So its 1855 and your about to head west...

[DeadElephant]

Really interesting time in firearm development. The revolvers have only been out a few years but have likely moved west. Metallic cartridges are still not in use but paper cartridges would be (not nearly as popular yet as they were in Civil War).

So if you entered a trading company in St. Louis, about to head for what will be Denver in a few years, to purchase ammo for your various firearms what would have been appropriate terminology for the times.

Would you have asked for 500 rounds for your .44 cal and 300 rounds for your .52 Sharps.
Or would you have asked for 4 lbs of powder and 3 lbs of lead.
How was the lead provided, a brick, ingots?
Would the term ammunition have been used and what would it have implied.
How would the terms have been different when they were just coming out of the muzzleloader era and not quite to metallic cartridges?

Just curious if anyone had researched this area or had thoughts.

[HoneyBadger]

I would shoot a lot of buffalo and get 2000lbs of meat, of which I can only carry 150lbs. Then when I get back to the wagon, I learn that Mary has contracted dysentery and died and one of my oxen was lost while fjording the river.

[thvigil11]

I would shoot a lot of buffalo and get 2000lbs of meat, of which I can only carry 150lbs. Then when I get back to the wagon, I learn that Mary has contracted dysentery and died and one of my oxen was lost while fjording the river.

Thinking the exact same thing!

[DeadElephant]

I would shoot a lot of buffalo and get 2000lbs of meat, of which I can only carry 150lbs. Then when I get back to the wagon, I learn that Mary has contracted dysentery and died and one of my oxen was lost while fjording the river.

Read somewhere that during this time period the top two causes of death for women were #1 child birth #2 your skirts caught fire.
I wouldn't have cared much about fashion trends and morals of the time. I'd have put on pants.

[beast556]

+1 I was thinking the same thing. As to op' s question im clueless.

I would shoot a lot of buffalo and get 2000lbs of meat, of which I can only carry 150lbs. Then when I get back to the wagon, I learn that Mary has contracted dysentery and died and one of my oxen was lost while fjording the river.

[Dave]

I would shoot a lot of buffalo and get 2000lbs of meat, of which I can only carry 150lbs. Then when I get back to the wagon, I learn that Mary has contracted dysentery and died and one of my oxen was lost while fjording the river.

I think this same thing happened to me a few times while playing Oregon Trail.....

[MED]

I think this same thing happened to me a few times while playing Oregon Trail.....

I remember that game! ...the original brought into my elementary school back in the 70s.

[DeadElephant]

Memories.

This is clearly the scientific answer sourcing from peer reviewed research widely disseminated in schools of yesteryear. What more could someone ask?

I've shot with several of the members on here, not to name names, I really thought I might get first hand knowledge from actual life experiences. :-)

[ray1970]

I've shot with several of the members on here, not to name names, I really thought I might get first hand knowledge from actual life experiences. :-)

That made me chuckle. I think I've met a few of those guys.

As as for your original question, I have no idea what they called their ammo back in the day.

[Aloha_Shooter]

That made me chuckle. I think I've met a few of those guys.

As as for your original question, I have no idea what they called their ammo back in the day.

Powder and balls. I think around that timeframe most hunters carried their own bullet molds so they likely procured lead in small ingots but that impression is gleaned from reading somewhat contemporaneous novels, not from any actual research.