What are the typical guns of the modern American cowboy?

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Never leave home without one. On the farm usually it's a hammerless lightweight S&W in 38 special with 3 rounds of rat shot and 2 of lead carried in my back pocket.
When I'm bear hunting I carry a Taurus stainless 8"in 44 mag in a shoulder holster.
When driving its a Kimber stainless ultra carry in 9mm.
As others have said I'm more concerned about the meth heads and thieves than animals. A bear 99% of the time will run.
 
FuriousFarmboy said:
I don't need a license to carry open or concealed. I do have a CWP but just because it makes the FFL transaction smoother.
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I can take my CWP and travel 30 minutes to KY or TN and the transaction takes no time and no paperwork for me to fill out.
In Virginia where I live I still have to have a background check.
 
Pictured below is a snake killed on a neighboring ranch off their webite. Neighbor on other side has one on a board that went 7'2", #24. When it is skinned and layed out flat it covers an entire 2×12 width.

I killed lots of 5, and a few 6s. It doesn't bother me to hit them on the back of the head with a cow sorting stick or hammer or what ever. When they start going 6 or 7 feet they are striking 4-5' and a stick isn't long enough.

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Lucky said:
Are you talking about Day working cowboys or ranch hands carrying guns on their hip while working or just owning guns in general? I see allot of cowboys everyday but have never seen one packing while on his horse while working. I would guess some of them have something in the truck but you'd probably never know it.
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On the job cowboys whether they wear the gun or keep it somewhere handy.
 
Dave said:
In the "old west" they didn't carry as much as Hollywood would have you believe. Ben Snipes, Peter French, and John Chisum who were all big time cattle men in the time era you list all didn't carry. There was a time during the Bannock Indian war that a war party attacked Peter French's cow camp. Peter and 17 cowboys present with only one gun. Peter used it to hold off the Indians while everyone got saddled up.

Here in the cowboy country of Eastern Oregon everyone has some sort of scope sighted rifle in their pickup. Mine is a Rossi single shot 223. I have yet to see a scabbard rifle pack while riding. The few that pack while riding it is generally some sort of semi auto 45. Mostly something smaller than a 1911. I have a Kimber Micro 9 that might pack to town (much more likely to need a gun there than on the ranch). When I do pack a pistol on the ranch it is an H&R 22 revolver loaded with snake shot during snake season. But I kill a lot more rattle snakes with a shovel than I do with the pistol.
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I'm sure the cowboys were usually armed on those trail drives.
 
There are still practical uses for firearms for modern ranchers and farmers, on or off duty, that I can perceive in my own mind.

1. security from criminal elements
2. security from wild animal attacks
3. varmint control
4. dispatching injured livestock
5. recreational: hunting, after the hard work is done
6. procuring meat for survival, part of prepping
7. security for when SHTF

It might be even more important to have a sidearm in remote areas as out on the range. A good large dog that's trained is also handy for protection. See that black German shepherd. Some cowboys still might find it fashionable or traditional to pack a pistol in the holster or a rifle in the scabbard on the job. It just fits the territory.

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burroughs85 said:
There are still practical uses for firearms for modern ranchers and farmers that I can perceive in my own mind.

1. security from criminal elements
2. security from wild animal attacks
3. varmint control
4. dispatching injured livestock
5. recreational: hunting, after the hard work is done
6. procuring meat for survival, part or prepping
7. security for when SHTF

It might be even more important to have a sidearm in remote areas as out on the range.

A good large dog that's trained is also handy for protection. See that black German shepherd.
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1. If I was that scared of bandits I'd probably move or take ty kwon doe
2. I live on a ranch and feed cows at dark most of winter...never had a wild animal attack me. Pissed mama cow is a different story
3.I think I've seen a rabid skunk but I was pretty sure he was gonna die without my help. Shooting coyotes messes up the eco system i.e. more rabid skunks. Have shot at buzards trying to get a calf but just made them fly to a nearby tree.
4.Generly have time to go home for a pistol.
5. I live on a ranch....no time for recreation.
6. I just run to the house or gas station for a bite.
7.If that ever happens hopefully I can drive off really fast, if I'm on foot I hope the attacker is outta shape. It's hard to run anymore much less run in boots.

😆 just giving you hard time. I keep a Ruger American ranch rifle in 300 blackout in the sxs most of the time. Think I actually used it last year too. I've got a Springfield xd 40 cal that has mainly been used to put a few cows down. It's usually at the house though. Heck I've got a bunch of guns I never use. My favorite right now is a Rossi gallery gun, heck I'm fixin to go shoot turtles with it right now. Oh yea I don't really live on a ranch....well if you live in the city you might call it a ranch.
 
I'm no cowboy but even the local law enforcement, BP, DPS, etc all encourage us to pack a firearms here.

It kind of depends on the nature of the threat. I have a full size cz 9mm, a compact kahr 9mm, model 94 30-30, 357 blackhawk, and a 22 marlin that I'm all pretty fond of.
 
IMG_20220418_154113.jpgMarlin 1895 SBL Guide 45-70 and Marlin 336 30-30. 90% of the time my 30-30 goes with checking fences. Not a lot of grizzly bears in Illinois, but that 45-70 is fun to carry.
Lot more concern for meth cookers and skunks with distemper.
 
Brute 23 said:
I'm no cowboy but even the local law enforcement, BP, DPS, etc all encourage us to pack a firearms here.

It kind of depends on the nature of the threat. I have a full size cz 9mm, a compact kahr 9mm, model 94 30-30, 357 blackhawk, and a 22 marlin that I'm all pretty fond of.
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If I was in your area I'd probably carry too. Started to add that to story but got to thinking about the turtles. It was nice and sunny so blasted several.

Got a sure enough cowboy headed over to help worm the yearlings right now......if he's got a gun on his hip we'll poke fun at him.
 
Lucky said:
If I was in your area I'd probably carry too. Started to add that to story but got to thinking about the turtles. It was nice and sunny so blasted several.

Got a sure enough cowboy headed over to help worm the yearlings right now......if he's got a gun on his hip we'll poke fun at him.
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I don't like to carry. It's actually a pia imo. A lot of the times I forget.
 
Mossberg 500 with Turkey rounds at the house. It will kill, or scare anything that will show up around.
I refuse to answer about my truck, as it may incriminate me within the state of Illinois.
 

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