My main EDC carry gun (I'm retired LEO) is the same 1st/2nd gen Glock 19 I got as a duty weapon in 1994 as a detective. In 24 years, I have never had a single malfunction with it, through many thousands of rounds. I have had a plethora of other pistols, but the Glock is it. A couple years ago I picked up an S&W M&P Shield 9mm for the occasions I need a smaller piece. It has been as reliable as the Glock.
With that said, if I had been a lawman back then in the 1860s/1870s instead of now, I would have bought an 1860 Henry when they first came out, and a .44 Martin cartridge conversion (1860 or 1858) when they came out. I might have even gone with 1872 Open Tops. Knowing me, I doubt if I would have replaced them, times being the way they were back then. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and if it still works, keep it was the way things were.
Last year I had an 1860 Henry in 45 Colt and a pair of open tops in 45. I used my Henry duplication load of 6 grains of Trail Boss or 24 grains volume of Triple 7. The guns loved it accuracy wise, BUT even with Trail Boss, the Henry fouled horribly. OI had to clean it every other stage. I sold the 45 Henry and bought the 44-40 Henry from a pard here. At about the same time, I had an opportunity to get author samples of the 1860 Type II Richards and the 1858 gated from Cimarron.
I sold the Open Tops. I got the conversions in .45 for a specific reason. The basic .44 Martin cartridge in the conversions used a .452-.454" heeled bullet so it was tight in the bore of the converted percussion revolvers.That is the same diameter as the .45 Schofield bullets I use. Weights of the Martin varied from 200 to 225 grains. powder charges were from 25 to 27 grains.
I load my .44-40 Henry rounds with 7 grains of Trail Boss and a 200 grain .428 bullet, and it gives me 1100-1140 fps on a chrony. The .45 Schofields in the conversions, I use 6 grains of Trial Boss and a 200 grain .452" bullet. That should be close to the .44 Martin.
Here's the Richards. I don't have photos of the gated Remington yet. The box is a Cheyenne Cartridge Box for 45 Schofield with a 44 Colt label on it. The .44 Martin rounds in the belt and on the boards are originals from my collection. I think I have 17 or 18 of them.