Proficiency With BBQ Guns

CraigC said:

Not really. It's a Texas BBQ thing dating back quite a long time. You wear your Sunday best, your nicest boots, your best hat and you pack your fanciest pistol in a carved leather rig. It's the rule, rather than the exception.

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I've lived in Texas for the past 51 years and have attended countless BBQ's, large and small, including events for the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. I have never seen anyone come heeled except for TSCRA Special Texas Rangers.

Choctaw said:

I've lived in Texas for the past 51 years and have attended countless BBQ's, large and small, including events for the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. I have never seen anyone come heeled except for TSCRA Special Texas Rangers.

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To be fair, it was illegal to open carry handguns in Texas until, what, a year or two ago, lol

In Cincinnati, you're right across the river from one of the biggest horse cultures in the US.

Last I checked, there are no qualifications for owning cowboy hats or boots. I don't think the fact that I've raised cattle gives me any more right to wear that stuff than anybody else.

Around here, if you raise horses, you wear that stuff, sometimes. No BBQ guns, even though it is legal. If you raise cattle, you wear Carhartts, Muck boots, and a seed or feed cap.

Anyone who thinks a BBQ gun is nothing but a "fashion accessory" has no understanding of the history behind it and how the BBQ gun came to be.

MistWolf said:

Anyone who thinks a BBQ gun is nothing but a "fashion accessory" has no understanding of the history behind it and how the BBQ gun came to be.

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Or the social importance of mending fences and rekindle friendships

I don't have one because not a thing in the circles I hang in. Sometimes I have good reason to go non concealed and even eat food, but not in my Sunday best.

I know a few who do, and the OPs question came up once. Most of these guys (serious shooters) had a shiny, shiny version of a gun they shoot anyway. So, it would not just be functional, but familiar enough to them they can use it if needed.

I do not recall any details of stories told, but more than one had (verifiable) tales of even the Sheriff having to use their BBQ gun, because it's what they have on while driving back home that afternoon.

What if your best looking gun is the one that you practice with the most?

Warp said:

To be fair, it was illegal to open carry handguns in Texas until, what, a year or two ago, lol

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Not on private property.

IndianaBoy said:

What if your best looking gun is the one that you practice with the most?

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Either you don't shoot it enough, or the rest of your guns are ugly.

IndianaBoy said:

What if your best looking gun is the one that you practice with the most?

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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess.

I generally only open carry in the field, but I suppose if I had a BBQ gun it would be one of my 1911s, hi power or vaqueros. I shoot all regularly and quite well.

I definately would need a fancy belt and holster though, mine are certainly not... presentable.

My "bar b q" guns aren't very nice looking. Remington 700, Ruger American, Marlin 336- guns like that. Or whatever else I can use to kill some meat to put on the bar b q grill. I'm pretty proficient with them too. The only "special occasion"I carry them to involves a tree stand. Or the range, prepping them for the tree stand. Really, that's all I use them for, now that I think about it.

If I was gonna carry at a barbecue, I'd carry one of these


in this



And since I have other "not quite as pretty" 5 1/2" SAAs that I shoot frequently, I think I'd do purty good.

Isn't a BBQ gun more about leather and grips than it is about the actual gun? I dont get it, but i like leather and i like nice grips...why not billboard it and go with a massive setup like a contender or buntline just to give more room to show off.

WestKentucky said:

Isn't a BBQ gun more about leather and grips than it is about the actual gun? I dont get it, but i like leather and i like nice grips...why not billboard it and go with a massive setup like a contender or buntline just to give more room to show off.

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Back in the day a Taxas BBQ was a large social gathering. People would dress their best . A Texas Range would show up in his best clothes, boots and hat. Most often the he had a fancy leather rig with an engraved gun.
Over the years BBQ gun has become a term for a fancy carry gun.
Here are two that fit the bill of a true BBQ gun.

WestKentucky said:

Isn't a BBQ gun more about leather and grips than it is about the actual gun?

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Not for me. They do finish out the package. But imagine when you see a rust bucket roll by with a new set of wheels and a window tint job. Tint and rims can finish out a nice car, but they won't make a Corsica look like a Cadillac.

My nicest is a Wesson Silverback, not really what I think of when I hear Brisket. I don't have any leather holster for it, much less a nice one fit for a BarBQue.

That in a nineteen eleven please, @GunnyUSMC .
Something like a Turnbull.

bassjam said:

But I'll admit, I'm not familiar with Texas customs. If that's what's normal there, I take back what I said about the yellow Corvette!

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I live in TX and this is my understanding. Course, my mopping sauce would even make this leather edible. I don't own any fancy guns or leather though.

Demi-human said:

Not for me. They do finish out the package. But imagine when you see a rust bucket roll by with a new set of wheels and a window tint job. Tint and rims can finish out a nice car, but they won't make a Corsica look like a Cadillac.

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But does it really matter if the Corsica has the Cadillac booty and never leaves the garage? It's all about showing off, but the gun never comes out so by default it's all about what is visible...grips and leather.

West Kentucky, that's part of the ritual, they come out, get unloaded, and admired.

entropy said:

West Kentucky, that's part of the ritual, they come out, get unloaded, and admired.

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Never heard of them coming out to play. Now I understand...I still think Buntline or Contender though. With maybe a polished Remington Pocket as a backup piece.

BBQ guns were carried at social gatherings to protect those at the gathering (especially women and children) from renegade Indians, badits, Comancheros and rivals they were feuding with. It was a chance for everyone to put on and show off their finery. Firearms and gunbelts were also highly decorated and became status symbols. However, as they were still required for defense from bad men, they were also required to be combat effective.

Any firearm that's gussied up only as a fashion statement and isn't suitable for combat isn't a true BBQ gun.

GunnyUSMC said:

You can't carry a BBQ gun in something that looks like a tater sack

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Sure you can.
You just are going to get a lot of squint eye from those who really know what they are about.

Mind, most of the BBQ guns I know of personally, are actually "court" guns; quite a few of those are shiney, but have "experience" too.

bassjam said:

If that's what's normal there

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Function of the "where" of Texas. The State is 800 miles E-W & 800 miles N-S; 20 million of the 26 million population live in just 15 metro areas, each of which are farther apart than Cleveland to Cincinnati. Which means there's a lot of rural Texas. Almost all of which is privately owned, too.

The landowners, somewhat from necessity, own land in sections--a square mile parcel of 660 acres each--because anything smaller is uneconomical. So, a cattle ranch might make a drive and send 5,6, more semi-truck loads of steers of to market. This often leaves a couple to slaughter in situ and throw a party with. So, you call the "neighbors." The ones with abutting property will be driving 20 or 30 miles. The ones "in town" might be coming 40 or 50 miles. The drive from the front gate to the main house might be a mile all by itself (might only be 500 yards, too).

But, everyone there is on private property at the owner's permission. So, open carry is not really an issue. Wildlife could be an issue. Especially as the spread will have gone from having 4 or 5 folk on it, to 20 or 25, which might stir up things like snakes, badgers and the like. Downer stock and slaughter offal can attract less-polite guests like cats and coyotes.

I've never open carried to any gathering, but then again, I haven't been invited to one in years. Something about me and my natural "abilities" with beans, perhaps. I had nice leather, fancy a bit, but it went bye be as it served me no purpose but to take up space.