Your load out ... then, oh no, a CG plot twist ... it's 1843 and you're headed to Oregon!

[CountryGent]

Hello my wacky Pacific Northwest friends. What say you: it is 1843 and you're part of the "Great Migration" to Oregon Territory. What old school pews do you pack? Totally your choice of:

• A good rifle.
• A scattergun.
• A side-arm or two.
• Bladed and/or mêlée weapons.
• Something unusual, should you wish ...

Live out that Manifest Destiny, don't die of dysentery, but rather do the wild, wild west ... OK, that last part should be stricken from the record. But the point remains. Enjoy!

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[No_Regerts]

 

[YippeeKiYoRed]

 

[Hueco]

Live out that Manifest Destiny, don't die of dysentery, but rather do the wild, wild west ...

All I need is my pimp slap.

 

[P7M13]

Good BBQ sauce and spices in case I have to eat my wagon train mates in freezing weather.

 

[CountryGent]

Thread thus far:

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Gee...I wish I had some sort of knowledge or liking for firearms of that era....
Mmmm....

If I had the money...'cause even back then they cost more than other rifles :
A .54 caliber Hawken rifle.
If not....
A .50 Leman percussion Trade Rifle.
.50 and .54 caliber rifles would handle any two or four legged issues that one comes across.
Both the Hawken and the more common Leman are rugged no-nonsense rifles.

For a smooth bore :
A 20 gauge Flintlock Northwest Tradegun.
Lots of different makers....I'd choose Barnett a very commonly found and quality maker of these guns.
20 gauge was a common gauge for these...and Tradeguns are useful for small game , birds , big game with a round ball...and night guard.
Also as the name implies...good for trading if the need arises.

Some sort of belt pistol in the same caliber as my rifle or maybe also 20 gauge.
Lots of smaller makers of those...would be neat to get an uncommon one like a Derringer Belt pistol.
or if I had the money and wanted a gun of the future...a Colt 1836 Patterson.

Knives...
A Russel Green River "Butcher" Pattern..or the more common one made by Wilson.
Several of these would be in my wagon...these made for great trade or gift items.
Bowie type knives were popular then as well...lots of different makers and styles back then , just like today.

Lots of powder , lead , round ball / shot moulds , caps and flints.
Also plenty of tobacco and coffee....both for personal use and for gifting / trade.

Indian attacks on wagon train , while not rare...were not as common as the movies and most books make them to be.
Mostly when coming into contact with various tribes...theft either of small items or livestock was going to happen.
Or the "begging" of items / asking for present of items like coffee , powder and ball , whiskey....
The coffee , tobacco along with powder and ball is there to 'give away" for gaining good will and stopping a fight before it starts.

All that said....
A bold , strong , we are not here to cause a problem , but willing to give you one , attitude is helpful .
( all the while not being arrogant )

Most problems with the tribes and immigrant trains were :
Theft...
Communication / language barriers....
Wagon trains scaring off game and the cutting of trees for firewood...
Immigrant livestock eating grass along the way....
Both sides seeing each other as unworthy or other lack of trust type of issues...

Please note that none of the above is meant as a :
White man bad , Indian good , kinda revisionist thinking.
That kind of thinking is dangerous and wrong...as well as doing the actual history of events a dis-service.
Plenty of "rights" and "wrongs" were committed and mixed up by both sides.

Cool thread , thanks @CountryGent
( sorry for the long winded answer... )
Andy

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

I wish I knew what guns my great, great grandfather and his BIL carried on their great middle age 2 1\2 year adventure
from Ohio to California to Oregon and back to Ohio in 1849-51. They were both middle age farmers with farms, wives and children. They sure didn't make the trip unarmed but I have gone through all the papers I have and no mention of guns. They came back home to Ohio and lived long enough to see a couple of their sons killed in the Civil War. Maybe smooth bore long gun so they could shoot shot and ball both. Being farmers I don't think they could afford much and probably brought what they had on the farm. The family finally moved a couple of generations later to Oregon in 1923 and it took them over a month to get to Oregon.

 

[OldTengu]

I'd probably get got whilst trying to tie a rock to a stick with my sole remaining boot lace.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Hello my wacky Pacific Northwest friends. What say you: it is 1843 and you're part of the "Great Migration" to Oregon Territory. What old school pews do you pack? Totally your choice of:

• A good rifle.
• A scattergun.
• A side-arm or two.
• Bladed and/or mêlée weapons.
• Something unusual, should you wish ...

Live out that Manifest Destiny, don't die of dysentery, but rather do the wild, wild west ... OK, that last part should be stricken from the record. But the point remains. Enjoy!

Don't know enough about the era but for something unusual how about the Girandoni air gun?

reportedly worked for Lewis and Clark

The Girandoni Air Rifle: The Lewis and Clark Expedition's Secret Weapon

Almost entirely phased out by 1810, it was during the Lewis and Clark expedition that the Girandoni air rifle fully came into its own.

warfarehistorynetwork.com

 

[CountryGent]

Don't know enough about the era but for something unusual how about the Girandoni air gun?
View attachment 1176348
reportedly worked for Lewis and Clark

The Girandoni Air Rifle: The Lewis and Clark Expedition's Secret Weapon

Almost entirely phased out by 1810, it was during the Lewis and Clark expedition that the Girandoni air rifle fully came into its own.

warfarehistorynetwork.com

For your viewing enjoyment.