The Guns That Won The West

Everyone knows that the Colt revolver was the gun that “Won The West.” Or was it?

Could there have been other guns that did some of the heavy lifting? You bet there were!  Join us as we delve into the taming of the Wild West.

Rifles

Expansion into the west began in 1803 with the Louisiana Purchase and continued through much of the 19th century. During this time period, there were a couple of rifles that were mainly used in the taming of the West, and we’ll take a look at a few of them here. This is far from an all-inclusive list, but we’ll hit some of the high points here.

Sharps Model 1874

This was the most common rifle for killing buffalo, and it was quite effective at doing so. It was a single-shot, falling block, lever-action, or breech-loading rifle that used either black powder or metal cartridges (as they were later converted). It featured a variety of cartridge chamberings between .40 and .50 caliber.

The Sharps was initially used during the Civil War and was a favored weapon among sharpshooters and mounted cavalry, being well known for its long-range accuracy and easy handling. Aside from its accuracy, it was also much faster to reload than its muzzle-loading brethren.

The 1874 Sharps Carbine (top) and the Remington No. 1 Rolling Block .44-77.
The 1874 Sharps Carbine (top) and the Remington No. 1 Rolling Block .44-77. (Photo: Guns Magazine)

The carbine version was widely issued to calvary units because of its fast rate of fire, accuracy, and short length. The .50-70 Government cartridge was popular during the Indian Wars following the Civil War.

Remington No. 1 Rolling Block

Remington’s Rolling Block was produced from the Mid-1860s until the early 20th century. They were made in a number of calibers, including rimfire and centerfire models. The .45-70 Government round was popular.

Spencer Rifles/Carbines Model 1873

The Spencers were the world’s first military carbines that used metallic cartridges. The US Army was equipped with these rifles and carbines from 1866 to 1873.

1873 Trapdoor Springfields
The 1873 Trapdoor Springfields, both the carbine (top) and infantry rifle, were used by the military in the Civil War and then in the West. Photo courtesy of Guns Magazine.

The infantry rifle had a barrel length of 32 5/8 inches long, while the carbine had a barrel that was 22 inches. The caliber was .45-70 Government. It fired a .45 caliber round weighing 405 grains at approximately 1,350 feet per second.

The carbine weighed seven pounds with an overall length of 41 inches. The effective range of this carbine was considered to be out to 300 yards, but hits could be made out to 600 yards by good shooters. The rate of fire by a trained shooter was considered to be 12-15 rounds per minute.

General Custer’s troops at Little Big Horn were armed with the Spencer carbine (they were also armed with the Colt Single Action Army revolver Model 1873).

1873 Winchester Lever Action Rifle

When we think of the Wild West, most of us picture a lever-action rifle of some sort. The lever action played a prominent role in the West, being used by both settlers and Native Americans, not to mention lawmen, Texas Rangers, ranchers, and everyone else. Lever guns allowed a high rate of fire and held a respectable round count, both of which offered serious firepower for the time.

Originally produced in .44-40, it soon was available in a variety of other pistol calibers. Back in those days, it was a huge advantage to have a rifle that shot the same ammunition as the pistol being carried. Ammo interchangeability made logistics much simpler. And for those who carried their supplies on horseback or on their person, that made it paramount.

Winchester 1873 with knife and arrows
Winchester’s 1873 lever action is one of the most iconic Wild West guns that most people picture. It fired a range of pistol bullets, making it compatible with common revolvers that were carried at the time. (Photo: Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum)

The most common barrel lengths were 24 and 20 inches, although many other barrel lengths were available on custom order.

Revolvers

Revolvers didn’t do any of the heavy lifting, but they were prominent once the West was occupied by settlers and towns were built. We’ll take a look at some of the more prominent revolvers that saw use in the Wild West.

The Schofield

This is one that most people may have never heard of. Smith & Wesson’s Schofield revolver not only played an important military role but also figured prominently in the Wild West following its military career. It was manufactured from 1875 to 1878.

Smith & Wesson Schofield Revolver in .45 Schofield
Smith & Wesson’s Schofield Revolver in .45 Schofield was used by bad guys, lawmen, and everyone else. Because it had a top break action, it could be unloaded and loaded quickly. (Photo: Gun Digest)

It fired the .45 Schofield cartridge, also known as the .45 Smith & Wesson, which was similar to the .45 Colt cartridge. The .45 Schofield offered less recoil than the .45 Colt, which made it easier to fire, especially by cavalry troops.

The Schofield was single action, had a barrel length of 7″, and held six rounds. After their military use, the barrels of the Schofield were often cut down to five inches to make them easier to handle and more concealable.

Because it was a top break design, all the cartridges could be dumped out at once. This made reloading easier since each chamber was exposed. It was far faster than other revolvers of the time, which required each chamber to be loaded one at a time via a loading gate.

Other than the military, there were some other notable users of the Schofield. The San Francisco Police Department issued them for a time. And Wells Fargo armed some of its messengers with them as well. Celebrities who used the Schofield included Frank McLowery and Bill Tilghman from the O.K. Corral gun battle. Aside from lawmen, outlaws also carried it, including Jesse James, Cole Younger, and Frank James (who carried two of them). Hollywood even used the Schofield in movies such as “Unforgiven” and “The Magnificent Seven.”

1851 Colt Navy Revolver

Designed by Sam Colt, this six-shot cap and ball revolver served both the North and South through the Civil War. It was .36 caliber. The barrel length was 7.5″ and it weighed 2.6 lbs, with an overall length of 13″. Normally, it was carried in a belt holster.

Wild Bill Hickok and the Pinkertons were among those who carried one.

The 1851 Colt Navy Revolver in .36 caliber was widely used in the West. (Photo: of Cisco’s)

Model 1860 Colt Army Revolver

The Colt Army Revolver was a cap and ball single-action revolver in .44 caliber. This one was also used throughout the Civil War. In fact, it was the first widely used revolver of the Civil War. It could fire round balls or conical-tipped bullets.

Colt 1860 Army Revolver and sword
The Colt 1860 Army Revolver was first used during the Civil War, and later in the Wild West. (Photo: Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum)

Parting Shots

While we touched on a few different arms here, there were quite a few others that helped to tame the Wild West, including other rifles, revolvers, and shotguns. And even after the West was “Won”, it remained untamed for quite some time. 

Jim Davis served in the PA Dept. of Corrections for 16 ½ years as a corrections officer in the State Correctional Institute at Graterford and later at SCI Phoenix. He served on the Corrections Emergency Response Team (CERT), several of those years as a sniper, and also the Fire Emergency Response Team (FERT). For 25 years, he was a professional instructor, teaching topics including Defensive Tactics, Riot Control and Tactical Operations, Immediate Responder, and cognitive programs as an adjunct instructor at the DOC Training Academy. He was then promoted to the title of corrections counselor, where he ran a caseload and facilitated cognitive therapy classes to inmates. His total service time was close to 29 years. He was involved in many violent encounters on duty, including incidents of fatalities. He is a dedicated Christian and attributes any skills that he has to the glory of God.

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