Real Guns of The Old West

[Dr.Rob]

The Peacemakers thread got me thinking.

We are all used to seeing the good old Colt .45 thanks to westerns on TV and the silver screen. We see Winchesters galore. But how realistic is that?

I recall meeting a black cowboy when I was in 5th grade here in Colorado, and he had all kinds of neat stuff to show off, from a remington derringer (cuz a lady couldn't walk around with one of these (a full sized Colt) in her handbag) which he kept in a leather lined vest pocket, to a huge 50-90 lever rifle. (I think it was a Winchester but it could have been a Marlin)

His handguns inlcuded a Colt .44-40, which was by far the most popular civilian caliber, a Colt Lightning revolver and an 1878 Colt DA. All his guns (from his grandfather) showed USE, as in blueing worn off, checkering smoothed away, dings in the wood etc. (He may have also has a Schofield but it could have been a later SW breaktop) His holsters were all mexican loop style and the pistols rode very deep in them.

My family's westword expansion stopped in the Appalachains and we don't have any 'old west' guns. There seem to be a lot of old shotguns around, and none of them are what I'd call "brand name". Though I recall an LC Smith in my great Aunt's battery.

We owned NO Colts or Winchesters, though I may inherit an old kentucky squirrel rifle.

So, I'm curious.

How many of you have an "old west" firearm working or not passed down, and what is it?

 

[Stickjockey]

One 1875 Colt Lightning, inherited from my Grandfather. Eventually (hopefully very eventually) a Winchester 1873 in .32 WCF.

Does the Savage Model 99 count?

 

[PlayTheAces]

I don't know that it qualifies as old west but I have great grandpa's little Iver Johnson. He carried it when he was a guard at San Quentin in the 1890s. Concealed hammer, top break, and a bit the worst for wear.

He ran the chain gangs that built some of the early roads in the Bay Area.

 

[Crimper-D]

1889 Marlin 44-40

Sereal # corresponds to 1890 manufacture. Got it several decades ago at an estate sale. Still works and hits the bullseye, but needs cast bullets larger than factory specs due to have being shot with BP for at least it's first 30 years. The rifeling still goes all the way around the bore, but it's a long way from being new... best trigger for a levergun I've got.

 

[Dave R]

My Dad inherited an original 1894 Winchester in .32-40 from his great-grandfather who homesteaded in Wyo. Had a loooong octagonal barrel. It was stolen many years ago. Still makes me want to cry.

 

[Sunray]

Very few people had Colts or Winchesters. They cost considerably more than the firearms from other makers. I seem to recall seeing somewhere that a Peacemaker cost something like $20 to $25 bucks in the 1880's. That'd be a month's, or more, pay for the average guy. Other makes were about half that or less. Nothing ever changes.

 

[Mike Irwin]

My Great Grandfather worked as a cowboy in the Dakotas in the late 1880s before he moved east.

We have his revolver, an H&R breaktop .32 S&W.

Not very much of a cowboy gun, but by his own admission, he wasn't much of a cowboy.

He ended up a school teacher and a writer.

 

[greyhound]

I read somewhere that until the 1873 Colt Peacemaker came along (the first with cartridges), the most used revolvers in the Old West were 1851 Colt Navy cap and ball and the 1860 Colt Army cap and ball. IIRC, even after the Peacemaker came out there were still a lot around because of Civil War surplus.

I know Cabela's sells replicas of these, and I'd like to get one someday. Imagine the noise and smoke at the gun range!