H. E. Leman

Any of you interested in a plains rifle other than a Hawken might like this article. LEMAN HISTORY Good info, and the Leman is supposedly one of the easier to build kits. Every one seems to have Hawkens, but few Lemans out there, when historically there were more Lemans than Hawkin's, Henry"s, Deringer's, and other trade rifles combined. Bill

Lemans were fine rifles and, as you say, very numerous. They could be had in grades ranging from bare-bones plain to highly ornate. The only problem with a Leman rifle (if you see this as a problem; not being into reenactment of a specific period, I don't) would be that they wouldn't have been commonly available before about 1836-37, at which time the fur trade era was pretty much over. As a practical hunting rifle, they -- like any of the trade rifles of that period -- are about as good as it gets.

Good article, by the way.

I think we could say the same thing about Hawken Rifles.

Weeelll...not really. The Hawken was around for the enire RMFT era (1822-40) Lemans were around for only 3 yrs. of that time period at the very most. One has to consider the evolution the Hawken rifle underwent in that 20 year period. If you mean S. Hawkens your right. None of those rifles ever made it to a rondesvous. Plenty of Jake Hawkens and J&S Hawkens did go to Rondezvous.
Unless Leman got up and running and was building a big production of rifles right off the starting line, I doubt very many of his rifles saw a rondezvous. I won't say none but I doubt very many did. :hatsoff:
Don

This topic has been discussed here allot. From what I have read here (before the switch) A Hawken would have been pricey. Also that the bulk of the guns carried were NW trade gun's as well as guns that were popular in the east cut down or left alone and modified (sporterized) military muskets. That's just what I have come to believe from what I have read here. I personally like the Leman more then the Hawken for its bare bones plainness.

Hi fellas,
Check out Gray Wolf's posts on the Leman Rifles thread in the RMFT forum. He's right on the money with these posts and offers documentation that may be of interest to you. :hatsoff:
Don

Lennowenoxie, can ya post the URL to that site, I don't have it. I didn't implie that Leman was involved in the Fur trade with his guns, although he did have at least one contract with one of the fur companies. Alot of people pool the term "Trade Gun" into only the fur trade, and that is a misnomer. I feel there are really three trade gun periods They are pre-1800, 1800 to about 1830, the fur trade era, and post 1830. Pre 1800 the guns were used for but not all inclusive for Treaty's, land purchase, and fur and other general trade, bartering in lieu of money. The farther West on the frontier one went the more the Native peoples were still in the stone age, not having iron/steel knives, axes, and guns.
After 1800 came the Heyday of the beaver, and the big fur trade era, it became like gold because of the demand in the East, and in Europe. Both Style changes and the decimation of the Beaver brought about it's end pretty much about 1830. Also about this time people like Whitney, and Fulton, had helped the industial revolution, and Westward expansion had begun. The trade now was not so much with the Indians, but with immigrants, and whites moving west to make their fortune. the tradeing now took place in general stores, Guns were now being produced not so much by individuals, as they were by companies like Henry, Deringer, and Leman, who hired a number of tradesmen to mass produce their produt for sale by catalog, and thru general stores, or trading posts. Just my thoughts Bill

Bill, It's this site but in the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade section under the Leman Rifles thread.
Good points.
Don