| In the 1970s, John Denver recorded a song | | | | Looking for a lever action rifle? There were |
| called "I'd Rather Be A Cowboy". Well, long | | | | plenty of them too. One of them was the 1882 |
| before that song came out, kids were | | | | Lever Action Carbine. The gun is 37 inches |
| pretending to be cowboys with a vengeance. | | | | long and weighs 5.5 pounds. The gun was |
| And to meet that need and desire, toy | | | | known as the "Little 86" because of its very |
| companies came out with quite a number of toy | | | | fast action. The gun is made out of wood and |
| guns and accessories for the young cowpoke. | | | | has a real working lever. This was probably |
| We'll take a look at just a few of the | | | | the most popular model of western gun during |
| hundreds of western guns and sets you could | | | | the time it came out. |
| get, 40 or 50 years ago. | | | | |
| | | | If you wanted something from the Civil War, |
| Let's face it. Old west guns were just so | | | | you could get that too. There was the 1860 |
| cool. Nothing else looks like them and the | | | | Enfield Civil War Musketoon. The gun was 40 |
| care that was used to make replicas of these | | | | inches long and weighed 5 pounds. The |
| guns by many of the manufacturers was nothing | | | | percussion lock is stamped by the London |
| short of amazing. Some of these rifles and | | | | Armory with the Royal Crown. It's a two band |
| pistols were so realistic looking that you | | | | musketoon. This is an actual replica of the |
| couldn't tell them apart from their real | | | | gun they used to fight in the US Civil War. |
| counterparts. | | | | |
| | | | If you wanted something a little smaller than |
| One of the most popular of these rifles was | | | | a rifle, you could get them too. Back in the |
| the M1865 Remington Rifle. This was no light | | | | 1950s, there was a pair of six shooters that |
| weight gun. It was 44 inches long and | | | | came out that were sold under the title |
| weighed five pounds. This was a replica of | | | | "Western Man" made by Roth American Inc. The |
| the very first cartridge firing system, | | | | guns shot roll caps, which were very popular |
| rolling block sporting rifle. This was a | | | | in the 60s and 70s. Today, it's almost |
| very realistic looking gun and quite durable, | | | | impossible to find these caps. The set came |
| made of very hard wood. | | | | with two guns. Both had pearl handles and |
| | | | metal barrels and each one had its own |
| Want to shoot more than one bullet without | | | | holster. These were without any doubt the |
| having to reload? No problem. You also had | | | | most popular six shooters made during the |
| the M1850 Revolving Musket. This was a | | | | time. The roll caps made quite a loud noise |
| replica of the six shot infantry rifle of the | | | | and aided to make these guns very realistic |
| era. It was built with a revolving cylinder | | | | sounding to add to their realistic look. |
| firing system that was very realistic. The | | | | |
| gun was 42 inches long and weighed 5.5 | | | | These guns only scratch the surface of the |
| pounds. It was also made out of very hard | | | | number of western guns that had come out |
| wood. | | | | during the time. Yes, John Denver was so |
| | | | right. Kids would rather be cowboys. |