Buck Conner's articles have been seen in a number of publications; "On the Trail", "Backwoodsman", "Tomahawk & Long Rifle", "Black Powder Report", "Buckskin Report", "Poke & Stroke" magazines, Smoke & Fire News" also found in "The Colonial Society", and the "Colorado Collectors" journals.  He is currently writing as a columnist for "Buckskinner" magazine.

 "Success in The North American Fur Trade" is a collection of company records, reviews, and author's thoughts on the subject along with the history of the Northwest trade gun, those manufacturers involved the business. The 168 page paperback is an overview of the success this weapon had in North American trade for centuries. The chapters cover everything one would ever want to know on this subject including thoughts from several of the most knowledgeable experts on this firearm.

"The Colonial Society" Journal

     Being a fan of the Northwest gun for years, reading everything available by Hanson, Hamilton and other authors, now I have found a new book "Success in the North American Fur Trade" by Buck Conner.

     It was refreshing to see more information on this weapon and Mr. Conner has gone a step further than his counter parts by not only furnishing the history of the arm. He's included a list from the London Board of Ordnance showing the maker, time frame and type of production. Along with each maker's name is a second reference, the German version of the same firm with time period of business, location and whom they supplied. When both sources are compared the reader gets a better understanding of the demand for arms and the importance of this industry.

    This book will become "a must have item" for those interested in early North American History and Enterprise, a book for the living history folks to the students of the fur trade.

John William Eaton, Field Editor  

"The Colonial Society" Journal

Oct. 2004 

Royal Saskatchewan Museum

   Mr. Conner has given our museum the Royal Saskatchewan Museum permission to refer to his newest work "Success in the North American Fur Trade", along with supplying us a copy for our future research of this important weapon traded through-out our history. This book will be a wonderful addition to our library of reference material on the Canadian Fur Trade.

RSM Web Committee

http://www.royalsaskmuseum.ca/wedo/collections/d03-northwestgun.html  June 2004

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Further reading:

Some links about the Northwest Gun:

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To the AMM Brothers, 

I just received my copy of Buck Conner's new book "Success in the North American Fur Trade" or "Everything You ever Wanted to Know about Trade Guns".  Fantastic volume.   I highly recommend it to all the brothers who have even a most passing interest in the subject. It is a "Good Read".

Thanks Buck, well done. 

Crazywolf

White Mt Party 

Vermont, NH, Maine Brigade.

March 2005

"Buckskinner Magazine"

"Being a historical firearm nut in general and a rabid North West Trade Gun fan in particular, Buck Conner’s book really grabbed me. Having read the late Charlie Hanson’s book on North West guns, I thought that Buck did a great job of not only expanding on Hanson’s findings but presenting them in a very easy to handle manner.

Buck also gets right in with not only firearms details but the seventy-nine companies that made them in England, Belgium, the Netherlands, and right here in America over the lifespan of these work horse guns.

It came just in time as I was considering purchasing a "real" Hudson Bay gun in the near future. Now with his touch mark descriptions and photos I can figure out the year and maker that I wish to emulate in my purchase, and have the gun made to the exact specifications. Thanks, Buck!

This simply is a must for any student of fur trade history, gun collector, or living historian." 

Christopher Kolleth, Publisher 

"Buckskinner Magazine"

April 2005

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AMM Brothers, 

"Success in the North American Fur Trade" Woooohoooo...! 

I got my copy of Buck's new book today... nice work Buck! While the book was cheap at $21.95, it's the grand or two I'm gonna have to come up with for a NW Gun that has me worried. 

Thanks Buck... 

Magpie

March 2005

"Hawkeye" magazine

A GOOD READ

      I recently acquired a great book for anyone interested in the firearms of early America . The title of the book is “Success In The North American Fur Trade” by Barry “Buck” Conner. The title belies the subject matter, which is the Trade Guns brought into this country, originally for trade to Indians. The book is broken down into sections describing the origins, dates, makers, proof marks, etc. Profusely illustrated (although some of the pictures could be of better quality). The book points out the astounding numbers of these guns imported and domestically made over the years going all the way back to the Dutch in New York in the early 1600’s. What I personally thought was great is that it put the lie to that infamous book by a college professor that claimed there were very few privately owned guns in the hands of civilians in colonial days. He has already been disgraced but this adds to the evidence against his claims.

      A good read especially for those interested in building a reproduction of these famous old guns.

Bill Oikle, Columnist 

"Hawkeye" magazine.

April 2005

"Muzzleloader" magazine

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    The title of this book suggests that it is all about a successful business venture and, in fact, it really is.  But more specifically it is about the success of just one item which was born during the early part of the fur trade years and used for many years after that, this single item is the Northwest Gun.  This book, written by Barry “Buck” Conner, in a real big way continues where Charles Hanson’s book The Northwest Gun left off.

    In fact, this new book falls back at times to include some of the information and original photographs that were in The Northwest Gun, supplied by Mr. Hanson.  This isn’t done in a “copying” way at all and some of the letters and conversations between the author and Charles Hanson are also included in this new book.  In addition to that, all of the information in this new book expands or adds to the facts that were previously written.

    One example is found the short notes Buck Conner includes about the percussion versions of the Northwest Gun.  He says that Hanson never found any records of the fur companies ever ordering percussion Northwest Gun.  The only orders for percussions were made by the U.S. Government when the guns were purchased as treaty items.  He also points out that between 1850 and 1860 there were nearly 8,500 percussion Northwest Guns ordered. 

     Success In The North American Fur Trade is a book divided into 19 chapters. It is not a book that a person will normally read from cover to cover, this book is full of facts and typically a reader will look up the points that are interesting at the moment and go to that particular chapter or pages. Both Charley and Curly felt this should be a research book rather than  another book on an old weapon. Included near the end of the book is a chapter about “Planning A NW Gun” which goes into today’s sources of parts, kits, guns “in the white” or complete guns.  There isn’t any area where this new book is found lacking.

    When talking about his book, Buck Conner told me, “This has been a 20 year project that really didn’t get moving until a few years ago. I promised Charley Hanson and Curly Gostomski that I would do this 15 years ago and always thought I would have it done for them, but waited too long and they passed on before it was completed. Both of them supplied so much of the information and pictures as well as making suggestions over the years on what should be included and how I should write this. The fact that they never got to see it is my only regret.”

MN

Nov/Dec 2005

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Buck Conner   

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