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25 Legendary Guns That Built – and Broke – the Wild West

No era of American history generated so many myths, legends, tall tales, and folklore as the latter half of the 1800s, otherwise known as the ‘Old West’ period.

It was a time when people were striking out into the brutal frontier to make their way of life, when towns were running wild with anarchy, and when ordinary folks sometimes had to take the law into their own hands.

It was also a time when weapons technology was rapidly evolving. The days of the single shot muzzleloading rifles and pistols were slowly coming to an end as they were being replaced by cartridge-firing repeating rifles and pistols that offered people much higher capacities and a faster rate of fire.

These firearms found their way into the hands of countless bandits, desperadoes, and outlaws who used them to prey on the weak and the innocent, but also into the hands of the lawmen, ranch hands, and good citizens who used them to turn the tables on the bad guys.

Here are the 25 most iconic and innovative firearms that helped tame America during the Old West period:

1 – Hawken Rifle

Hawken Rifle 1
Image Credit: Denver Public Library History

Also known as the “Plains Rifle” or the “Rocky Mountain Rifle,” this was a muzzleloading rifle developed by the Hawken brothers, Jacob and Samuel, in the early 1800s. It was designed from the beginning to be a lightweight and maneuverable rifle that also packed enough stopping power to bring down all North American big game.

It was used extensively by traders, explorers, hunters, fur trappers, and frontiersmen all the way up until the early 1870s, when it gradually started to become replaced by more modern breechloading rifles.

2 – Colt 1851 Navy

Colt 1851 Navy
Image Credit: Taylor’s Firearms

The 1851 Navy, an example of an ‘open top’ Colt revolver due to the lack of a top strap over the cylinder, was one of the most common handguns of the early Old West period. This .36 caliber cap-and-ball revolver was exclusively used throughout the 1850s and into the Civil War, where it served in the hands of countless Union and Confederate soldiers alike.

After the war, many Colt 1851s were converted to fire metallic cartridges like the .38 Metallic and .38 Short Colt rounds. The famous outlaw Jesse James was known to carry two 1851 Navy revolvers for his sidearms until he later upgraded to the Colt Single Action Army.

3 – Remington 1858 New Model Army

Remington 1858 New Model Army
Image Credit: EJ’s Auction & Appraisal

One of the chief competitors to the Colt revolvers of the Old West era was Remington. Remington’s primary handgun offering during the Civil War era was their 1858 New Model Army .44 caliber cap-and-ball revolver. In the late 1860s, many New Model Army revolvers were converted to metallic cartridges like .44 Colt and .46 Rimfire. The Remington was more stout and durable than the Colt Open Tops due to its solid frame and top strap over the cylinder.

4 – Colt 1860 Army

Colt 1860 Army 1
Image Credit: Rock Island Armory

Another common open top Colt revolver of the Old West period was the 1860 Army. This was a .44 caliber cap-and-ball revolver that served as the standard issue sidearm of the Union forces during the Civil War. After the Civil War, many 1860 Army revolvers were also converted to fire cartridges such as .44 Colt; the example you see in the above photo is a cartridge converted 1860. The 1860 Army had a larger frame and a longer grip than the 1851 Navy, but wasn’t quite as durable as the competing Remington 1858.

5 – Henry Rifle

Henry Rifle
Image Credit: Henry Repeating Arms

Perhaps the most influential rifle of the Civil War period was the Henry rifle. Produced by the New Haven Arms Company, this was a lever action rifle that accepted 15 cartridges of .44 Henry rimfire ammunition in its magazine tube, which offered soldiers unparalleled firepower in an era where single shot muzzleloaders and breech loading rifles were the norm.

The Henry continued to be popular after the war and into the Old American West, and it served as the genesis for the Winchester lever action rifles that followed. Speaking of which…

6 – Winchester 1866 ‘Yellow Boy’

Winchester 1866 Golden Boy 1
Image Credit: Bonhams

Following the Civil War, Oliver Winchester reformed New Haven Arms into the Winchester Repeating Arms Company and sent to work to improve the Henry Rifle. The two major design changes were adding a wooden forend under the magazine tube to protect the shooter’s supporting hand from a heated barrel, as well as changing the loading process from inserting the rounds into the tube by the end of the barrel to loading them into a loading gate on the side of the receiver.

The result was the Winchester 1866 ‘Yellow Boy,’ and like the Henry, it was chambered for the .44 Henry rimfire round. The 1866 proved enormously successful not only in the United States but also with militaries and law enforcement around the world.

7 – Sharps Rifle

Sharps Rifle
Image Credit: Buffalo Bill Center of the West

It was guns like the Sharps rifle that helped to displace the Hawken rifle. The Sharps was a single shot breech loading rifle that was designed to fire large calibers such as the .50-70 and the .45-70. Also known as the “Buffalo gun,” it was extensively used by big game hunters and sharpshooters who needed a big bore rifle that could tap targets at long distances. They were among the most accurate rifles of the Old West period and were offered in a variety of barrel lengths.

8 – Remington Rolling Block

Remington Rolling Block
Image Credit: Rifle Shooter

In addition to their revolvers, Remington also became famous during the Old West for their Rolling Block rifle. Competing directly with the Sharps rifle, was a single shot rifle designed to fire a variety of large caliber rounds. It was one of the strongest rifles of its type in its day. The Rolling Block was also bought in large quantities by many European countries as their standard issue infantry rifle, including Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

9 – Colt 1871-72 Open Top

Colt Model 1871–72 Open Top
Image Credit: Invaluable

Bearing more than a passing resemblance to the Colt 1860 Army, the 1871-72 Open Top was Colt’s first attempt at producing a cartridge revolver out of the factory to replace the cap-and-ball revolvers (which were already being converted to fire cartridges) that they had been making.

The revolver was chambered for the .44 Henry rimfire cartridge, so people who already owned a Henry or a Winchester 1866 Yellow Boy could have a rifle and a revolver that fired the same ammunition. The 1871-72 ended up being short-lived, as around a year later it was replaced by the Colt 1873 Single Action Army.

10 – Springfield 1873 Trapdoor Rifle/Carbine

Springfield 1873 Trapdoor
Image Credit: Bonhams

The Springfield 1873 Trapdoor became the first breech loading rifle to be adopted as the standard issue infantry weapon by the United States military, replacing the muzzleloaders that were in use during the Civil War period. The 1873 Trapdoor was so named for its hinged breechblock that opened like a trapdoor to facilitate the loading and unloading of .45-70 Government rounds.

Available in both rifle and carbine configurations, the Trapdoor was equally popular with civilians as a big game hunting rifle throughout the Old West as well; it competed with the Sharps and the Remington Rolling Block rifles.

11 – Colt Single Action Army Model of 1873

Colt Single Action Army Model of 1873 1 1
Image Credit: Rock Island Army

The Colt Single Action Army of 1873, more commonly known as the Peacemaker, is easily the most recognizable handgun of the Old West period. Also colloquially known by many nowadays as the ‘Cowboy Gun,’ it borrowed from the Remington 1858’s solid frame design and was formerly adopted by the United States Army as its standard issue sidearm.

The Single Action Army was also extensively carried by the lawmen, outlaws, ranchers, and frontiersman of the day. It was offered in over thirty calibers, but the two most common were the .45 Long Colt and .44-40 Winchester cartridges. The Single Action Army remains in production by Colt to this day and, in addition to the 1911 pistol, is probably the company’s most iconic firearm.

12 – Smith & Wesson Model 3 Revolver

Smith Wesson Schofield 1
Image Credit: College Hill Arsenal

One of the main competitors to the Colt Single Action Army was the Smith & Wesson Model 3 series of revolvers, which were also offered in many calibers such as .44-40 Winchester, .44 Russian, .44 S&W, and .45 Schofield. The most famous variant was known as the ‘Schofield,’ named after Major George W. Schofield who made improvements to the loading latch.

The Model 3’s big advantage was how the frame could swing downward to expose the cylinder and facilitate the loading and unloading of all six cartridges at once (in contrast, Colt and Remington revolvers had to be loaded and unloaded one round at a time). But this advantage was also a disadvantage, as it made the design structurally weaker than the Colt and Remington revolvers as well. It’s believed that famous lawman Wyatt Earp carried a Schofield during the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

13 – Smith & Wesson Model 2 and Model 2 Double Action

Smith Wesson Model 2 and Model 2 Double Action 1
Image Credit: IMFDb

In addition to the Model 3, Smith & Wesson also made a series of small, concealable revolvers as well. Their most successful were the Model 2 series, with nearly one million units sold in total. The initial Model 2 was introduced in 1876. It was a small, single action only revolver chambered for .38 S&W with a 5-shot capacity.

The Model 2 Double Action (like you see in the above photo) appeared a few years later. These guns competed directly with other small pistols such as the Remington 95 Derringer, and served as the forerunners to the Smith & Wesson .38 snubnose revolvers that the company would become famous for decades later.

14 – Remington 1875 Frontier Army

Remington 1875 Frontier Army
Image Credit: Historic Investments

The revolver that primarily competed with the Colt Single Action Army and Smith & Wesson Model 3 during the Old West period was the Remington 1875 Frontier Army. Representing a modernization of the earlier 1858 revolver, the Remington bore somewhat of a close resemblance to the Colt but could be quickly distinguished due to the metal strap that was present under the barrel.

This strap added strength to the pistol and helped contribute to the Remington’s reputation for durability; Wyatt Earp claimed that this strap on the 1875 made it effective as a club for pistol whipping opponents into submission. Most 1875s were chambered for the .44 Remington and .44-40 rounds, but a very limited number were also chambered in .45 Long Colt.

15 – Remington Model 95 Derringer

Remington 95 Derringer 2
Image Credit: College Hill Arsenal

The Remington 95 Derringer was a double-barrel pocket pistol developed after the end of the Civil War and used throughout the Old West as a concealment handgun, ‘under the table’ gun at poker games gone wrong, or as a backup gun for law enforcement. Chambered for the .41 Rimfire caliber, the 95’s chief competitors were the Smith & Wesson Model 2 revolvers, which had larger capacity but at the expense of being slightly larger.

16 – Colt Model 1877

Colt Model 1877 1
Image Credit: Amoskeag Auction Company

The Colt Model 1877 was Colt’s first serious attempt at manufacturing a double action revolver. The resulting product was somewhat successful. While not nearing the success of the Single Action Army, it sold decently well and was produced until the early 1900s.

There were three major variations: the Rainmaker in .32 Long Colt, the Lightning in .38 Long Colt, and the Thunderer in .41 Long Colt. The double action mechanism was fragile, however, and when broken it would reduce the gun to a single action only configuration. The 1877 was known to be favored by Billy the Kid, as well as by Doc Holliday who carried one in addition to his Single Action Army.

17 – Winchester 1873

Winchester 1873 1
Image Credit: Winchester Repeating Arms

The Winchester 1873 is the rifle that became known as the ‘Gun that Won the West.’ It was a development of the 1866 Yellow Boy, with the main innovations being that it was built out of a more durable steel frame (in contrast to the 1866’s bronze and brass alloy) and fired the more powerful .44-40 cartridge.

Anyone armed with an 1873 Winchester could also purchase a Colt Peacemaker, Smith & Wesson Model 3, or Remington 1875 in the same caliber and therefore only need one type of ammunition for both their rifle and pistol. The 1873 Winchester is easily the most iconic rifle of the Old West period and it remains in production by Winchester today. Around 700,000 units were sold during the Old West period in total.

18 – Winchester 1876

Winchester 1876
Image Credit: Uberti Replicas

The 1876 was Winchester’s first big bore lever action rifle. It was essentially a larger version of the 1873, designed to fire larger rifle cartridges that could bring down big game animals (in contrast to the pistol cartridges that the 1866 and 1873 rifles fired) like the .40-60 Winchester and .50-95 Express.

As a result, people had the option to use a repeating rifle to hunt big game, instead of having to only use single shot rifles like the Sharps, Springfield Trapdoor, or the Remington Rolling Block rifles for this task. The 1876 could not, however, chamber the popular .45-70 Government round since the toggle link action of the design was too short for it.

19 – Colt Model 1878 Coach Gun

Colt Model 1878 Coach Gun 2
Image Credit: Invaluable

The Colt Model 1878 was the quintessential ‘coach gun’ (or short double barreled shotgun) of the Old West. Coach guns were so named because they were often carried by co-drivers on stagecoaches as defense against robbers. These dead simple 12-gauge shotguns packed quite a punch and enabled the shooter to get off two devastating shots at close range quickly.

20 – Marlin Model 1881

Marlin Model 1881
Image Credit: Invaluable

Winchester wasn’t the only manufacturer making lever action rifles during the Old West period. The other major player was Marlin, who came onto the scene with their 1881 rifle. Competing directly with the Winchester 1876, the Marlin offered a major advantage in that it was chambered for the enormously popular .45-70 Government round, which was widely available since it was the standard issue round for the U.S. military in their Springfield Trapdoors. The Marlin 1881 was produced until 1903.

21 – Winchester 1886

Winchester 1886 2
Image Credit: Bradford’s Auction Gallery

When the Marlin 1881 hit the market in the enormously popular .45-70 round, Winchester quickly realized that they needed to up their game. They contracted John Moses Browning to design a new lever action rifle that would improve upon the 1876, and the result was the 1886.

The 1886 uses a locking block action that is much stronger than the toggle link action of the 1873 and 1876 rifles. The 1886 was chambered for numerous other large calibers in addition to .45-70, and proved to be enormously successful as a big game hunting rifle. It remains in production today.

22 – Winchester 1887

Winchester 1887
Image Credit: Gun Wiki

Winchester continued their partnership with John Browning by asking him to produce a repeating shotgun that would offer people more firepower than the traditional double barreled shotguns that were then in use. Winchester requested that the new shotgun be a lever action to keep consistency with their rifles. This was to Browning’s dismay as he preferred a pump action design.

Nonetheless, he designed for Winchester the 1887 lever action shotgun in the 10 gauge and 12 gauge rounds. The 1887 loaded the rounds individually through the breech, and could hold seven rounds in total. Browning went on to design the repeating shotgun for Winchester that he wanted, however, in the form of the pump action Model 1897.

23 – Winchester 1892

Winchester 1892
Image Credit: Wild West Originals

The Winchester 1892, also designed by John Browning, was essentially a Winchester 1886 that was scaled down to fire the pistol caliber cartridges that the Winchester 1873 could fire. The 1892 was a superior rifle to the 1873 as it offered a stronger action, and it became enormously successful worldwide with over one million units sold.

The 1892 found a lot of fame in early Hollywood western movies, where it was often used as a stand-in for the 1873 because it was more widely available at the time. Actor John Wayne, for instance, famously used an 1892 with a large lever loop in several of his films. The 1892 is still produced today.

24 – Winchester 1894

Winchester 1894
Image Credit: Bradford’s Auction Gallery

Browning wasn’t done with designing lever action rifles for Winchester quite yet. A couple of years after the 1892, he produced the 1894 lever action rifle. This was the first repeating rifle that could fire smokeless powder, and was chambered for calibers larger than the 1892 but smaller than the 1886.

The most common chambering for the 1894 is the widespread .30-30 Winchester round. The 1894 found widespread success as a hunting and law enforcement rifle alike, and it became the bestselling sporting rifle ever made, with a whopping seven million units sold. Winchester still sells the 1894 today, with new rifles produced by the Japanese arms manufacturer Miroku.

25 – Winchester 1895

Winchester 1895 1
Image Credit: Bonhams

The last of the Winchesters appeared right towards the end of the Old West period: the Model 1895. Also designed by John Browning, the Winchester 1895 was very unique in that it used an internal box magazine so it could accept larger, Spitzer bullets that could not be safely loaded into lever action rifles with a tubular magazine. The 1895 had a stronger design than past Winchester rifles, and was offered in calibers such as .30-40 Krag, .30-06 Springfield, 7.62x54r, and .405 Winchester.

The 1895 became famous as one of the favorite hunting rifles of President Theodore Roosevelt, who took two with him to hunt in Africa. The rifle was also prized by the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Rangers, and the Russian army also bought several to help supplement the Mosin-Nagant. 1895s are still produced today by Miroku under the Winchester name.

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