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Like today it was all about costs, Leman's being the more plentiful and the least expensive rifle that was reliable. trading posts, traders and hardware supply sources had lot's of tradeguns (smoothbores) by different companies (and example: four H.E. Leman's to one Hawken (rifled guns) from what Hanson had wrote would be found in most inventories).
The NW Trade Gun was cheap worked fairly well and you could buy several of them to a rifled gun (that is what I would have done, having a backup weapon).
Here's an example of a well made trade gun from the 1840-1850's (
I'm bidding on this one at this time). My family has owned, bought or trade a dozen of these guns. I just raised the bid to $3,200.00 with three other guys bidding too.
Northwest Flintlock Trade Rifle by Parker Field - One of the better condition NW Guns around today in .590 bore diameter, 36" octagonal-to-round barrel.
{Tombstone} {fox} mark with
ER on the top of the barrel near the breech and on the lockplate. Lockplate marked in the rear
Parker Field & Co 1874 London. Walnut stock with carved moldings around the lockplate and beaver tail behind the tang. Screwed brass buttplate, iron triggerguard, brass serpent sideplate. Stock with brass band nosecap, and
{fox} marking on the rear of stock next to the buttplate.
Condition:
This is an excellent example of a late Northwest trade rifle retaining most of the original finish. Stock is excellent.
This gun has the "tombstone fox" stamp while many of them used the "sitting fox in a circle", most carried the "London" stamp also.
The
Tombstone Fox is a Sitting Fox over E.B. was used by Edward Bond to mark Hudson's Bay Company Trade Guns on both the locks and barrel. The top flat of the barrel was marked approximately 1" from the breech. The lock was marked on the plate ahead of the cock. This "Sitting Fox" logo was derived from the top of the HB Co. logo.
The
Sitting Fox in a circle for use on a North West Trade Gun on both the locks and barrel. The top flat of the barrel was marked approximately 1" from the breech. The lock was marked on the plate ahead of the cock. The inspector's mark is about .4" in diameter.
The
London stamp was a mark of quality on Trade Guns and Fowlers imported into North America. This mark was often copied and spuriously marked on Liege, Belgium made trade guns and double barrel shotguns well into the late 1800's on double barrel shotguns.
The makers (mark) stamp, other proof marks and on later ones a number (not so much a serial number, but thought to be a number mark for the quantity of guns being traded to a group of natives).
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