Editing Battle of the Little Bighorn (section)

===7th Cavalry===
[[File:SAA 5773 oN.JPG|thumb|Colt Single Action Army, serial No 5773 7th Cavalry issued]]
[[File:Springfield Trapdoor breech open.JPG|thumb|Springfield trapdoor rifle with breech open. Custer's troopers were equipped with these breech-loading, single-shot rifles.]]

The troops under Custer's command carried two regulation firearms authorized and issued by the U.S. Army in early 1876: the breech-loading, single-shot [[Springfield Model 1873]] carbine, and the 1873 [[Colt Single Action Army|Colt]] single-action revolver.<ref>Lawson, 2007, pp. 52–53: "The troops of the 7th Cavalry were each armed with two standard weapons, a rifle and a pistol. The rifle was a .45/55-caliber Springfield carbine and the pistol was a .45-caliber Colt revolver&nbsp;... both weapons were models [introduced in] 1873 [though] they did not represent the latest in firearm technology."</ref> The regulation [[Model 1860 Light Cavalry Saber|Model 1860 saber]] or "long knives" were not carried by troopers upon Custer's order.<ref>Lawson, 2007, p. 53: "Although each soldier was also issued a sword or saber, Custer ordered these weapons boxed before the strike force departed [up Rosebud Creek]&nbsp;... the lack of swords would prove to be a disadvantage during some of the close fighting that lay ahead. Gunpowder of the day is now known as black powder. It causes substantial fouling within the firearm. After about 25 rounds are fired from the M1873 revolver using black powder, the cylinder binds on the cylinder pin. The cavalry trooper would then have used his saber. However, their inclusion would not have changed the ultimate outcome."</ref><ref>Gallear, 2001: "No bayonet or hand to hand weapon was issued apart from the saber, which under Custer's orders was left behind."</ref>

Except for a number of officers and scouts who opted for personally owned and more expensive rifles and handguns, the 7th Cavalry was uniformly armed.<ref>Lawson, 2008, p. 53: "Many of the officers and most of the civilians brought along their own weapons."</ref><ref>Donovan, 2008, p. 191: "each enlisted man carried the regulation single-action breech-loading, M1873 Springfield carbine&nbsp;... the standard issue sidearm was the reliable [single-action] M1873 Colt .45 cal. pistol."</ref><ref>Gallear, 2001: "Officers purchased their own carbines or rifles for hunting purposes&nbsp;...[however] these guns may have been left with the baggage and is unclear how many officers actually used these weapons in the battle. However, there is evidence that Reno's men did make use of long-range hunting rifles. White Scouts would have been better armed and seemed to favor long-range buffalo hunting type rifles over fast-shooting lever actions&nbsp;... Henrys, Spencers and Winchester M1866s would also have been popular choices&nbsp;... Some Scouts would have been armed with both types of weapons plus a variety of side arms."</ref>

Ammunition allotments provided 100 carbine rounds per trooper, carried on a [[Bandolier|cartridge belt]] and in saddlebags on their mounts. An additional 50 carbine rounds per man were reserved on the pack train that accompanied the regiment to the battlefield. Each trooper had 24 rounds for his Colt handgun.<ref>Donovan, 2008, p. 191: "[Each] trooper carried 100 rounds of carbine ammunition and 24 pistol cartridges with him—as many as 50 on a belt or in a pouch, and the remainder in his saddlebag (the pack train mules carried 26,000 more carbine rounds [approximately 50 extra per trooper])."</ref>

The opposing forces, though not equally matched in the number and type of arms, were comparably outfitted, and neither side held an overwhelming advantage in weaponry.<ref>Hatch, 1997, p. 184: "not a wide disparity" in arms of the opposing forces.</ref>