BullardShooter wrote on Apr 27
th, 2024 at 8:36am:
Waterman -
I'm really enjoying all the detail you are providing. What do you know about his 1884 travels where he promoted Bullard repeating rifles and reportedly competed (and won) matches across the country? I wonder how far he ranged, how much of that year he spent on the road, etc. ?
Jamieson tells about the trip on p. 60 of his 2nd edition,
Bullard Firearms.
Pittsburgh PA, Wheeling WV, Indianapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee, then across Minnesota, to Montana, to Washington Territory (and presumably through one of the Dakotas and Idaho), to Oregon (mention made of Portland), and then to San Francisco. Then east to Salt Lake City and Ogden, Utah. Then home. Prep started in March 1884 and he returned to Springfield, Mass., is September. Trip covered some 10,000 miles, Farrow participated in about 50 matches, winning most of them, and fired some 4,000 cartridges.
There is a photo of Teddy Roosevelt and 2 associates with Bullard rifles, photo taken in N. Dakota during TR's days there. Would that be associated with Farrow?
Since the Large-Frame repeater was the only model then in production, and since it was made in .45-70 Gov't., I assume that Farrow took several with him, all .45-70, none with proprietary cartridges. That made resupply easier. He was a long way from the factory, with what was really an unproven product. He probably took spare parts and some tools.
What was the accuracy shelf life of a .45/70 BP cartridge in 1884? Would WMF have taken cartridges in sealed tins?