Was ammunition expensive?
Paul Piper Dorset — England, United Kingdom.
Depends on what you were buying. A Remington 1877 catalog listed 1,000 rounds of .22 cartridges for $6, while 56-50 rounds went for $40. A Colt 1890 catalogue listed 1,000 rounds of .22 rimfire for $5, while .32 centerfire went for $11.32.
“While that sounds inexpensive,” Firearms Editor Phil Spangenberger adds, “remember a common laborer only made a few dollars per week. Miners were well paid at $4 per day in some instances, while a cowhand may earn only about $30-$40 per month plus fare.”
Marshall Trimble is Arizona’s official historian and vice president of the Wild West History Association. His latest book is Arizona Outlaws and Lawmen; The History Press, 2015. If you have a question, write: Ask the Marshall, P.O. Box 8008, Cave Creek, AZ 85327 or email him at marshall.trimble@scottsdalecc.edu.
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