Provenance for Griswold and Gunnison Revolver

[Jake MacReedy]

"I would imagine that the period from 1865-1873 (or 1880) saw the vast majority of western settlers with C&B revolvers in their inventory, even if not their primary sidearm."  - Patrick Henry Brown

Were I a betting man, I would wager a year's wages that percussion revolvers were the primary sidearms long after 1873 (or 1880), as well.  I believe we would all be truly surprised if a time machine were available and we could actually see what handguns were in common usage by our ancestors.  With the lack of funds available after the Civil War, replacing cap-and-ball revolvers...or rifles...was probably not a common thing to do.  If money did become available for a firearm, I believe it would have been used to buy a cartridge long gun, rifle or shotgun, before replacing the revolver (unless someone was a lawman or bandit).  There are quite a few first-hand sources telling of percussion revolver usage long after the introduction of cartridge firearms.  Even today, how many of us can afford a Colt SAA, or one of the no-longer-available S&W Schofields?  

Just my $0.02 worth.

Regards,
Jake

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Yep!