On the eve of an era called the "Fur Trade," many events were taking place that would shape this country, the new breed of men that would live there,a nd the firearms which they would use to survive and prosper.
France under Napoleon, would wrest control of vast territories in North America from Spain. With war looming in Europe, and the loss of thousands of men to disease and revolt in Haiti, Napoleon offered to sell the territory of Louisanna to Thomas Jefferson for 15 million dollars.
Jefferson, who at one time only wanted to buy New Orleans, ws elated, and the deal, constitutional or not, was sealed. This new purchase brought much criticism and questions: What did this new land hold? Could it be farmed? What minerals could be found? Were there furs to be found? And what tribes inhabited the area?
These questions and more would be answered by a corps of men: a corp of discovery,.led by Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. This corps of men would need to travel a great distance with no reserves. They needed firearms that would be lighter than the "Brown Bess" of the revolution and of a smaller caliber which would use less lead. They needed to be rifled so htat accuracy would increase. Thus fewer shots would be wasted. And maybe most important, they need a firearm that had tolerance so close that parts would be interchangeable.
Eli Whitney was the master at the new federal arsenal in Harper's Ferry, Virginia. This man, who would later gain fame for his cotton gin, was a mechanical genius, and in designing this first of the U. S. Regulation Rifles, he also had to redesign machinery and patterns to make interchangeable parts.
In May-June 1803, the official requisition "Articles Wanted by Caprtain Lewis," lists 15 stands of this rifle along with 15 powder horns, punches, bullet molds, wipers, and gall screws; also listed were 15 gun slings, which if applied to the model 1803, would have been a departure from the regular issue which had no sling swivels.
The expedition also took along extra lock parts and tools for repairing by their gunsmith and he apparently impressed the Minetaree Indian Chief "One Eye," who said to the British traders: "Had I these white warriors in the upper plains, my young men would soon do for them as they would for so many wolves, ofr there are only two sensible men among them, the worker of iron (blacksmith) and the mender of guns."
The first model 1803 rifle to be used by the Indians may have been the arms that Lewis and Clark gave to the Nez Perce Indian Chief "Twisted Hair" for caring for the expedition horses during the winter of1805-1806. This took place near present Kamiah, Idaho. Three more arms were given to the Nez Perce guides after crossing the Great Divide. These were possibly the first the Nez Perce had. The barrels or stocks may have been shortened by the gun smith shields. It is known that at least one had a ruptured rifle barrel that was sawed off. Short arms would be the arm of choice of all mounted Indians for the next 100 years.
John Colter (First Western Mountainman) upon his release from the expedition on the Upper Missoure, may have taken a model 1803 with him backup river with two fur trappers.
The 1803 Harpers Ferry was different in other respects than just having a rifled barrel, and the rest of the barrel supported under the barrel. It was half-stocked (the wood stock running only half up the barrel, and the rest of the barrel supported under the rib); it was short (31 3/4 to 36" barrel length) compared to the common musket, and was "small" caliber (.54) compared to the common military calibers of .69 to .75. The arm had good balance and was easy to handle.
Just under 20.00 were made, 4,023 between 1803-07 and 15,70e between 1814-20. They were still being issued to regular troops in t1836 and a few may have been issued to troops on both sides in the early stages of the Civil War (1861) in the western areas (Missouri, Arkansas, etc.) of the war zone.
Our favorite rifled musket (1803) is thought by many to have been a great influence on the "mountain" or "plains" rifle, the Hawkin, and other rifles of the fur trade era.
Today the originals are sought after by collectors and new made replicas are
used by modern day mountainmen and re-enactors for shooting, hunting, and just
having fun.
Gordon Perry, Portneuf Muzzleloader Member and former Chairman of the Fort
Hall Replica Commission