Spanish trade guns?

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
May 8, 2019
Messages
31
Reaction score
15
Location
Greenwood, MS
The English and French had pretty much standardized a trade gun pattern buy the mid-1700's, but what about the Spaniards? They were trading with the Native Americans longer than anyone. Any info on their trade guns?
 
If an Indian had an escopeta, he stole or killed for it. Spanish authorities did not want the Indians to have muskets, unless they were issued to them as part of a military operation against other Indians. They were not allowed to keep them.
 
The funny part in all this is that the Indians kept their skills with the bow. And were deadlier WITH the silent bow and arrow than with the slower to load muskets. So the Spanish policy of no firearms for the natives under their rule kind of backfired on them.
 
For the most part the Spanish didn't like arming the Indians.
The Escopeta did make it all over the place.
 
French and Indian war was what years?

In the early 1700's Spain was transitioning and working to standardize their military weapons from the miquelet to a french styled lock. Stocks were transitioning from the Catalan style to a more common shape. 1700-1750 saw crazy changes that were being used side by side.
 
They were trading with the Native Americans longer than anyone. Any info on their trade guns?
Nope, they didn't trade guns. They didn't "make", "trade guns".
There was trade,,, so they did market trade guns.,, It's common history.
Kind of like Columbus discovering America,,(?)
 
French and Indian war was what years?

In the early 1700's Spain was transitioning and working to standardize their military weapons from the miquelet to a french styled lock. Stocks were transitioning from the Catalan style to a more common shape. 1700-1750 saw crazy changes that were being used side by side.
The French and Indian War or the Seven Years War as it was known in Europe was from 1754 to 1763. Yeh that includes Pontiac's War
 
Spain didn’t get in to the fur trade aspect.
Their dealings with Indians surrounded establishment of a mission
As said they didn’t arm Indians, they barely let their own presents have arms
When they inherited French Louisanna the French still controlled the trade, however they heavily inhibited gun trade. And after Pontiacs rebellion it mostly died. English trade guns started flowing across the Mississippi via Indians and illegal traders.
 
As a side note the French and Indian war. Was the American side of the seven years war, it started here almost two years before it broke out in the rest of the world, been called Americas First World War
Collectively the French-English wars from 1690 till 1763 stand as the French and Indian WARS. Three small wars, one long one. Or one long war interrupted by brief truces. On the American side they all boiled down to control of the fur trade, while in the Caribbean it was all about sugar. In the seven years war India and the far East trade took a predominant roll
 
Someone asked about the better known manufacturers of North West Trade Guns.

This is an example of some of the manufacturers of listed Ordnance Common Guns, some showing the use of the India-Pattern steel spring finial on the lock with Ordnance double line engraving and the two styles of swan-cocks found on these guns. The cocks where supplied to the lock makers in large numbers, with poor fit in lower quality guns. Most of the locks all show the typical “Crowned Broad Arrow” an Ordnance acceptance mark found on the largest percentage of contracted military and Indian arms.

A LIST OF SOME OF THE BETTER KNOWN NW GUN MANUFACTURERS

BARNETT
BARNETT & SONS
BLAIR
BOND
BRAIZER F.
BRAIZER
BROOK
BROOKS
CH & S CO.
DALES
DAWES (same manufacturer DAWSE)
DAWSE
DERINGER
DeHUFF
E & W BOND
GEOTZ
GALTON
GILL
GRICE
KREPS
HAMPTON
HOLLAND
HOLLIS
HEYLIN
DICKERT
HENRY & CO.
HEYLIN
HENRY
HENRY & SON
JONES
JOYNER
KETLAND & CO.
KETLAND & ALLPORT
KETLAND - WALKER & CO.
GHRISKEY
LEMAN
LOWNDES
MORRIS
GRICE
MOXHAM
PARKER
PARKER FIELD & CO.
ROLFE
R & R SUTHERLAND
WHEELER
R. PRITCHETT
R & W HOLLIS
SANDWELL
JOYNER SANDWELL
SARGANT
SHARP
SHARPE
WILSON SHARPE
SPENSER & CO.
SPIES & CLARK
SUTHERLAND
SUTHERLAND & ANDERSON
TRYON & SON
TRYON & CO.
TRYON
MERRICK & CO.
TULLE
CHANCE WISE & CO.
W. GRICE
WHATELEY
WHEELER & SON
R & W WILSON & CO.
WILSON & CO.
W. CHANCE & CO.
W. CHANCE SON & CO.
WILLETS & HOLDEN

This is just to show a few of the firms involved in the manufacturing of the North West gun, some firms opened additional companies using family names. Several of the joint venture’s were operating at the same time working on the same or different government contracts.

.
 
Last edited:
The funny part in all this is that the Indians kept their skills with the bow. And were deadlier WITH the silent bow and arrow than with the slower to load muskets. So the Spanish policy of no firearms for the natives under their rule kind of backfired on them.
The Pubelo Revolt of 1680 here in NM pretty much showed that

Despite the Spaniards prohibiting natives from owning guns and horses, they where still forced out of Santa Fe by Popé and local indian warriors
 
Back
Top