COMPLIMENTARY COPY
Published Weekly By Joel Sater Publications www.antiquesandauctionnews.net
VOL. 43, NO. 27 FRIDAY JULY 6, 2012
Tracking The Lancaster Long Rifle By Patrick Hornberger he rifles made in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, are the best known of all American long rifles. In literature going back to the 18th century, writers have recognized Lancaster as a major gun making community and placed the progenitor of the long rifle in the County. Lancaster County has no less than five road markers indicating locations believed to be the shops or locations of early gunsmiths. Many county roads and streets are named after long rifle gunsmiths and their gunshops. So imbedded is the image of the Lancaster rifle in this country’s lore that before early rifles were scholarly analyzed in the first part of the 20th century, the American long rifle was originally referred to as the “Lancaster rifle”. Over the years the unfortunate adhesion of the moniker, “Kentucky rifle,” has detracted from its Pennsylvania origin, but we now know that Lancaster County is the birthplace of the American long rifle - albeit the first gunsmith to craft the rifle is still unknown. Before the War of 1812, the vast majority of long rifles were made in Pennsylvania, and only later did migrating gunsmiths establish gunshops in Virginia, the Carolinas, and eventually Kentucky and Tennessee. In some ways the story of the Lancaster long rifle is the story of Pennsylvania. It begins with unprecedented migration into Pennsylvania spurred on by William Penn’s generous offer to central Europeans to join in the development of a new nation and a new freedom. A converted Quaker, Penn’s vision for his new colony was for a benevolent society developed by a complex policy of rigid conditions and regulations aimed at future expansion. Migrants from Europe entered the port of Philadephia and quickly settled communities in
T
cial center, Lancaster in the early growing town, and making money ming the ball down the barrel with prices. Ironically, during most of the aid of a small, greased patch the 18th century, Philadelphia had 18th century was still a frontier - a manufactory is here of guns. shortened the time to load; and in fewer gunsmiths than the frontier town - a towns of Reading major or Lancaster, until the American Revolution when turn, allowed less pressure to escape around the musket production began. The T h e ball. This significant innovation lack of rifle making in very earli- by a Pennsylvania gunsmith was Philadelphia prior to the war was est, wealthy immiof the greatest importance to the partly due to its large Quaker popgrants may have functionality and efficiency of ulation with their pacifist leanings. The Lancaster Long Rifle the long rifle. They also redesigned the Exhibit currently on display at the patch box to Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum through December of Long rifle by Frederick Fainot, circa 1770, Bruce Larsen this year features collection. over sixty of the hold the greased crossroad to finest further undeveloped areas. The brought the Bavarian hunting rifle, patches inside a Lancaster roads west from Philadelphia the Jaeger, to their new homeland, hinged brass lid, eliminating made rifles, came directly to Lancaster and but it proved to be the wrong tool the earlier sliding wood cover, fowlers, and Reading, but unlike Reading, for Pennsylvania’s pioneers mak- which was apt to be lost. Little did pistols that Lancaster offered routes, mostly ing long treks into the wilderness. they know that the brass patch box have survived Indian trails, south to Maryland The Jaeger had a short range, was would become the individual for almost and the Shenandoah Valley. From slow to load, and heavy. The large statement of each gunsmith - an Lancaster, rough roads and a tur- amount of gunpowder required for American feature which often three hundred years. The primary goal of this collection is to impart bulent Susquehanna River cross- its large bore and the subsequent identifies the gunsmith. When word spread that the the artistic features of the ing at Wright’s Ferry challenged weight of the lead balls made it even the hardiest wanderer head- impractical to carry any distance. gunsmiths were producing this Lancaster County long rifles - the ing west. Heading south through The Jaeger rifle was generally unique rifle, better suited to the exquisite carving and elegant form Pennsylvania environment, the of function Lancaster gunsmiths an expanse of German and Swiss around .70 caliber and could f r o n t i e r s - were able to achieve when creatheld farmland, trails connected to weigh fourteen or fifteen ing their best guns. To complete the head of the Chesapeake Bay. A presentation rifle by Henry Leman, circa 1840, in the collection of the Lancaster County Historical SocietyLancaster History.org.
As a result, Lancaster’s strategic gateway location became the primary force behind the establishment of the most active and productive gunmaking industry in Pennsylvania. The county’s seemingly endless supply of iron and limestone deposits, and vast forests with fast streams for water power, brought together the necessary elements to support the active gunmaking community. As early as the 1700s Lancaster had a reputation as a town offering gunsmiths’ services and an assort-
pounds. What the frontiersman needed was a lighter rifle, weighing around ten pounds, with a smaller bore not much larger than .50 caliber, thus reducing the weight of the ball and the amount of gunpowder to be carried. The Pennsylvania gunsmiths calculated that a small bore with higher velocity could kill just as easily as a larger bore, and if the barrel was lengthened, it would significantly increase the r a n g e . Furthermore, the game Pennsylvanians could expect to encounter would not be the charging wild boar the Jaeger rifle was designed to kill
men’s first choice quickly became the long rifle. English and French
t h e story, for-
eign transitional firearms, plain Indian trade guns, and those made by the famous Leman Factory are included in the Exhibit. The Exhibit includes rarely seen examples from institutions and private collections, style including sixteen rifles from the smoothfamous Kindig collection. bore fowlers Ironically, given the fame of the from Europe might Lancaster rifle and its highly be found, but the fowler extolled history, the Landis Valley Exhibit is the first comprehensive exhibit of Lancaster County firearms ever held. A full color, hardbound book accompanies the Exhibit and is available from Eastwind Long rifle by Nicholas Beyer, circa 1790, Publishing - (410) 476in the collection of the Landis Valley 4445 or eastwind@hughVillage & Museum, Pennsylvania es.net. Historical & Museum Commission. Note: A special long rifle weekend will be held at the Landis Valley Village & Museum on July 21st and 22nd where gunmaking displays, shooting events, and seminars on the long rifle history will be held. On Saturday, July 21st, Patrick Hornberger and was not as effective as the rifle for John Kolar, Guest Curators of the
ment of supplies. While traveling the colonies in 1754, the Provincial Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Thomas G e r m a n t o w n , Pownall, Reading, and Lancaster. Long rifle by Jacob Dickert, 1806, Bill and Sharon Vance collection. Although politically consaid in his famous journal: with its large, hard hitting ball. To all game. It was logical to buy a nected to I took the road from speed the loading procedure with rifle in Lancaster where larger Philadelphia and growing as a culPhiladelphia to Wright’s Ferry, on the longer barrel, the Pennsylvania communities of gunsmiths offered the Susquehanna. Lancaster is a gunsmiths discovered that ram- a broad variety of styles and tural and commer-
Exhibit, will appraise muzzle loading rifles (pre 1850) brought in by the public. Call (717) 5690401 for further information. (More photos on page 2)