Late production NW trade guns.

[Hudnut]

The 1857 I posted above has a round tail.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

All I have learned of these guns came from the Trade Gun Sketchbook...likely not a definitive reference work.

[ddoyle]

The definitive work on Trade Guns is Firearms of the Fur Trade The Encylopedia of Trade Goods Vol 1.  Museum of the Fur Trade.  If you are still in town you can swing by and take mine to the library for an afternoon.

I saw a late percussion belgian gun still living in a trap line cabin on the Liard in that same area I found a stack of about 100 buckets. Did not realize it then but they were trade items- cached and forgotten- stolen and hidden- left for next years bait and fogotten?   And for a really late gun I was a sucker on a trade once and parted with a p17 that BSA had reworked for the HBC including plugging the rear bridge with a piece engraved HBC . Maybe the very last time a British Gunmaker took a custom order from the HBC?  Everything about that rifle was impecable and perfection. It went to a happy owner in the NWT who knew what he was getting.

FYI Hudnit has been paying close attention to this stuff for about 60 years. forgot more then anyone else ever knew.

[westbj2]

About 1990, I bought a late trade gun from a customer who brought it down from Canada .  It was in new original flint condition and marked "Barnett 1885".  Story with the gun was that the family bought it from the HBC store in Kenora Ontario about 1900.
Jim

[lexington1]

I got my copy of 'Firearms of the Fur Trade' today. Wow, what an impressive book! I can't wait to dig into it tonight. 

[Treebeard]

In regards to the Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron it is a short trip from the Black Hills area of South Dakata. I Have been able to visit it several times by adding it to family vacations. There is really to much to soak up in one visit. the trade guns and native american textiles are my favorites. The Black Hills are wonderful and i can see why the Native Americans fought so hard to keep them and why they refuse to give up formal ownership.

[Skirmisher]

I have an 1871 dated Barnett in very fine condition, caliber .58 and flintlock.  Years ago I owned an 1867 dated Barnett which featured an Enfield-style percussion lock and bolster breech.  Obviously, both Flint and percussion models were made concurrently.  The flintlock is very reliable and in cold weather easier to load than the percussion model.  My flinter has a monster touch hole that is self-priming.

[mnguy62]

Hi!
By the 1950's the NW guns had been replaced by the Imperial Shotgun. There is a NW Gun with the lockplate dated 1900. That's the latest I'm aware of. The "19" and the "00" are done with different dies which may indicate they were considering going forward. 1900, 1901, 1902 etc.

I have a letter from York Factory (fur post) to HBC headquarters in which the Chief Factor (boss) wants to send back flint guns to convert or be replaced by percussion guns "as they are no longer of any value here". I believe the date is 1887. So we know that by 1887 even as far out in the bush, York Factory was, a supply of percussion caps were no longer a concern.

I have a flint Barnett which is dated 1876. I've been fortunate over the years to have found 14 original NW Guns. Earliest a 1821 gun ordered by the NW Co. but taken delivery by HBC.

Hope the above has been of some interest.

[Daryl]

I wanted the flint, but Taylor wouldn't give it to me.

[Justin Urbantas]

Hi!
By the 1950's the NW guns had been replaced by the Imperial Shotgun. There is a NW Gun with the lockplate dated 1900. That's the latest I'm aware of. The "19" and the "00" are done with different dies which may indicate they were considering going forward. 1900, 1901, 1902 etc.

I have a letter from York Factory (fur post) to HBC headquarters in which the Chief Factor (boss) wants to send back flint guns to convert or be replaced by percussion guns "as they are no longer of any value here". I believe the date is 1887. So we know that by 1887 even as far out in the bush, York Factory was, a supply of percussion caps were no longer a concern.

I have a flint Barnett which is dated 1876. I've been fortunate over the years to have found 14 original NW Guns. Earliest a 1821 gun ordered by the NW Co. but taken delivery by HBC.

Hope the above has been of some interest.

Thanks. That's just what I was looking for. A little history of great interest to me.