u/SamLogan45

When we think of 1875, Hollywood tells us every cowboy had a brand new Colt SAA on his hip and a Winchester 1873 in the scabbard. The historical and economic reality is much more interesting.

In 1875, the transition from cap-and-ball to metallic cartridges was in full swing. A new Colt SAA cost about $17 (almost a month's wages for a ranch hand), and most of the early production was going straight to the US Cavalry. Because of this, a working cowboy was much more likely to carry:

Cartridge Conversions: Richards-Mason conversions of 1851 or 1860 Colts were heavily used. They were cheaper and allowed the use of modern ammunition without buying a whole new gun.

The 1866 Yellowboy: While the 1873 was out, the 1866 in .44 Henry Rimfire was still incredibly common and cheaper on the frontier.

The double-barrel shotgun: The most practical, devastating, and common tool for camp defense and hunting, completely ignored by most Western movies.

I’ve put together a fully researched documentary on the exact loadouts, prices, and logistics of a cowboy in 1875, showing the actual firearms. I am a shooter based in Spain, so the original audio is in Spanish, but I have personally reviewed and added accurate English subtitles for the international community.

When we picture the firearms that "won the West," we immediately think of the Colt Peacemaker or the Winchester lever-action. But decades before those existed, during the fur trade era of the 1800s, the real undisputed king of the frontier was the Northwest Trade Gun (often called the Trade Musket).

It wasn't fancy, it wasn't rifled, and it was incredibly cheap to make. But it was exactly what the frontier demanded.

Why did Native American tribes and frontiersmen prefer this crude smoothbore over accurate rifles?

Ultimate Versatility: Survival on the frontier meant hunting whatever was available. Because it was a smoothbore (usually around .58 to .62 caliber), you could load it with a single heavy round ball to take down a buffalo or an elk, or load it with birdshot to hunt ducks and small game. A rifled barrel couldn't do that.

The "Currency" of the West: Companies like the Hudson's Bay Company traded these by the thousands. The legendary pricing standard was often based on a stack of beaver pelts equal to the height of the gun.

The Dragon Sideplate: The most iconic feature of the Trade Gun was the brass serpent/dragon sideplate. It became such a recognized brand of quality and authenticity that many Native American tribes would outright refuse to trade for a musket if it didn't have the dragon on the side.

I run a channel dedicated entirely to 19th-century firearms and Western history, and I just put together a documentary breaking down the history, mechanics, and impact of the Northwest Trade Gun.

(Transparency note: I am a solo creator from Spain doing all the historical research, editing, and fact-checking myself. I use an AI voice tool to translate my original Spanish scripts into English so I can share this history with you guys. No AI-generated historical fluff, just real history and a translated voice).

Modern cartridge handguns are great, but there is something completely unique about stepping back to the 1850s and dealing with loose powder, lead balls, percussion caps, and grease.

The Colt 1851 Navy in .36 caliber is hands down one of the most balanced, elegant sidearms ever built. Sure, loading it takes patience compared to a modern semi-auto, but the natural pointing feel and the handling are second to none.

I run a history and firearms channel, and I recently took my Pietta 1851 Navy out to the range to test its mechanics, balance, and real-world black powder performance (plus, you actually get to see me breaking it down on camera)