The one thing about those times was the lack of information about all of these great rifles being built. The only advertising you had back then was word of mouth and a few magazine articles. I started shooting black powder in 1976 when I purchased a 1858 Remington-Beals revolver kit from Montgomery-Wards. I visited shops to buy supplies and from there I learned about the few rilfes other than Navy Arms and CVA rifles being built, I can remember one old timer saying, buy the Navy Arms longrifle because the CVA longrifle comes in two pieces!!!! And the Hatfield is about the best longrifle being built today!!
In other words, a great time for all of those great rifles being built but a horrendous time for a novice trying to find out about all of those great rifles being built.