What muzzeloaders were used ...

[RobD]

...by the pioneer mountain men and later in the Civil War?

[rollingb]

The American fur trade era (roughly 1800-1840) was largely dominated by lightweight flintlock muskets known as Northwest Trade Guns, popular with Native Americans for general hunting, alongside heavier, more accurate rifles like the Hawken , and large-caliber "dragoon" pistols for traders and mountain men, with firearms evolving from early flintlocks to percussion systems by the end of the era.

[RobD]

Where does the Hawken fit into the mountain man era?

[rollingb]

Where does the Hawken fit into the mountain man era?

Roughly mid to late era.

[RobD]

That's what I kinda figured, Rondo.  Also read somewhere that Rev war muskets were used as well by some of those hardy men!

[rollingb]

That's what I kinda figured, Rondo.  Also read somewhere that Rev war muskets were used as well by some of those hardy men!

Many types of arms made it west at that time, ranging anywhere from fowlers to squirrel rifles, but from what studies I've done NWTG's were the most prevalent. The NWTG was a rather popular trade item with the indians and many trappers carried them as well.