73

Plains Buffalo Runner Indian Blanket Gun 1800's

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:1,500.00 USD Estimated At:3,500.00 - 4,500.00 USD
Plains Buffalo Runner Indian Blanket Gun 1800's
The lot features a fantastic 19th Century original Plains Indian Buffalo Runner’s Blanket gun. The example shows a cap and ball percussion rifle cut down with a shortened butt and shortened barrel which could be concealed under a blanket and easily could be used with one arm outstretched, such as a pistol. The butte of the grip is wrapped in Rocky Mountain Elk parfleche rawhide which shows a nice original coloring and is further decorated with brass tacks. The barrel band is still present, and all the metal surfaces shows a slight pitting, typical of authentic Indian Blanket guns. The gun was referred to as a Buffalo Runner gun by the previous collector, which gives tribute to the young mostly teenage hunters who would dress up as a Buffalo and lead the Buffalo off a cliff jumping to a ledge to then tuck in and watch as the Buffalo fell to their death, many Buffalo Runners did not survive. Many Buffalo Runners carried shortened rifles such as this to kill Buffalo in close range. This example also comes with an original 19th Century Buffalo horn powder flask and bullet pouch. The powder horn is constructed from a Buffalo horn showing a wood insert and harness saddle leather strand with harness saddle leather pouch which is filled with accouterments such as a strike-a-lite forged iron, flint, early bullet mold, five round led ball (bullets), and one bast bullet. The loading set also shows an old brass UMC 45-70 bullet casing tied with Indian tanned hide showing a red trade clothe adornment. The rifle is truly a fantastic authentic original Indian Blanket Gun from the 1800’s and has a nice well-preserved original patina. The hammer and trigger both move, but do not completely function. The rifle measures overall 23.25”L. Antique Firearm no FFL required.