An 1857 Buffalo Hunter's Outfit

ChuckBurrows · December 28, 2015, 11:16:11 AM

One of the few existing hunter's outfits from the APS period and no not everyone carried a Hawken!:

This one project I never did get done even after getting some parts...oh well next life time.....

Tsalagidave · December 28, 2015, 02:20:23 PM

Beautiful Kit. Designed and made for practicality.

-Dave

Niederlander · December 28, 2015, 03:12:42 PM

Do we have any idea where that set is, so we could get some good photos and perhaps measurements? Beautiful set!

Blair · December 28, 2015, 03:20:21 PM

Indeed!

And it also shows some of the variation/variety of the term "Plains Rifle".
These do not have to be specifically in the Hawken or Gemmer style to fit within the time period.
My best,
Blair

ChuckBurrows · December 28, 2015, 05:39:48 PM

Quote from: Niederlander on December 28, 2015, 03:12:42 PM
Do we have any idea where that set is, so we could get some good photos and perhaps measurements? Beautiful set!

Sorry but I don't have much more (just a few closeups). This was featured years ago in a gun mag and at that time it was being put up for auction by Butterfields.

Niederlander · December 28, 2015, 06:47:58 PM

Could you post the close-ups?

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · December 28, 2015, 08:57:19 PM

The rifle, with its back action lock, is very much like my .45 cal Pedersoli TRYON. Very fast locktime and provides very few alibis.

Dog whistle? I'll bet it is a powder measure.

That belt would be pretty heavy. A yoke would be a welcome modification.

Note; model name of my Pedersoli corrected. March 1, 2017

Oregon Bill · January 19, 2016, 12:07:20 PM

Three things surprise me: the relatively small caliber of Nosworthy's by our modern understanding; the lack of a skinning blade; and the dog whistle. But the more I think about the latter, the more I see it's wonderful utility if Nosworthy often took a hound or hounds along. They would be handy for trailing and treeing and as sentinels able to scent and warn of the presence of Indians. Being able to SILENTLY call them back in Indian country would be very advantageous.

Oregon Bill · January 19, 2016, 12:09:09 PM

Well, I shot myself down pretty darned quick. It seems Francis Galton invented the silent dog whistle in 1876.

Crooked River Bob · March 01, 2017, 12:59:23 PM

Quote from: Niederlander on December 28, 2015, 03:12:42 PM
Do we have any idea where that set is, so we could get some good photos and perhaps measurements? Beautiful set!

Howdy

I think the original set is in the Autry Museum, which happily displays some of it's collections online. Here is a link to the belt set: J. Nosworthy Belt and Kit

...and a link to the rifle: J. Nosworthy Plains/Mountain Rifle

The Autry collection seems to be missing the loading block, the powder horn, and that grand old buckskin bag, all of which are shown in the black and white images in the original post. A search of the Autry collections database shows several powder horns, but I don't think any of them match the Nosworthy horn.

You can zoom the images to get a closer look. One interesting feature of the belt is that it appears to have a "snake" buckle. I believe these were originally issued by the British, but were also used by the military in Canada and to some extent by the Confederates in the War Between the States. I wonder if it was military surplus.

I see the original post on this thread was submitted by the late Chuck Burrows. I never had the good fortune to meet him in person, but I admired his work. He was a craftsman of the highest order. He also had a tremendous fund of knowledge, which he was always willing to share. I miss seeing his posts, and offer belated but sincere condolences to his family and his many friends.

Best regards,

Crooked River Bob