LBH Quiz

[Delmonico]

1st Sgt. John Ryan of M company claimed he fired the first and the last shots of the Battle of the Little Bighorn.  The first shot on the bottom would have been with a cav. carbine, but when the packtrain showed up he used a personal firearm that was stowed there, (or so it is said)  with this he is said to have done good work againts the snipers on the hill and fired one last parting shot at the line on Indians as they left the valley. 

Ya know what this second firearm was?

[Russ T Chambers]

If he was taking out snipers I'd say it was probably a Sharps.

[Qball]

I would guess that it was a buffalo rifle, maby a Sharps 45-120?
Ill go check it

[Silver Creek Slim]

A Remington Rolling Block?

Slim

[Delmonico]

A Sharps that weighed 15 pounds with telescopic sight, caliber 45, no case length ever given in any sources I have seen.

Have wondered for years where a man on even 1st SGT pay managed to come up with the money to buy such a thing.  I would guess about $150-$200 dollars new.

[Uncle Eph]

Mike Venturino in his book "Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West", says that it was most likely a 45-70 and Sgt. Ryan paid a $100.00 for it in Bismark NDT and traded  the first Sgt. of the 17th infantry for the heavier infantry loads for it and he did put the rifle to good use clearing out some hostiles at 600 yds.   He later sold the rifle to Sgt Charles White for a $100.00 and then it lost to history.












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[Delmonico]

I would have guessed 45-70 it makes sense.  With the railroad leading to Bismark it would reduce the price some from what I have heard they sold for on the range.  Ya never know though a friendly dealer still might have gave a soldier a deal ta help defeat the Indians if he knew what the Sgt. had in mind, long range sniping.   Still though I belive his pay would have been $21-23 a month if my brain works right.  Course there was always poker and other was fer a 1st Sgt. ta make extra cash.

Custer had his 50-70 bought when it was the rifle caliber, plenty of ammo floatin' around for it also.

Thank you have wondered for years, have read part of that book, missed that though.