King Ranch Buick

[dons56]

Is there anyone out there who can enlighten me on the King Ranch Buick?  Do you know who did the modifications?  Do you know how many they had built?  What happened to it (them)? Any other details?

[Bill Stoneberg]

It is a  custom designed Buick Eight hunting car built for Congressman R. M. Kleberg, Sr., in 1949 by General Motors and it is now in the museum in Kingsville Tx.  The Bugle had an article on it a few months back.

Edited May 26, 2017 by Bill Stoneberg (see edit history)

[Beemon]

I wonder why they needed 6 different rifles? Also really like the hood scoop. The 1956 is the only 50s Buick I know of that had a functional scoop.

[trimacar]

Well, let's see. 

 

1. A .410 shotgun for close wing shooting.

2. A 12 gauge shotgun for distance wing shooting

    Two .22 rifles for shooting prairie dogs:

3. one loaded with .22 Long Range cartridges for less than 100 yards

4. one loaded with .22 Magnum cartridges for more than 100 yards

5. A .30.06 rifle for shooting deer and antelope as they play

6. A CZ-550 rifle with .600 Overkill cartridges, for that stray elephant that wanders in your path

 

It appears in the artist misconception of the Buick that the passenger is holding yet another gun, either Number 7 or one removed from the case.  Either way, I believe the gun he's holding is for shooting the breeze.....

 

I'm not a gun guy, this list from memories of hunting with my brother (minus the elephant gun!) and a little Internet searching.  I'm going to ask him for HIS list and see what he says, he's done a lot of hunting out west....

[Bill Stoneberg]

Good list,  just like cars, you need the right tool for the right situation.  Besides if you have to ask "why so many guns" you don't understand.

 

[MrEarl]

38 minutes ago, Bill Stoneberg said:

Good list,  just like cars, you need the right tool for the right situation.  Besides if you have to ask "why so many guns" you don't understand.

 

 

Spoken like a true Texan?

[dons56]

I guess i have not been paying enough attention to my Bugles.  I need to go back and see what else I have missed.  I tell you, I am so glad I asked.  I have learned so much in so few words.  I was unaware that there was in indigenous population of elephants in Texas, nor did I realize that you need a rifle to shoot the breeze...  Oh, and I sure am glad that David Coco is not a gun guy.  If he had been my brain might have exploded... LOL

[trimacar]

I talked to my brother, the gun enthusiast.  He's a real hunter, he's the kind of guy that spends two months in the woods BEFORE the deer season opens, so on opening day he knows where the bucks are.....wish I knew where the bucks are, I cry looking at my bank account, but that's another story....

 

I described the car to him, and after we got over the "you've got to be kidding me" phase, and in reality he didn't say kidding, he made reference to a certain excrement in fact, he made a keen observation. 

 

Why six rifle scabbards?  Well, simple, it's a true Western six-shooter!  A six gun!  No true cowboy would be without one of those......

 

 

[60FlatTop]

7 hours ago, trimacar said:

It appears in the artist misconception of the Buick that the passenger is holding yet another gun, either Number 7 or one removed from the case.  Either way, I believe the gun he's holding is for shooting the breeze.....

 

I think it is for raccoons, but Popular Science didn't want to become unpopular in some circles.

 

Just this morning I was telling my Wife that I only shot a gun once in my life. But, in the Navy I ran the 3,000# air compressor that pushed the firing pin on one of these.

 

"I don't always shoot guns, but when I do, it's a full salvo of 3 inch projectiles. Duck, my Friend."

Bernie