Hello
In fact, the repeating rifles had poor range and the Indians quickly began to use arrows and bows to protect themselves.
But as it’s shown on http://www.custerwest.org , the Indian casualties are today estimated as high as 200-250. The battle was hard, 210 men were fighting with Custer to the death, and 400 were out of the battle with Benteen and Reno.
It was my impression that Custer’s men were uniformly equipped with single shot carbines.
The Indians also had carbines too but not to the same extent as Custer’s men did. They made extensive use of the bow and arrow.
Custer's men were mostly armed with single shot 45-70 cartridge carbines (not single shot muzzle loaders like in the Civil War).
Having fired this type of rifle myself, I can see where they would jam easily after repeated fire and you would have to take a knife to try and pry the expended cartridge shell from the breach. Anyone who has fired black powder cartridge rifles (or pistols) knows what I mean as black powder fouls and jams a gun very easily.
Research has shown that many of the Indians had Henry rim fire repeating rifles (predecessor to the Winchester rifle).