Hi,
Which were the most popular "cowboy" type rifles used in those days? I am referring to the (I think)Winchester Lever Action. The type that Glenn Ford, John Wayne & co. used to shoot all day long without reloading.
I would really appreciate some information.
Springbok

In reality or in hollywood? In Hollywood the '92 Winchester reigned over all. As it doesn't actually fit the time frame of expansion into the North American west, it obviously wasn't the rifle really used. When western expansion started, the single shot (usually) muzzle loader was the weapon of choice. As more people went west (immigrants and such) there is a good argument for the muzzle loading shotgun being the most common weapon. During the American civil war, weapon development was pushed along at a slightly quicker pace, and breech loading repeaters came into being, most notebly the Spencer and Henry rifles, but there were others. Sigle shot Springfieleds were probably the most common after the war (availability as surplus), but if you had money Winchester had (well actually his factory foreman had) improved the Henry repeater into the 1866 Winchester. Originally, like the Henry in 44 Rimfire, a rather anemic round. as for handguns, lot's of makers, most famously Colt, but M & H, Remington as well (and again, numerous others), all cap and ball revolvers. Smith and wesson brought out the first cartridge revolvers during the civil war, but only in .22, I believe. Oh, and the guy who sold the patent to S&W was the ex foreman from Colt, who had offered it to his employer, who showed no interest. After the civil war, cartridge conversion revolvers became more popular, but cap and ball was still the most common choice. In the 1870's, probably the decade most of us think of when we speak of the "wild west", Colt brought out the famous 1873 Model P, Peacemaker, Frontier Six Shooter, whatever you wanted to call it. Most early production went to the Army, but there were some civilian versions as well. Also in 1873, Winchester brought out an improved lever action rifle the 1873. There were also large bore real hunting rifles available, almost all single shots, Sharps, remington Rolling Blocks, etc. The Winchesters at this time were only available in pistol cartridges. Recognising this as a marketing shortage, winchester brought the 1876 to market, their first big bore rifle. Available in the 45-70 class of cartridges, it gave a frontiersman much needed power to deal with large animals and wild indians. S&W and Merwin Hulbert also had large bore diameter revolvers available at this time, S&W even getting an Army contract before Colt. The Winchester large bore single shot came out in 1878, then improved in 1885. The big bore lever guns reached their pinnacle with the 1886 winchester (which patent winchester had bought from John Browning, like much of their designs at the time). As to which was the most common, probably the trapdoor Springfield, again because of cost and availability. FWIW - Dan

Hi Dan,
Thanks for the firearms history lesson. Very interesting. A couple of questions if I may:
What calibre was the Winchester '92 and what was the magazine capacity?
You mention that Winchester brought out an improved lever action in 1873 and (I think)you are saying that this was a similar calibre to the pistols of the time. Was this a .44 or .45? Apart from the lack of power it seems to have been ideal to have both your pistol and rifle using the same ammunition!
You also say that the "trapdoor" Springfield was the most common rifle of the time. By trapdoor do you mean the side opening magazine with a pull ring that I have seen on pictures of these rifles? Again what was the calibre and magazine capacity?
Again thanks for your assistance.

Hi Springbok. The Winchester was originally offered in 44-40 and 38-40, both originally handgun cartridges. It was also offered in 32-20 and 25-20. Magazine capacity varied, depending on whether it was a carbine, rifle, was ordered with a half magazine, or was one of the shorter barreled special orders (I've read of barrels as short as 10 inches, although I've never seen one). The "improved" model of 1873 was an effort on Winchester's part to answer some of the problems they had with the 1866 (which was just an improved Henry anyway). It was also available only in pistol class cartridges. The trapdoor Springfield was a single shot rifle or carbine. It was called a "trapdoor" because the breech when opened flipped forward on a hinge, like a trapdoor. The ring on the side was to attach to a large belt that troopers wore over their shoulders, which was how they slung their rifles in those days. The original caliber was 50-70, and later they were issued in 45-70 (which had become the military standard by then). Hope this helps. - dan

The Sharpes was being produced during this period also. I'm not up on my history of firearms available during the hayday of the cowboys/Indians, gun fighters, etc.
The 1886 was the 'Big Medicine' when it came out, but the buffalo and Indians were mostly gone by the time it got West in any numbers.
Jim

Thanks to you both.
Springbok

The Trapdoor Springfield was first manufactured
in 1865.The model 1865 was a conversion of the
1861 rifled musket.5000 were produced in .58 RF,these were not surplused until after 1870.

Actually very few of the 50/70 or 45/70 Springfields were surplused to civilians until after the Spanish-American War in 1898.Most of the surplused Trapdoors before that time went to State Militias and military schools.

The U.S.A. Army finished arming troops with the trapdoor in 1876,at which time all the Spencers were pulled from service.The Army issued several thousand Spencers to civilians headed west during the 60s and 70s.At the end of the Civil War,the Federal gov't.had over 100,000 Spencers

Over 12,000 Henrys were in civilian hands by
1865.

150,000 Win.Model 1866 were built by 1892-1893
when production stopped.If I remember correctly
over 1/3 of that number were sold to foreign
governments.

The Win.Model 1873 was produced until 1923,I
believe,serial number 150,000 was manufactured in 1884.

As, I recall production ended on the Win. Model

92 or one of it"s variants in 1939.

Bullard and Whitney also manufactured lever guns
in the later 1800s.

Single shot cartridge guns would have been Starrs,Remingtons,Whitneys,Wessons,Sharps,
Burnsides,Merrills Maynards,and Ballards.

WC