Civil War-era assault rifle.
• Kit Carson was a mule man. So was Al Sieber and General Crook.
• A Henry Repeating Rifle cost $42 in 1863. That’s the equivalent of today’s cost of a basic AR-15. Served the same function, too: Send a lot of lead downrange fast.
• Speaking of the AR-15… Black Rifle Mania has swept the land. ARs everywhere you look. Gotta have one —with a holographic sight and a combat flashlight and… and… and…
Tacticool. I get it. All that gear is pretty sweet. Building an AR is like tricking out a car. You can spend thousands of dollars making your Black Rifle all whiz-bang.
I have no problem with this. I’ve had my fun with an AR, but I’ve never wanted to buy one. You want to throw down the cash, knock yourself out. But you don’t need to. Unless you’re an operator, any job you could realistically call upon an AR to do you could do just as well or better with a .30-30. For a third or less of the price.
But, hell, I’m an old-school walnut-and-steel guy anyway. And the only handguns I have are revolvers. My idea of tacticool is dated c. 1916, so what the hell do I know…
• Went with my buddy Jack to see the firearms exhibit at the High Desert Museum in Bend. Good stuff. The exhibit asked viewers to decide what firearm we’d have chosen if we lived on the Western frontier. Depends on the period of course. For the early days, can’t beat the Hawken. Robust, powerful and still damn good-lookin’. Later on, the Springfield Trapdoor and still later a Ballard. Yep, all single-shots. I’d opt for knock-down power and range over firepower.
Jack’s a handgun man. He was in a swivet over the cap-and-ball Colts. There was a Dragoon, an 1860 Army and an 1851 Navy — all in great condition.
• Joe Meek’s rifle is a thick, crude .62-caliber with a short-for-the time 27-inch barrel. He carved “DEATH” into the buttstock. Badass mountain man.
John Cornelius says
Cap-and-ball Colt. Now where have I heard that before???
JimC says
Down at the general store where your mama bought a dozen eggs — and dropped ’em?
John Cornelius says
That’s where! She really blew up!
John Cornelius says
An example of how effective the Henry was, in the hands of the right person:
“The following letter from Captain Wilson, Co. M, 12th Kentucky Cavalry, is entitled to an introductory statement. The writer is an unconditional Union man, living in a strongly disloyal section of Kentucky. His neighbors had threatened his life. In consequence of this Captain Wilson had fitted up a log crib across the road from his front door as a sort of arsenal, where he had his Henry rifle, Colt’s revolver etc. One day, while at home dining with his family, seven mounted guerillas rode up, dismounted and burst into his dining room and commenced firing upon him with revolvers. The attack was so sudden that the first shots struck a glass of water his wife was raising to her lips, breaking the glass. Several other shots were fired without effect, when Captain Wilson sprang to his feet, exclaiming, “For God’s sake, gentlemen, if you wish to murder me, do not do it at my own table in presence of my family.” This caused a parley, resulting in their consent that he might go out doors to be shot. The moment he reached his front door he sprang for his cover, and his assailants commenced firing at him. Several shots passed through his hat, and more through his clothes, but none took effect upon his person. He thus reached his cover and seized his Henry Rifle, turned upon his foes, and in five shots killed five of them; the other two sprung for their horses. As the sixth man threw his hand over the pommel of his saddle, the sixth shot took off four fingers; notwithstanding this he got into the saddle, but the seventh shot killed him; then starting out, Captain Wilson killed the seventh man with the eight shot.”
JimC says
Nice…
Lane Batot says
“NICE?” Sounds more like LUCKY-AS-HECK! Or more evidence that you CAN’T croak until it is really your time! Or that Southern-sympathizing Kentuckians were the WORST shots in history! Great story, anyway! Kinda reminds me of another, in more “primitive” circumstances, but similar(perhaps you’ve heard it already? In the spirit of one good story deserves another…)–I read it in Mooney’s “Myths Of The Cherokee”–seems a war party of Cherokee, accompanied by a Seneca warrior who was allied with them(normally the Cherokee and Iroquois–including the Seneca–were bitter enemies, but there are always going to be individual exceptions, of course), went on a raid against(if I’m remembering correctly here…) the Creeks. Things didn’t go so well for the attackers–they were repulsed, and the Seneca warrior was captured. He faced death by torture at the stake, naturally, and before the slow execution began, the Seneca requested his right as a warrior to harangue about his exploits before his demise, which the Creeks willingly allowed him(you know, no T. V. in them days)–even giving him a tomahawke to “strike the post” with for each past exploit he narrated(a traditional gesture). The Seneca was a great and experienced warrior, so had many exploits to relate(you can bet I would have had LOTS of stories too, under those circumstances!), so it took him awhile to get through them all. He especially went into great detail(you can imagine) about past victories over The Creeks, in particular! At last he finished, saying, “so many of your people have I slain, and SO MANY MORE I WILL YET KILL!”, with which he brained the nearest Creek warrior with the tomahawke and leaped through the circle of Creeks to take off running like nothing but a Seneca warrior could do, trained since boyhood for long distance running. Despite vigorous pursuit, the Seneca eventually escaped(hiding in a hollow log at one point). I’ll bet the Creeks modified somewhat how condemned prisoners were allowed to relate their past exploits after this one…..L.B.(Do keep in mind the previous story is much paraphrased from memory….)
JimC says
Great story Lane. A Seneca Scheherazade.
John Maddox Roberts says
Jim, I can’t believe you’re so old-fashioned that you have only revolvers. My pet is an up-to-date 1911 semi-auto, a mere 102 years old. And my assault rifle is an 8mm ’98 Mauser. That’s not counting my ’97 pump 12 gauge. All modern arms, none of that sentimental old-fashioned stuff for me.
JimC says
Heh! That’s great. Touché and well played.
Lane Batot says
John Maddox Roberts–when you “carry” an Assegai habitually as your main weapon(as I do), ANY GUN is is “modern”……..