I was studing some older cartridges a few nights ago and got to thinking about options available in the firearm arena of the day. The year is 1874, the west is unsettled, full of buffalo and other game, hostile native americans. Custer won't make national headlines for 2 years.

Your heading west in the migratory movement, and your budget and your mule says 2 rifles, handgun is an optional item. Hard rule is if it didn't exist in 1874 you can't get it, hence you don't have it.

I got looking at the arms of the day and choices were limited to say the least. I am so accustomed to modern cartridges the options sure seem limiting. No decent 30 cal existed, and the 38-55 is ten years away.

My thoughts were a Winchester 1873 as one choice, in a brand new 44 cal ( although it will be be replaced by a 1876 in a couple of years I just don't know it yet) . And either a Remington, Sharps or a Ballard as the second choice, all are limited to pretty much 44, 45, or 50 cal. Maynard might be a real interesting option as this were swap barrel rifles usually sold in two calibers. Remember that the cost of the rifles in my second choice were $100-150 whch was a princely sum then.

All of these second category rifles were pretty much 40+ caliber with very similar performance, but seemed to be the best available hardware of the timeframe.

Any creative thoughts of super catridges of the time period?

I realised this is a little american centric, so comments are welcome from the African and Indian/Asian prospective. The could be some suprises from there also.

Time frame same though, within a couple of years of this year, the American Bison will be religated to history, and conservation efforts.

Here are three of the firearms that Sir Henry Morton Stanley used in his travels across Africa in the 1870s.

The top one is a Winchester Model 1876 in .45-75, the middle one is a Winchester Model 1866 in .44 Henry (rimfire) and the revolver is an E.M. Reilley in .500 caliber.



These weapons were used mostly against humans, since Stanley's men were often attacked by local tribes deep in the interior, but also to provide game for the table.