Civil war rifles for buffalo

[Texas Gil]

I have often wondered if there were many buffalo hunters that used civil war rifles like Springfield ,Enfield, Mississippi etc rifles ? Seems to be likely given the calibers, range and accuracy!

 

[Old Hawkeye]

The bulk of the Buffalo slaughter occurred well after the Civil War & the advent of the cartridge rifles. I find it very unlikely that anyone would use a Civil War muzzleloading rifle to shoot Buffalo after the single shot cartridge rifles better suited to that task were readily available. Not saying it didn't happen, but probably not to any great degree.

 

[Patocazador]

Most buffalo hunters (shooters) were in it for the $$$. They would use the easiest, quickest, and best tool for the job.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

The 1903 Sears catalog has Trap doors for $3 each.

They were used in the great big ones slaughter.

The cartridge guys just got more of them.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Buffalo Bill used a 1866 trapdoor in 50-70. He called it Lucretia Borga.

 

[Brazos John]

Free ammo was provided to the buffalo hunters.
By the US Army.

https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/wh...m#:~:text=In 1873.,to the brink of extinction
The govt knew they could make more money from the settlers than they could from the Native Americans, so their food source was eliminated.

And now, they just hired 87,000 more buffalo hunters, but WE are the buffalo.