Guns carried in the days of the Australian Outback Frontier

[Virginia Gentleman]

I am curious what types of handguns, rifles and shotguns were popular on the frontier in Australia durning the Victorian era?   Webleys and Colts etc I am sure were there, but more detail and information would be greatly appreciated.

[Major 2]

You sparked my intrest so I did some searching..

These are the guns of Ned Kelly

[Virginia Gentleman]

It seems like US and UK pistols dominated and Ned Kelly was a good movie.  I loved the home made armor they used!

[Herbert]

In Australia there was a huge variaty of wepons usedin the early pre gold rush days mainly British wepons when the gold rushes starter in the 1850s Colt revolvers were the most common especilly the 1849 followed by the 1851which was issued to most mouted police,cheep single shot Belgium made single shot percusian pistols were also popular,the British Tranter and Adams revolvers were considerd the best that could be had and were obtained by those that could aford them,pinfire revolvers also became very popular,as the cartridge era came in the Webley RIC type revolver became the most comly new revolver but there was always a strong Colt and S&W market along with the older pecucian arms.For long arms the shot gun was by far the most common firearm used in Australia as in other countries,the police were armed with Callisher and Terry caping breach loader carbines in most colonias as well as a smatering of Spencer repeating carbines,then upgraded to military British cartridge carbines as they became available.Winchester 73 and 92s were very popular from the fist intruduction and are the most common antique civilian rifle found from the 1880s untill WW 1.Australia had many gold rushes and ships from all over the world turned up with trade goods and armed men from every were so some very unusual and rare guns have been found in Australia from Colt Paterson and Walker revolvers to the highest quality custom  guns and the cheapest of trade guns,it was a period when gun onership was seen as a necesity for one reason or another