A subject near and dear to my heart. I have studied this subject for decades and have come to some conclusions I believe I can back up with evidence. First off, those television shows are just entertainment. I have caught quite a few errors in Gun Guru's and the American Rifleman. If these shows can not get it right, what are the chances a less knowledgeable show will get it right? Many well paid gun writers simply parrot old advise that was wrong when written years before. I have heard many times that the shotgun was the winner. Not even close by my research. The west is vast and open country. A shotgun has a 50 yard killing range with buckshot on small deer. The west has far larger game than the little deer back east and are shot a far greater distances. It did help feed the settlers and was close range protection but that was its limited role. No handgun I know would even be in the running. Their only use, then as now, was very close range defense. Even today with the modern guns, officers say it is their last resort and is only there to keep the bad guys at bay till a rifle can be found. Most people are only fair shots with a handgun myself included. That leaves rifles. We must determine when the west was wild. Other than a few hearty souls, 1823 was the first real expeditions into the west. By 1890 the Indian wars were over, towns had mass transportation, electricity, phones, telegraphs, and the west was official closed. A 67 year window. From my research the following 5 rifles can vie for top venue.
The muzzle loading Hawkens type rifle used by ALL out west from 1803 till at least the end of the civil war in 1865. The length of time itself make it the winner in my book.
The Springfield trapdoor in both 50-70 and 45-70 was in use from 1866 till well after the west was closed as the military's main rifle.
The Sharpes and Remington single barrel rifles devastated the buffalo herds and forced the Indians onto reservations. The old adage goes " the Sharpes made the west safe for the Winchester shooters"., has merit.
Now the Winchester lever action in both models 1866 and 1873 would find a place on the list.
The last candidate is seldom mentioned. The civil was Sharpes carbine re-chambered to 50-70 government should be on the list. These seldom heard of guns were first issue to the US Calvary, and Texas Rangers. These guns were used by Custer's early command, were used by the Indians at the Little Big Horn, the battle at Big Hole, and countless other skirmishes. After the army was issued the 1873 Springfields, these guns were offered for a free or a minimum sum to any settler that wanted one. Teamsters, settles, gold prospector all had these. Free ammunition was available at any fort if it was to be used for buffalo or Indian.
These are my candidates from my years of research. What say the forum?
At least 2 historically accurate documentaries( one by Ken Burns) as well as TVs "Gun Stories" have aired interesting segments regarding the role of the shotgun in "taming" the frontier
