Colonel George Armstrong Custer, along with the 700 men in the U.S. 7th Cavalry were ultimately defeated in the infamous Battle of the Little Bighorn in southeastern Montana in June of 1876, but they certainly weren’t without firepower. Based on archeological findings, over 50 different types of firearms were used at the Battle of the Greasy Grass—these are 5 of the most notable.
Springfield 1873 Trapdoor Carbine
U.S. troops in the frontier found themselves undergunned, stuck using slow muzzle-loading rifles amid flying arrows, charging horses, swinging war clubs, and more. In 1865, the army started converting muskets into “trapdoor” breechloaders. Being able to load ammunition from the rear both increased reloading speed and allowed shooters to reload in more concealed positions.
While the Trapdoor only loaded one round at a time, soldiers would’ve been able to fire about 12 to 15 rounds per minute based on the ease of reloading.
Springfield produced both a rifle and a carbine in the Model 1873 Trapdoor. While the rifle had an impressive barrel length of 32 ⅝ inches, the cavalry was supplied with shorter-barreled carbines, which had a 22-inch barrel and weighed about 7 pounds. These were ideal for the guerrilla combat of the Great Sioux War. While it might have been easier and faster loading than its musket predecessors, it was certainly not without faults.
The Trapdoor was chambered in .45-70 Government. This big, slow-moving bullet was made with a copper case at the time, which disastrously tended to expand when the gun fired, leading to many a round stuck in the barrel in the midst of battle. Some blame the loss of the battle on this very fact, but most historians believe that fully functioning guns alone wouldn’t have been enough to turn the tides—Custer’s lack of numbers was the real determining factor.
To see the Trapdoor carbine in action, check out this video:
While the Trapdoor was a huge technological advancement of its time, it couldn’t hold a candle to the repeating rifles more popular with the Native forces.
1873 Winchester
Known as “the gun that won the West,” this lever-action rifle with a 15-shot capacity far exceeded the shooting capabilities of the Trapdoor.
Built off the success of one of the few repeating rifles from the Civil War, “The Henry,” the 1873 Winchester was known at the time as “The Improved Henry” and marked the first lever action produced by Winchester.
While the lever-action was relatively new at the time of the Battle of the Big Horn, it managed to find itself in the hands of more than a few Native Americans, according to evidence from the battlefield.
The 15-shot rifles had a 24-inch barrel, and the carbine was four inches shorter with a 12-shot capacity, chambered in .44-40 Winchester. These were expensive guns at the time, selling for $35, but their quick-firing capabilities and 450-yard effective range made them a lethal addition to the battle.
Many historians speculate that this was one of the guns Crazy Horse carried into the battle, but it’s also assumed he carried more than one. Among the others guns, historians also suspect the great leader carried the Spencer carbine.
Spencer Carbine
This seven-shot lever-action carbine made its first appearance in Union forces during the Civil War. It was the first repeating firearm to make a real difference on the battlefield, but by the time the Little Bighorn occurred, U.S. forces had largely replaced it with the Trapdoor.
Because historians found many a .56-.56 rimfire cartridge at the battle, it’s likely that these guns found their way to Native troops.
What makes the Spencer so interesting is the rounds are loaded into a magazine located in the butt of the gun. The mechanics of cycling and firing rounds is fairly unique; check out this video to see it in action.
Colt Single Action Army Revolver
The “Peacemaker” is just as infamous as the Winchester 1873. This first-generation army-issued revolver came equipped with a 7.5-inch barrel, shot a 45 caliber bullet, and was sighted out to a whopping 25 yards.
Unlike double-action revolvers, where the chamber is rotated by trigger pressure, this single-action model had to be hand-rotated between every shot by pulling the hammer. This earned it the nickname the “thumb-buster” from the U.S. Cavalry.
This was the standard-issue revolver of the army from 1873 until 1892 and, after shortening the barrel, became a popular civilian gun. Cold made a sub-four-inch barrel model unofficially known as the “Sheriff’s Model,” “Banker’s Special,” or “Storekeeper.”
British Webley Bulldog Revolver
What pistol was Custer packing on his infamous last stand? Well, historians don’t actually know for sure.
Most believe that General Custer used a pair of white-handled, British-made Webley Bulldog revolvers. However, that model wasn’t made until 1878. But there’s a good chance Custer was gifted an early rendition. Or he could have been carrying the Webley R.I.C. Revolver that the Bulldog was based upon. Both of these were double-action and short-barreled revolvers.
Rock Island Auction Company actually sold a .50 cal. nickel-plated, ivory-handled Webley & Scott revolver with “G.A. Custer” engraved on the buttcap over a decade ago. The note included with the sale mentions that he bought “the famous self-cocking revolver” from Liddle and Keading (a sporting goods store of the time) between 1871 and 1875 in San Francisco.
We don’t know if Custer owned this particular revolver, as the engraving could have been made by someone else, and fake Custer guns are common. Still, it’s a good example of the kind of sidearm the famous general likely carried.
Want to keep the spirit of Custer alive? Check out the MeatEater Time Machine T-shirt memorializing Custer’s Last Stand.
All images via Rock Island Auction Company unless otherwise noted.
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