What gun would I have in the 1880s? Part 1
Wow! That is quite a question! There is a short answer – but what is the fun in that! So, I’ll go for a longer answer that I’ll spread over a number of posts.
The 19th Century saw a massive change in firearms technology, we started the century with single shot flintlock rifles and pistols, a technology that had not changed much for two hundred years or so.
By the 1830s we saw the first change creep in with the introduction of percussion weapons. Still mainly single shot and like the flintlocks still muzzle loaders – You have to load it by putting powder and shot, in separate parts, down the end of the barrel.
In the late 1840s percussion muzzle loading revolvers became more available. Colt did not invent the revolver, but he did refine the design into a modern practical firearm. They were still muzzle loaders and were of the “single action” style. – You had to cock the hammer by hand (or thumb) each time you wanted to fire the pistol, when you pulled the trigger it only carried out one action, releasing the hammer to fire the pistol.
The 1850s saw the start of cartridge weapons, where the one-piece metallic ammunition was loaded into the breach like modern guns do. It was slow to develop at first and was quite restricted by copyright.
1860s, the early years saw the American Civil War. Everyone who could make a gun did so! Everyone who could design a gun did so! Everyone who could import a gun did so! But the vast majority of troops were still armed with single shot, muzzle loading rifles. While some lucky troops did get lever action Henry rifles and the Union Cavalry had a number of different designs of single shot cartridge carbines.
1870s Almost all new made guns are now cartridge loading weapons. Colt introduced the famous Single Action Army (SAA) or Peacemaker as it is often called in 1873 and Winchester were into about their 3rd generation of lever action rifles. Smith and Wesson who had controlled the copyright on cartridge revolvers had developed their Schofield revolver.
1880s! America is awash with army surplus rifles and pistols from the Civil War, a percussion rifle could be got at giveaway prices. While if you were wealthier you may be able to afford a Winchester or Peacemaker.
But the common man living in the country mostly had a smooth bore musket or shotgun – this was the most versatile weapon for hunting and defence and in flintlock or percussion form the cheapest and easiest to keep running! While flintlocks were by now very old technology many would have still been in use as hunting rifles and shotguns.
The common man in the city would have a pocket revolver maybe in .22, or .32 calibre as they could be bought new from as little as a dollar. Quality was poor at $1 and if they were fired it is unsure who would be in the most danger, the person firing it or the chap he was pointing it at! You would be better served spending $5-$10 on your defence.
So the simple answer to “What gun should I have” is anything made before 1865 if foreign made – as anything and everything was imported during the Civil War and anything US made before 1880.
In my next post I’ll start looking at what replicas are available to us, as this very much narrows down the list.
If you want to go old school take a look at the video below!