Guns of Famous Frontiersmen

[stephenprops1]

100% right, I learn about them the same way you did, The Frontiersman is one of the few books I reread every few years. Have his whole series.

Until I was in my early 20's I had never heard of most of these men either. When I was in college our bookstore had "The Frontiersman". I purchased a copy because it appealed to me. I read it and really liked it. That was about 45 years ago and I still have that book. I have visited Simon Kenton's grave in Urbana, Ohio three times.

 

[HighUintas]

Depending on time period you're speaking of, I can name a few.

Jim Bridgers' Hawken rifle is in a museum and his rifle made by Philip Creamer (and likely him while he worked for Creamer) is also available in a museum.

Jim Beckwourth's rifle is owned by a guy in NM. It may or may not actually be Beckwourth's

Two of William Clarks rifles are still in existence. One made by Philip Creamer

Tom Tobins Hawken rifle

Liver eating Johnson's Hawken

Kit Carson's Hawken

James Dunn Hawken

James clyman Hawken

Supposedly William H Ashley's Hawken

Mariano medina Hawken

William sublettes Hawken that was given to him by Beale

Many of the Hawkens are of course from 1840 or later and weren't used during the heyday if fur trapping.

 

[edw.marshall]

Mountain man, Joe Meek’s rifle
“old sally”. (I’m sure it’s been posted before).

 

[Homesteader]

Until I was in my early 20's I had never heard of most of these men either. When I was in college our bookstore had "The Frontiersman". I purchased a copy because it appealed to me. I read it and really liked it. That was about 45 years ago and I still have that book. I have visited Simon Kenton's grave in Urbana, Ohio three times.

My uncle taught Eckert's kid in high school, and I wound up with a first edition of The Frontiersmen. I must have been about 13 when I read it and fell in love with that time period. I still have both the book and the love for it all.

 

[stephenprops1]

My uncle taught Eckert's kid in high school, and I wound up with a first edition of The Frontiersmen. I must have been about 13 when I read it and fell in love with that time period. I still have both the book and the love for it all.

When I was a kid, I watched Wagon Train (and many other western TV shows) with my dad. One day I asked him about the wagon trains hiring scouts and masters to take them to California and Oregon because they didn't know the way. I then asked how did the scouts and masters know the way? --- Dad said they were the hunters, trappers and the mountain men that had been there earlier. That was the inspiration that got me interested in that era.