INTERVIEW: Ted Nugent Auctions His Guns

It was expected to be a 20-minute conversation, but when the Motor City Madman, Ted Nugent, wants to talk, it’s best to sit back, buckle up and hang on. Many interviews are the result of a canned experience. Not this one. 

To add, many celebrities attached to the causes of the Second Amendment are well meaning, but their knowledge proves superficial. Not so with Ted Nugent. We talked about everything from his taste for the larger calibers to his favorite loads for deer rifles. This is a man who knows his guns and his firearms history.

The plan was to discuss Nugent’s upcoming auction with Texas Auctioneer Robb Burley, the same man who auctioned Roy Rogers’ guns, as well as ghost town featured in the PBS Documentary “The Grove, Texas.” 

As he’s getting older, Nugent says he’s “streamlining.” He has so many guns that it’s getting difficult to maintain and catalog them, and he thinks it’s a shame that he doesn’t get to shoot them. He’s old school and “Guns are meant to be shot,” he said.

While there are way too many guns to discuss in a single article, some of them particularly stand out. There is an abundance of .44 Magnum revolvers, specifically a variety of Smith & Wesson Model 29s. There are all sorts of Magnums ranging from 2-inch barrels to 12-inchers. Nugent noted that he’d been a fan of the .44 since he was very young, buying his first one in 1969 and maintaining an affinity for them ever since. Growing up in a fairly rural environment, he was influenced by many of the great writers of the time: Elmer Keith. Nugent even has an autographed copy of Keith’s “Hell, I was there!” He corresponded with Keith throughout the 1970s and ’80s. 

During the 1970s, I was a big KISS fan, so the fact that Nugent has a KISS-engraved Smith & Wesson Model 29 cased revolver caught my eye. In the ’70s, he toured with KISS and, as a token of appreciation, the band and their manager had the big revolver and a custom display case built for Nugent. With that revolver’s provenance, it belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

Ted also has an affinity for the 10mm cartridge, and firearms that chamber it. We discussed why he personally felt it was the best choice in a semiauto defensive handgun. People can argue calibers all day long, but Nugent knows his guns better than many in the industry. He discussed the cartridge’s development and interspersed personal anecdotes about his correspondence with several of the men that helped nurture and develop the load, including Jeff Cooper and Peter Pi. It’s hard to argue a cartridge's effectiveness with a man who’s taken dangerous game in Africa with it. If you’re a fan of the 10mm, the caliber is well represented in the upcoming auction with several 10mm Glocks and 1911s in this auction’s lineup. 

Never one to back away from controversy, Nugent spoke his mind about the state of American politics. While that wasn’t the point of the conversation, it bears mentioning because his passion for the American outdoorsman is evident; you can’t fake his passion and affection as intense as Nugent’s loyalty to the Second Amendment. 

Ted Nugent’s firearm, guitar and automotive collection are as impressive as his knowledge and passion for gun rights. If you’re interested in owning a piece of Rock-and-Roll or firearms history included in this incredible collection, you can get all of the information you need, as well as a preview of the items, at burleyauction.com or tednugentauction.com.

Check out the photo gallery below to see some of the firearms and ammo available in Nugent's upcoming auction.