Loading the Buffalo Gun on the Range

[Freedom]

It is my understanding, on the frontier, that the US Army advertised that they would give (for free) 1000 rounds of 45-70 to anyone having a gun that would shoot the ammo. I know that I have seen a picture of this addvertisement somewhere??

Now with this info...I have read accounts of hunters pulling down the ammo. "Govt. Powder" was not liked all that much so the powder was traded with the Indians. The lead was melted down and recast into the bullet each hunter wanted and the cases were either discarded, traded, or reloaded with good powder and the proper bullet. I recall this info from years of reading(not internet),...but I cannot recall which of my books this was taken from.

This makes is seem logical that a lot of buffalo hunting was done with plain old Government issue, 45-2.1 ammo....would not surprise me a bit if a lot of this 45-70 ammo went down the tubes of many 45-90's, 100's and 110's as well...since the accruracy was probly plenty good. The ammo was already on the frontier and it was free!