TRADE GUN CONTROVERSY
 
 
 
    At all of the NMLRA events, when I try to shoot my Chiefs Trade Gun, I am told that I can not, because the Chiefs gun has rear sights, and Trade Guns just did NOT have rear sights.  Well folks, I am here to tell you that they are full of it!!! (A polite way of saying they are in error).  On my vacation in August, I went to the Museum of the Fur Trade located in Chadron, Nebraska, and they have a GREAT collection of Trade Guns.... Guess what???  Many of the ORIGINALS they have there DO have rear sights.  Sorta blows the NMLRA theory out of the water, don't it?  I took several pictures, and I am sending them to the  NMLRA and asking that they rescind that rule.  Not gonna hold my breath until they do... but hey, it's worth a try.  If anyone eles out there has knowledge of this, PLEASE, email me and share it with me.  I'll gladly send you a few of my pictures.  There wasn't much documentation with the guns, however.  Just the usual "Trade Gun, circa 1830" type card.  Maybe someone out there does have the documentation?
 
 
 
PICTURES I TOOK AT MUSEUM:
 
THE GUN ROOM
Museum of the Fur Trade, Chadron, NE
 
This was but one side of the Gun Room.  Below is the other side.  Most of the items they had in the center 2 cases were trade guns of all types and time frames.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

More of the Gun Room.

 
 
 
 
 
 
            My apologies, but it appears my Canon EOS-650 was having a major auto focus problem at the Museum. I thought I had it set to focus PAST the glass, but I guess I didn't.  Many of the Trade Guns there had rear sights, with some obviously being "after market" add ons... However, the Chiefs Trade Gun, and many others had what appeared to be "factory installed" rear sights.  Either that, or a professional gun smith put them on.
 

You can see on the barrel that there is definately a sight there. This was one of the ones that appears to have been either OEM, or professionally added.  Again, my apologies for the fuzziness of the pictures, and not getting the ID card in. I was more intent on having the sight show up well.  The one to the LEFT appears to have been an add on... It was not near the quality as the one on the RIGHT.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

Another example Rear Sights on the Trade Guns.  The one on the RIGHT again appears to have been professionally added, while the one on the left was nothing more than a peice of metal with a "V" notch filed in it and appeared to have been welded to the barrel... not dovetailed in. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This is an example of, in my opinion, an OEM rear sight.  It had been dovetailed in to the barrel, and appears to have been the same design as the front sight.  It seems to be a bit closeer to the lock than some of the others, however.  There was a Chiefs Trade Gun there, identical to my reproduction in every way... the medallion on the grip, the rear sight, lock style, etc... I believe the ID card with it said this was factory made and was given as an "exceptional" gift to tribal Chiefs and high war chiefs, etc...
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

So... in conclusion, I say to the NMLRA and others... Read your history better and PROVE that the Trade Guns didn't have rear sights.  Here are pictures that they DID... Whether OEM or added later, I don't think it matters.  Trade guns did have rear sights... End of discussion!! (heh... I wish!! This is a discussion that has been going on for decades, and probably won't ever be settled...)
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
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