Guns of the Young Wild West

Here’s a rundown of some of the more famous guns—and their modern replicas—from before 1873, when the Old West was young.   In the decades leading up to 1873, when the famed .45 Colt Peacemaker and the ’73 Winchester .44-40 made their appearance and the U.S. Government adopted the .45-70 Springfield “trapdoor” rifle, cap and ball firearms still reigned supreme. Illustrating the popularity of percussion arms, thes