Guns of the old West

Like most boys born during the Second World War and shortly afterwards, my Saturday mornings were spent at a local cinema where children were thrilled by the exploits of Flash Gordon, Rocket Man, Superman, and a host of cowboy stars. At the end of the war, people were looking for an escape from the hardships brought about by six years of conflict, and the cinema was an escape from reality as the world looked towards a better future.
The late 1940s and throughout the 1950s were the heyday of western films, which would soon spill over into television, and at one time there were as many as 30 western series running on American TV at the same time. Most of these shows had everyone carrying a Colt Single Action Army revolver and a Winchester Model 1892 rifle, due to the abundance of such guns at the time. When you start to look deeper into it, you’ll find a wide range of weapons and equipment that were available before the Civil War and up to the end of the 19th century. This provides opportunities for specialisation in various areas, as well as for building a comprehensive collection that documents the history of arms during this period.
Sadly, the UK firearms laws make it exceedingly difficult, but not quite impossible, for today’s collectors to own examples of the many fine centrefire pistols available from several manufacturers, including the big players like Colt, Remington, and Smith & Wesson. Nevertheless, there are countless other handguns around to offer the prospect of a very interesting collection, and we will look at some of these options in more detail in the future.

The handguns – front loaders
There are several American percussion revolvers which will be seen at many arms fairs and on dealers’ websites, and these will be well-known to those interested in this sphere of collecting. Most will be aware of Sam Colt’s range of revolvers, from the Paterson models to the 1862 Police models, spanning the period from 1836 to 1873. There is enough variation in this series alone to form a substantial collection, especially if you add a few accoutrements such as powder flasks and bullet moulds, for example. While the cost of the Paterson and Walker models will likely put them out of reach of the average collector, the rest of the range offers the opportunity to amass a very interesting group.
One of the more popular percussion revolvers is the Remington New Model Army (NMA), inaccurately named the Remington 1858 because of the 1858 patent date on the barrel of these guns. The NMA revolver was not introduced until 1863, and that patent is in reference to an earlier feature on Remington pistols. There are several variations of percussion revolvers from Remington, from small pocket models through to the .36 calibre Navy variations and a double action offering.
There are models from companies like Metropolitan Arms, Starr, and Savage, as well as lesser-known names such as Bacon Arms, J.M. Cooper, Marston, C.S. Pettengill, and others, all giving you the opportunity to obtain something a little bit different from the norm.
When John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln, he used a small single-shot percussion pistol manufactured by Henry Deringer (note spelling) of Philadelphia. Some press reports misspelt the name by using a double ‘r’ and over time that spelling has become synonymous with small, easily concealed pistols. Henry Deringer’s pistols had enough imitators to allow collectors to specialise in this type of pistol.

The handguns – breechloaders
Perhaps percussion is not to your liking? Fear not, there are enough small cartridge pistols available for you to make up a large collection, with a variety of styles and price ranges. Revolvers range from small, cheap(ish) models often with no indication of the maker but marked with names such as Avenger, Swamp Angel, and Tramps Terror, to quality items from the likes of Colt. Some of the poorer examples were so badly made that the term ‘suicide special’ was coined to indicate that they may be more dangerous to the shooter than the intended victim! There are also some oddball and ingenious pistols that were produced to get around the Rollin White patent, assigned to Smith & Wesson, covering breech-loading revolvers, which was in force from 1855 to 1869.
Derringers will provide you with a large selection of various shapes and sizes, from single-shot models to multi-barrel types, all in a range of calibres. Colt and Remington were big players in this sector, but strangely enough, Smith & Wesson never produced a cartridge Derringer. Prices can range from fairly cheap for the poorer examples, to fairly expensive for the more elaborate specimens.

The long guns
When it comes to collecting rifles, the selection is much more limited. Many of the guns available are in centrefire calibres, and as such require a firearms certificate to purchase. There are a number of obsolete calibres which can be bought without restriction, but they tend to be a little more expensive due to the reduced numbers on this side of the Atlantic. If you have the funds, then look out for the Winchester models that can be found in some dealers’ lists, including the Model 1866 in .44 rimfire calibre, and a smattering of examples from the 1876, 1886 and 1894 Models. The ubiquitous Model 1892 that is featured in countless Western films is, unfortunately, only available as a Section 1 firearm.
There are a couple of .50 calibre centrefire models around that are free of restriction, including offerings from Sharps, Winchester, and Springfield, the latter in the shape of converted Civil War Trapdoor rifles, but expect to pay a little more for some of these.
Regarding the Civil War, there were several percussion carbines and muskets, the latter smoothbore or rifled, and these were used in the conflict. They can, therefore, provide an interesting avenue for collectors. You will find infantry models made by the various government arsenals, such as Springfield and Harper’s Ferry, as well as a number of private contractors. Conversions of these were produced in .50 centrefire calibre after the war and they pop up now and again. Carbines intended initially for mounted use were provided by the likes of Burnside, Smith, and Sharps & Hankins.
Several breechloading carbines were offered during the war in both rimfire and centrefire, and they often appear for sale. Spencer, Remington, and Sharps all produced models in calibres that are now considered obsolete, making them available in the UK without a licence.

The other bits
There are a number of associated items which can help to make a collection more interesting or can even be collected in their own right. Percussion guns came with their own necessary accoutrements such as powder flasks and bullet moulds, and the variety of shapes and sizes of the former offers a bewildering choice, many of which were manufactured here in England and supplied to American gun makers.
Before the Civil War, pistols would generally be stuffed into your belt or in your pocket, but the need for cavalry to carry a revolver necessitated the use of holsters and there are still a few of these around. Obviously, they are in very short supply and prices are reflected in the scarcity. Post-war civilian holsters are a little more numerous but still not cheap, so you may wish to buy a reproduction to enhance a display. The Buscadero holsters are a later invention and do not really belong in this time period.
When Winchester introduced its new centrefire rifle in 1873, it offered a tool for reloading the spent cases. It continued the practice for several years, giving collectors another item which came in a variety of shapes and sizes. With models from other manufacturers, this can be another interesting field for collectors.
Other small items can enhance a display and will add interest without costing a fortune.  A bowie knife or a pair of spurs were commonplace in the latter half of the 19th century, whilst a Derringer display can be improved with a pack of playing cards (reproductions of the old style are readily available), a pair of dice, or an old pocket watch. Watch out for the accessories on your next visit to an arms fair and keep checking the dealer and private adverts in Gun Mart for your next antique gun from the American West.