Hmmm--
"Great minds think alike."
My cowboy "persona" is turning out along those lines, sort of.
I too am doing a "War Between The States" leftover, ca. mid/late 1860's-1870's -- depending on the event either a Union irregular
(handle is "Jurgen the Jayhawker")
or one of the survivors bf Quantrill's group (no idea for variant handle yet)
For The Mad One, revolvers are, natch, cartridge converted Remmys or open-topped Colts. Still need to get a carbine...
Now, you're doing later than I am--so you have a bit more room to work with.
Let us examine the historical Old West outlaw outfit that comes closest to what both you and I are doing:
The James-Younger gang.
Early on (when the ineffably charming Bloody Bill Anderson was still the lieutenant in charge of the "platoon") equipment and gear were pretty much typical for the Trans-Mississippi & Far Western theatres of operation--a precious few articles of issue equipment, some captured Union gear (NOTE: Rebs wore the US buckle upside-down when captured waistbelts were made use of!) but mostly clothing and gear was what 19th C. military historians called "private purchase".
Holster style tended to be of the "Slim Jim" variety or mil pattern.
In the late 1860's, a James Gang member would often have a captured Union greatcoat worn in lieu of a duster.
OK--now we fast forward to the 1890's
Odds are, clothing would have updated to the epoch, though a coat or brimmed hat of Civil War vintage might have survived 20 odd years (I've got a 3" brim gray fedora that I have owned and worn from about 1984-on, so a hat COULD perchance last that long on an outlaw...) Pants tended to blow out after months in the field, but "Pony Soldier" trousers could have been picked up as replacements...
Armament: Hmmm. By the 1890's my guy Jurgen--if he'd lived that long--or your character would have in all likelihood obtained a more current rifle than a Henry or Spencer (I have it narrowed down to TWO possiblities!)
Revolvers: Bill Hickock and Wes Hardin used cap-&-balls long after most folks had gone over to Colt SAA's, so a cartridge conversion type MAY have still been in use by an outlaw type ca. 1885-1899. Let us not forget that .44 Colt Revolver remained in production to 1940, and that was used almost entirely in Open Tops, 1869 conversion New Model Armies and would chamber in the early run of 1875 Remingtons used by Tribal Police in Arizona (where it was referred to as .44 Remington)
S&W American Model was Jesse James' revolver of choice, another holdout from the mid/late1860's.
The thing to keep in mind is you REALLY want to have both carbine rifle and belt revolver(s) in identical chamberings! I kid you not! Makes life MUCH simpler when you're shooting.
I speak from experience
Also, straight-sided cases such as .45 Schofield, .45 "Long" Colt, .44 Russian, .44 Spl, .38 Spl and .38 Long Colt are much more pleasant to deal with at the loading bench after you're done and are getting ready for the next event.
.44-40 or .38-40 are more "authentic", but the thin case walls at the neck aren't conducive to repeated reloads, and sizing is more of a problem...
IMHO, since you're doing late Old West--let your revolver preference dictate your carbine choice and keep the calibres dead on identical.
My guy's about 20 years earlier, so I'm either getting a Henry, or a Spencer in .45 Colt or .45 Schofield (Somebody makes one!)
Food for thought, amigo!
