What is a trade rifle? Who wanted to trade them?During the 18th Century Native Americans were dazzle
What is a trade rifle? Who wanted to trade them?During the 18th Century Native Americans were dazzled over the vast amounts of amazing goods brought by the Europeans. Popular items included metal cookingware, metal knives and axes, certain types of fabrics, alcoholic beverages, and glass items. However, the most popular of them all were firearms. With a gun the Natives had an incredible advantage in hunting and in warfare against enemy tribes.However, firearms are expensive, and it takes a lot of animal pelts to equal the value of a good musket. That is why trade guns were created, special rifles built specifically to be traded with the Native Tribes. Unlike other civilian firearms, these rifle lacked almost any kind of ornamentation, frills, bells, and whistles. They were simply built with a stock made from cheaper woods and a simple functioning lock. Not only were they manufactured this way to save money, but since the Natives had little firearms experience and no way to repair them, they needed to be simple yet rugged. The most noticeable feature on many trade rifles was an enlarged trigger guard with an elongated trigger. This was done because Native American developed their own shooting style in which they would use two fingers rather than one.The most prolific traders of firearms in the 18th Century were the French, who profited from a rich trade in animal pelts in the Ohio Valley region. Later the British, Spanish, and American Colonists would also get involved in the trade. In the early 1800’s Lewis and Clark brought a large supply of flintlock muskets to be traded with the various tribes they met for food, clothing, and information as well as for gift giving. -- source link
#guns#firearms#antiques#muskets#native americans#history#colonial era