Originally Posted by
OldBob47
MD54,
Check on the rarity of flintlock Hawken rifles. Although, we didn't have an army of trappers with Hawken rifles. Apparently the Leman rifle was a bit more common. I think the Lyman Trade Rifle is much more representative of what many people were using. Its a simple piece. Pictures I've seen seem to show a single wedge, single trigger design, with enough space in the guard for a gloved finger. Having to take your glove off to shoot could get downright painful, during a Rocky Mountain Winter.
Somewhere I read of the inventory of percussion caps at St. Lou. Bazzillions! I agree with your logic, and had I been alive then, I think I would have done exactly what you suggest. But ours would have been a minority opinion.
OldBob
the deal with every mountain man having a hawken is phoney. They were at the top after the era of the mountain men. Leman and many many many other rifles were used back in those days including british guns as well as french guns. A hawken cost double sometimes x3 as much as your typical rifle of the day.
I live in the rockies and hunt the cold weather with a hawken. Hunting with gloves or mittens is very typical and pretty obvious what a hunter does in order to safely pull the trigger. Not sure what warm season you hunt where gloves are not needed.