How much did Davy spend on his rifle?

[Larry (Omaha)]

Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone are basically responsible for my love of the muzzleloader. The cost of a nice Kentucky rifle is way above what our forefathers paid. What would Davy or Daniel have paid for their rifles?
Flintlocklar

 

[Phil Coffins]

I have often considered this as well, and just the dollars doesn’t really cover it. To me is what would a person buy today that would be comparable. Perhaps a car may be the equivalent purchase today. It must fulfill a need at a price you can manage. What’s available and how important are the features a person feels are required. Ford, Buick, Dodge or Jeep? I drive a Jeep!

 

[Juice Jaws]

That's a question that I think can not be really answer. A well to do rich man in the city might pay a high price. Davy and Daniel , who knows, maybe a good milk cow would do.

 

[azmntman]

Haven't researched but the cow may be real close....I would bet ALOT of bartering was done in the era

 

[Le Loup]

Account of the Indian Goods remaining in the hands of Rob. Forsyth 13th. April 1789
3 Boxes containing 70 Trading Guns at 25/each — 87.10.0
Keith.

 

[tenngun]

Hawken plains rifles sold for about $25.00. Leman rifles were about $14.
A private in the military of 1812 made about $3.00 a month.
Private’s were at the boy of the economy scale.
We can say reasonably that a well made riflecost about a months wage for a journeyman with some sort of good skill set. However as above trading a goodmilk cow represents the fact that many worked and even fairly wealthypeople may see little actual money. It may take a year or more to get enough cash to buy a rifle.
All and all they cost about the same then as today in terms of avarage wages. A good rifle cost average wage earners two weeks to a months wages and the top ends maybe twice as much. I just ordered parts to build s gun that I have been saving for since April.

 

[Don Steele]

This might provide some context. As noted above, a lot of bartering was done.
A fellow in Tennessee has a rifle that has been in his family since David Crockett traded it to one of his ancestors for a horse plus some labor.
https://www.greenevillesun.com/news...cle_30dbdfc9-b25c-58c8-a1c4-27603999fa57.html

 

[Artificer]

Below is listed a slightly “higher than average grade” 1773 rifle, as it was decorated with silver wire.

“A 1773 Letter written by Christian Oerter, gunmaker of Christian's Spring, to Martin Bauer, friend and customer in Lancaster County PA.

This letter was discovered by Scott Paul Gordon in the Pennsylvania State Archives in the papers of Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Jasper Yeates. It was translated from the German and published in the KRA Bulletin Vol. 38, Number 1, Fall 2011.

Below is the published translation and some thoughts on its contents.


Christiansbrunn, the 9th September, 1773

Most valued Friend Martin Baer,

At your request I have prepared [completed/finished] a good rifle and sent it over to Mr. John Hopson together with 4 pounds of Powder. The rifle is decorated [inlaid] with silver wire and well made, as well as tested and she shoots right well. It has a double trigger, so that you can fire with the triggers either unset or set. Between the triggers there is a screw with which you can make it lighter or harder to fire. There is also a ball puller with which you can pull the ball out no matter how rusty she gets. She costs 8 pounds all together and with the powder @ 3 shillings per pound makes twelve shillings, for a total of L8.12.-. Because it is very good powder I have added two pounds more than you requested. I hope it will suit you well. You can write me a couple lines to let me know how you like it. Together with friendliest greetings I am your faithful

friend and servant,

Christian Oerter

Gunmaker”

http://www.flintriflesmith.com/WritingandResearch/WebArticles/1773%20Letter%20from%20Gunmaker.htm

8 Pounds for the Rifle equaled 160 Shillings. We can “kinda/sorta” get an idea of what that cost by the wages paid then.

Farm Laborers made 6 to 8 Shillings a week so that was at least 5 months’ wages for them.

Skilled Journeymen made 10 to 14 Shillings a week, so that was 2 to 4 months wages for them.

Higher skilled Journeymen and Masters made 14 to 22 Shillings a week, so that would have been up to 2 months wages.

Now the problem comes in that food and clothing cost more back then than it does today, so it would take any of these people longer to “save up” the Shillings/Pounds to buy the rifle than it would today.

Gus

 

[cannonball1]

depends whether you are a city dweller or country frontiersman. The frontiersman or farmer, grew the crops, raised the animals, and used flour sacks from the miller for dresses and shirts. After they were worn out, they were cut into pieces and quilts were made with the scraps. As time went on the millers started making designs on their flour sacks. The most pretty design sold the most flour. That practice went on from frontier times to the 1950's.

 

[George]

James Wade lived on the Kentucky frontier in the late 1790s. He wrote of his experiences in Buffaloes in the Corn. When he married in 1796 and started farming, he wrote this:

I knew as long as I had a gun, I couldn’t farm with success and that when I would start out for anything it was very uncertain when I would get back and so concluded to let it go and put it up for $20. I now lived without a gun for three years, but one fall the squirrels had become so bad they threatened to take all my corn. I knew where was a gun that would suit me and determined to have it at any price if the man would part with it. I went and got it and since then have never been without a gun. The pleasures of hunting generally predominate in those who lead such a life. The love of hunting becomes a ruling and absorbing passion….

Good luck figuring out what $20 in 1796 dollars is worth today.

Spence

 

[George]

8 Pounds for the Rifle equaled 160 Shillings. We can “kinda/sorta” get an idea of what that cost by the wages paid then.

I tried to figure out the modern value of 8 English pounds once, using one of the online calculators re chronologic inflation rates, etc., came to the conclusion the gun cost about $900, as I recall.

Spence

 

[billraby]

A hand made custom rifle cost about the same in the old days as a hand made custom rifle does today. Numbers are different, but it took the same time and effort to earn the money that it does now. It is a luxury now. Not so much back then. The old timers could manage the expense because car payments and electric bills were smaller 200 years ago.

 

[Coot]

I recall reading where one man had a rifle barrel gun made for him in exchange for his cutting down small trees on the gunmakers land and splitting them into fence rails. I cannot find the quote right now but I think that the deal was that six hundred rails would pay for the gun. If it was not 600, then it was more.

 

[Flintlock_bob]

I remember reading an article in American Rifleman about the movie The Revenant. I don't remember the fine details but It was said that Hugh Glasses primary motivation for crawling out of the wilderness was to recover his rifle which would have cost him about as much as an automobile would in today's dollars.

 

[crankshaft]

Just a guess, but when Boone and Crockett were young bucks, there were not any silver inlays on their guns. I suppose a very plain rifle but sturdy & dependable? ?

 

[Juice Jaws]

I remember reading an article in American Rifleman about the movie The Revenant. I don't remember the fine details but It was said that Hugh Glasses primary motivation for crawling out of the wilderness was to recover his rifle which would have cost him about as much as an automobile would in today's dollars.

Good story but I doubt it. First motivation-- was to LIVE. Second was to get the two assh#*les that left him, third maybe the rifle

 

[Artificer]

I tried to figure out the modern value of 8 English pounds once, using one of the online calculators re chronologic inflation rates, etc., came to the conclusion the gun cost about $900, as I recall.

Spence

As you have already mentioned in this thread, that is the problem with trying to figure out relative values between then and now.

That's why I think a better way to see what something cost/was worth in the day, is to compare it to the weekly wages of some folks who came from economic classes, as those who were likely to buy a Rifle Gun or Smoothbore. It also gives us an idea why it could take a year or so to save up for the rifle, unless (again as you have mentioned before) the person got it on credit and especially if they were a Longhunter or Market Hunter.

Gus

 

[tenngun]

As you have already mentioned in this thread, that is the problem with trying to figure out relative values between then and now.

That's why I think a better way to see what something cost/was worth in the day, is to compare it to the weekly wages of some folks who came from economic classes, as those who were likely to buy a Rifle Gun or Smoothbore. It also gives us an idea why it could take a year or so to save up for the rifle, unless (again as you have mentioned before) the person got it on credit and especially if they were a Longhunter or Market Hunter.

Gus

Paywas also a lot different then. A man might get x pay per week, plus a room to sleep in and some of his meals. Most any farm help come with a big dinner at noon and in summer a bit of supper. Going to sea in any way had roomand board of corse but so did most of the working places that went along with it, the ship yard, rope walk, sail loft ect.
Low taxes and absence of utilities was off set by high food and clothing cost. Nathen Boone sold salt in Saint Louis for $.10 a lbs. about the pay for an hours simi skilled work.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Back then you didnt buy one out in the middle of nowhere. You found a blackie and you made one.
Davy invented a set type of set triggers, called the Crockett Trigger.
Its whats in my flinter.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Here is a look at an exact replica of Davy Crockett's rifle in the museum in Knoxville. He bought it when he was 18 years old.