Rifle Associations American Long Rifle Association (ALRA) Smoking Iron Alterations (Custom Clothes) Living History/Reenacting Kentucky Trekking Longrifle Replica Manufacturers Black Hart Long Armsīlack Powder/Muzzleloaders GOEX Black Powder How Flint Locks Work Flint and Percussion LocksĪntique Long Rifles Antique Firearms Network Soon black powder followed thedemise of the muzzle loader and the Kentucky Long Rifle became acollector's item. Bythe end of the Civil War, even the muzzleloader was being challengedby the more reliable breechloaders. In the early 1800's, the percussion or caplock wasinvented and the 200 year reign of the flintlock was a thing of the past.A lot of the old flintlocks were even converted to the new lock. More on the KY Longrifle: Kentucky Rifles - How They Earned Their Name "I have many times asked the American backwoodsman what was the mosttheir best marksmen could do they have constantly told me that anexpert marksman, provided he can draw good & true sight, can hit thehead of a man at 200 yards." Perhaps due to this heritage,Kentuckians were known as sharpshooters from the revolutionary Warthrough WWII and even as late as Vietnam.Ĭol George Hanger, a British officer, became very interested in theAmerican rifle after he witnessed his bugler's horse shot out fromunder him at a distance, which he measured several times himself, of"full 400 yards", and he learned all he could of the weapon. The long rifle was a prime factor in several Revolutionary erabattles, especially in the West. A crescent-shaped buttplate, patchboxand cheekpiece were also common and are helpful in identifying a KY/PAlong rifle. LONG RIFFLE FULL50 caliber, made of curly maple, full stock andsported a 42 to 46 inch barrel. The actual name "Kentucky Longrifle"was first used in an 1812 song The Hunters of Kentucky.Ī typical rifle was. After the French and Indian War brought new lands to theattention of the frontiersmen, the uniquely American long-range rifleswere carried into the frontier (at that time Kentucky) by the longhunters, trappers and explorers. But it took the opening up of a newcontinent to bring out the best.Ĭirca 1725 the forerunner of the KYlong rifles were being designed and built by German craftsman inPennsylvania. By the late 1600's gunsmiths wereexperimenting with longer barrels than the forerunner Yaeger. The Kentucky (or Pennsylvania) Long Rifle was the most accuratelong-range gun for several decades.The first documented appearance of rifling was in Germany around 1460.The flintlockwas developed in the early 1600's. Like powder needs a spark."Hawkmoon"/U2 Simon Kenton Frontier Festival Kentucky/Pennsylvania Long Rifle Home Page Kentucky Long Rifle
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |