.

The Gene Pearcey family visited the National Firearms Museum on Friday and enjoyed a tour led by Phil Schreier. Pearcey, known in the cowboy action world as "Evil Roy," visited the Museum for the first time along with 12 family members. The group met with fellow cowboy action enthusiasts, General Operations' Executive Director Kayne Robinson and Deputy Executive Director Andrea Cerwinske.

Several of Pearcey's firearms and heirlooms are on display in the Ruger Gallery. The current Ruger exhibit – Guns West! the West the way it is, the way it was, and the way it could have been – is a popular one, echoing the growth of the cowboy action shooting community. "Over 100,000 new shooters came to this hobby in a matter of 15 years," Schreier said. Pearcey, a top cowboy competitor, runs Evil Roy Shooting School out of Durango, Colorado, with his wife Karen, also known as "Wicked Felina."

Pearcey took a few minutes to talk to NRAblog about his role in cowboy action shooting:

“I started shooting in 1993," Pearcey told NRAblog. After taking two of his grandchildren to a cowboy action match in Durango, Colorado, he was hooked. "We started (competing) the next year, and we're going into our 16th year of competition, traveling all over the United States and Finland, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, and a lot of different places."

What started out as  a simple trip to Washington DC to tour the White House bloomed into several additional tours, including the NRA Museum and Arlington National Cemetery. Pearcey said 10 of his 15 grandchildren made the trip. "It's been a nice chance for us to get together." One family homeschools their children, and Pearcey said the emphasis on American history fit nicely into their lesson plans.

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The Museum’s exhibit of famous firearms from Hollywood Westerns will be at the Kansas City Cabela’s, 10300 Cabela Drive, on August 15 and 16. “This collection always draws a crowd, and we’ll be on hand both Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” Supica told NRAblog.

Supica will present a seminar, “Tips for Gun Collectors & Researching Gun Values,” at 3 p.m. both days.

Real guns from reel westerns in the display include:

• Winchester 1892 carbine used by John Wayne in Stagecoach;
  
• Winchester lever action used by Chuck Connors in The Rifleman television series, modified for quick firing each time the lever is closed;
  
• Walker revolvers used by Clint Eastwood in The Outlaw Josey Wales, and featured in True Grit with John Wayne;
  
• Flintlock rifle used by Charlton Heston in The Mountain Men; 
  
• and the Sharps rifle used by Tom Selleck in Quigley Down Under.

Stay tuned for more on Supica's whereabouts. For more information on the National Firearms Museum, visit them on the web.

The NRA National Firearms Museum recently sent Museum Director Jim Supica on the road armed with one of its most valuable exhibits. Supica and the Museum's display of famous firearms from Hollywood westerns and TV horse operas headed west to the Missouri Valley Arms Collectors Association's 39th annual Summer National Show in Kansas City this past weekend.

Supica is in his most natural element at a gun show, especially one in his native Kansas. He spent the weekend talking to folks about the collection, which includes:

• Winchester 1892 carbine used by John Wayne in Stagecoach;
• Winchester lever action used by Chuck Connors in The Rifleman television series, modified for quick firing each time the lever is closed;
• Walker revolvers used by Clint Eastwood in The Outlaw Josey Wales, and featured in True Grit with John Wayne (pictured below);
• Flintlock rifle used by Charlton Heston in The Mountain Men;
• and the Sharps rifle used by Tom Selleck in Quigley Down Under.

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NRAblog just received some exciting news: the seventh season of COWBOYS begins tonight on the Outdoor Channel. The entire season focuses on Cowboy Action Shooting.

Our Museum staff, Director Jim Supica and Senior Curator Phil Schreier, will appear throughout the season to talk about some of the Museum's most prized exhibits: guns of the Old West.

Tune into the Outdoor Channel on Wednesday Nights at 4:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. for the show. Look here for a sneak peek up upcoming shows.

Phil Schreier left Oregon and headed to Montana, where he and Matt Sharpe are displaying six of the National Firearms Museum's Guns West! exhibit:

The staff of the National Firearms Museum is taking treasures from their collection on the road this weekend. We have 6 firearms from the Guns West! exhibit on display at the brand new Cabela's in Billings, Montana, through Memorial Day weekend. Stop by and visit Senior Curator Philip Schreier and his erstwhile Assistant Curator Matthew Sharpe at the Gun Library on Sunday 10 - 6pm and Monday 9 - 6 pm.

The Reel Guns of Real Heroes exhibit consists of John Wayne's Winchester Model 1892 large loop rifle from his 1939 classic Stagecoach, Wayne's Walker Colt from True Grit as well as Clint Eastwood's Walker from The Outlaw Josey Wales. Also included are NRA Past President Charlton Heston's flintlock from The Mountain Men, Chuck Connor's 1892 from The Rifleman TV series and Tom Selleck's Sharps rifle from 1990's Quigley Down Under. Over $500,000 worth of museum treasures are on public display at this once-in-a-lifetime chance to view museum highlights in Montana.

Thanks, Phil! Anyone within a reasonable drive of Phil and Matt should try to check out Cabela's. An added bonus is the fact that Phil Schreier--in addition to being a renowned firearms expert--is a military historian. NRAblog has a feeling he will happily entertain with military stories appropriate for the Memorial Day weekend.

The exhibit portion of the 138th NRA Annual Meeting has come to an end. Today many of the participants, exhibiters, and members left Phoenix and its beautiful vista behind. What weekend it was! Among the highlights from Arizona:

• More than 500 shooters took part in the NRA Annual Meeting air gun range.
• Scores of convention-goers toured the NRA National Firearms Museum’s GUNS WEST! exhibit, which included firearms that John Wayne and Tom Selleck carried in the 1932 film Stagecoach and the 1990 film Quigley Down Under, respectively.
• Oliver North signed copies of his latest book, American Heroes, for convention attendees.
• GLOCK handed the NRA $115,000 in donations this weekend.
• More than 6,000 people attended the NRA Celebration of American Values Freedom Experience Banquet and heard speeches from North and ABC News commentator John Stossel.

The National Rifle Association board of directors is meeting today and tomorrow.

The next NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits will be in Charlotte, NC, from May 14-16, 2010.

Below is a special to NRAblog from Philip Schreier, Senior Curator of the National Firearms Museum.

If you haven’t had the chance to meet the man, try to stop by the Museum’s space at the NRA booth to introduce yourself. He knows just about everything there is to know about guns, and he's always happy to share his knowledge.

Tell him you read his article on NRAblog!

The NRA’s National Firearms Museum is well-represented in Phoenix by a collection of firearms from the popular exhibit GUNS WEST! currently on exhibit in the William B. Ruger Gallery of the NFM in Fairfax, VA.

The Reel Guns of the Old West exhibit is comprised of six classic firearms from famous movies, including John Wayne's Winchester Model 1892 large lever loop carbine that he used in the 1939 classic Stagecoach as well as Tom Selleck's Sharps rifle from 1990’s Quigley Down Under.

Tens of thousands of NRA members and guests have the chance to see these famous firearms during their visit to the NRA Annual Meetings in Phoenix, while the exhibit hall is open through 5pm on Sunday, May 17th.

Both Jim Supica, the Director of the National Firearms Museum and Senior Curator Philip Schreier are on hand in the exhibit hall to visit with members and answer questions about the museum and its programs.

Thanks, Phil. We look forward to your next special.

This is Thursday so that means it's time for Curator's Corner on NRANews.com.

Sitting in again this week for National Firearms Museum (NFM) Senior Curator Phil Schreier is NFM Director Jim Supica. Along with his sparkling personality, Mr. Supica brings along a collection of Colt Percussion revolvers.

Why a collection of revolvers? To give you, the listeners, a better understanding as to how and why Colt changed their design over time. Whether the Dragoon, Navy or Army versions, each model fit a specific need at a specific time as both the users and manufacturers worked to improve these infamous guns.

For all the details, listen on Sirius Patriot 144 or watch on NRANews.com at 10:20 p.m. eastern time.

Youth Council members from the Governor’s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation recently visited NRA Headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia for a day of fun and educational activities. 22 young men and women traveled from Pennsylvania to learn about the NRA and all that the organization does for hunting and conservation.

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We always try to give you a heads up for the latest edition of Curator's Corner, Thursday nights on NRANews.com and Sirius Patriot 144. Well, the boys over at NRANews were kind enough to share a few of those videos with us so we could share then with you.

This week, National Firearms Museum Senior Curator Phil Schreier shows off a piece from the Guns West collection -- a single action Colt Peace Maker with carved pearl grips.

NRAblog.com is changing up the pace with our first non-SHOT Show-based post in almost a week (although this indirectly relates to the Show, as we had the chance to catch up with Barb Baird just yesterday).

Baird's always busy with something, and this week is no exception. She was on hand at the launch of the Women's Outdoor Media Association, of which she is the president. She lives in Missouri and first met NRAblog.com at the 2008 NRA Bianchi Cup, which is held annually in Columbia, Missouri.

Now the editor of her own Women's Outdoor News, Baird made a trip to Washington DC in December and traveled to the National Firearms Museum for a private tour with Senior Curator Phil Schreier. We'd like to invite you to read her review of the tour, which focused specifically on female shooters:

I liked him on television and I liked him in person. Sometimes in this industry, what you see on TV is not what you see off camera – but not with Phil Schreier, Curator of Programs, National Firearms Museum, located in the National Rifle Association’s headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia.

As soon as the tour started, I could see the wheels turn and his eyes flashed, as he tailored what he probably previously envisioned as a canned museum tour into a trip down history lane and its relation to gals and guns throughout the years. Schreier has every right to be proud of this museum that has been at this site since 1994.

He has designed it to reflect a timeline that includes 2400 guns (out of 5500 in the inventory) in 15 galleries and 85 display cases. The cases hold firearms arranged to illustrate their development – from a 1350s hand cannon to modern day war weapons and Olympic competition guns. Schreier said, “We tried to develop a design for the museum that put things into an environment that was evocative of the time period.”

Continue reading here. Bookmark Barb's site – you'll want to return again and again.

One of the largest national shooting championships for law enforcement in the United States begins just 15 days from today.

The 46th NRA National Police Shooting Championships (NPSC) will take place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on September 21-25.

You can expect to see a little more coverage about this big event in the next few weeks. Danielle and I will also be blogging live from NPSC, so we'll give you the latest news.

If you're not going to be in the area, you'll miss out on a real treat. The National Firearms Museum (NFM) will bring their traveling exhibit to the Law Enforcement Exposition.

On display will be Reel Guns of the Old West, a collection of seven firearms that have had starring roles in some classic American films and television shows.

Represented are guns used by some of the icons of Western films – John Wayne, Charlton Heston and Clint Eastwood – as well as original Colts and Winchesters "that have kept the romance and adventure of the Old West alive in our collective memory," said NFM Senior Curator Phil Schreier. "These guns will tour the United States in an effort to generate interest in the National Firearms's newest exhibit, GUNS WEST!, which opened in the Spring of 2008 in the William B. Ruger Gallery."

Some of the firearms that you can expect to see include:

• Clint Eastwood's S&W Model 29 that he used as Inspector Harry Callahan in "Dirty Harry" and "Magnum Force."
• Tom Selleck's Sharps rifle from "Quigley Down Under."
• John Wayne's Colt Dragoon from "True Grit."
• Clint Eastwood's Walker Colt from "The Outlaw Josey Wales."
• Chuck Connor's Winchester 92 from "The Rifleman."
• Charlton Heston's Hawken from "The Mountain Men."
• John Wayne's Winchester 1892 from "Stagecoach."