Pennsylvania Flintlock Long Rifles...?

[GONZO!!!]

If this is not the correct forum, administration please move to appropriate forum....

Looking for gun shops in Indiana who stock flintlock rifles...especially Pennsylvania long rifles

Any ideas?

Thanks

Gonz

 

[spec4]

Are you looking for a custom built or Italian replica?

 

[GONZO!!!]

Prob italian replica...can't afford a custom for about another 18-24 months

Just looking for flintlocknrifles dealers so we can get our hands around them

 

[Archer1122]

There's a guy who sets up at the 1500 who has nothing but BP stuff. He has a bunch of nice stuff! You should check him out.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Just looking for flintlocknrifles dealers so we can get our hands around them

Gonzo, aren't you in Lafayette?

 

[TheDude]

Friendship is what you seek. If you cant find it in BP there...it was never made.

 

[Cerberus]

Well there probably are no shops that sell Italian Pennsylvania rifles, as none of the Italian version are true to this type. All the Italian versions I've ever seen look like a mix of every style thrown into one, and the end results are quite ugly to be honest. If you want a true PA/KY style rifle save your clams and head to Friendship next June and get something that will increase in value over time, IF you take good care of it. If you want something before then, search out Tip Curtis and give him a call. If you really want to learn about American Longrifles then go here and read up/join. American Longrifles - Home - a site dedicated to the study and building of the American longrifle

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Friendship is what you seek. If you cant find it in BP there...it was never made.

Smart!

 

[sloughfoot]

I know this is not a satisfactory answer to your question, but I travel a lot. I stop in gunstores every chance I get. There is a gunstore in Breezewood PA with racks of flintlock rifles. I have never seen that many flint rifles in one place. Anywhere. Otherwise, I would just order one from Dixie Gun Works.

 

[indyjohn]

I know this is not a satisfactory answer to your question, but I travel a lot. I stop in gunstores every chance I get. There is a gunstore in Breezewood PA with racks of flintlock rifles. I have never seen that many flint rifles in one place. Anywhere. Otherwise, I would just order one from Dixie Gun Works.

Ah, my friend sloughfoot. Always good for a piece of obscure trivia at the right time. Glad to see you.

 

[sloughfoot]

Obscure triviia is my middle name. I really love that place. It seems to be a PA thing. The flintlock black powder rifle thing..I truly have never seen another gunstore like it.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

Hmmm.... PA's not that far.... but the Friendship indiana suggestion was a good one. NMLRA's range and home.

 

[Cerberus]

I know this is not a satisfactory answer to your question, but I travel a lot. I stop in gunstores every chance I get. There is a gunstore in Breezewood PA with racks of flintlock rifles. I have never seen that many flint rifles in one place. Anywhere. Otherwise, I would just order one from Dixie Gun Works.

Would that be Dixon's?

 

[meyer4589]

Track of the wolf is a good website for BP they sell guns too. They always have a good selection

 

[singlesix]

Pawn Shops, I picked up a Enfield Volunteer Rifle in mint condition at one.

 

[jimbo-indy]

You might contact Deer Creek Products in Waldron, IN. They deal in nothing but black powder stuff. They are regional distributor for Goex black powder.
I concur with the suggestion to attend the NMLRA event in Friendship, IN. I go twice a year. PM me if you would like a few back issues of Muzzle Blasts, the NMRLA magizine, to look at the advertisers. would be happy to send you a few.

 

[varkman]

Actually it's officially the "Kentucky" long rifle. Go look in the Ky Governors office, right behind the desk. Interesting story about that, as I understand it way back when (20's-30's) there was a argument about KY versus Pennsylvania rifle. each state got together a team and had a good old shootin' contest, the winner getting bragging, and naming rights, it seems that the KY team was in it to win it...and did year after year, til finally Pennsylvania conceded, and thus the "Kentucky" rifle resides in the governors office in Frankfort. This is the story I've been told, and have yet to hear different.

 

[Cerberus]

Actually it's officially the "Kentucky" long rifle. Go look in the Ky Governors office, right behind the desk. Interesting story about that, as I understand it way back when (20's-30's) there was a argument about KY versus Pennsylvania rifle. each state got together a team and had a good old shootin' contest, the winner getting bragging, and naming rights, it seems that the KY team was in it to win it...and did year after year, til finally Pennsylvania conceded, and thus the "Kentucky" rifle resides in the governors office in Frankfort. This is the story I've been told, and have yet to hear different.

Yes that story is well known. Amongst those who study and build these type rifles they are collectively called American long rifles, since there is really no single Pennsylvania style, in fact there are lots of different "schools" just from PA alone and they all look different. Even more if you add in Virginia, North Carolina, New England etc. I've always thought it rather humorous how PA styled rifles are called Kentucky rifles, when most Kentucky built rifles actually usually show more southern influences along the lines of VA and TN styles, like this real Kentucky built percussion rifle that has been in a friends family for many generations.

 

[Dirty Steve]

Kentucky built, but appears to have a TN style trigger guard and butt plate. Can't zoom in enough on the trigger guard, but it looks to have a long flat grip rail.The stock profile is also looks very Tennessee-ish.

Dirty Steve

 

[indiucky]

Actually it's officially the "Kentucky" long rifle. Go look in the Ky Governors office, right behind the desk. Interesting story about that, as I understand it way back when (20's-30's) there was a argument about KY versus Pennsylvania rifle. each state got together a team and had a good old shootin' contest, the winner getting bragging, and naming rights, it seems that the KY team was in it to win it...and did year after year, til finally Pennsylvania conceded, and thus the "Kentucky" rifle resides in the governors office in Frankfort. This is the story I've been told, and have yet to hear different.

Cerebus is right about this.....The term "Kentucky Rifle" came about due the popularity of a song "The Hunters of Kentucky" that was written about 1822 or so about the Battle of New Orleans...(The song was eventually modified over time and is the basis for Johnny Horton's "The Battle of New Orleans")...

Ted Franklin Belue, a fellow reenactor and author of "The Hunters of Kentucky" and "The Long Hunt" goes into great detail about this...

"But Jackson he was wide-awake,
And wasn't scared at trifles,
For well he knew what aim we'd take,
With our Kentucky rifles;
So he marched us down to Cypress Swamp,
The ground was low and mucky,
There stood John Bull in martial pomp,
But here was old Kentucky.."


To add something to what cerebus said there is (at least one) Rifle I saw that was made by one of the Bryan's (of Bryan's Station fame) during the 1780's near Lexington that followed the lines of what we now would call kind of the southern Pennsylvania/Maryland school of long rifles that favored what we think of as a "Pennsylvania Rifle".....It was on Kentucky's version on Antiques Road Show...The guy got it from a guy for $3000 and they estimated the value (around Lexington) to be about $50,000...It was beautiful and untouched and although Bryan had not signed it the appraiser had seen at least three others and he was confident Bryan or one of his sons made it in Lexington in the last quarter of the 18th century....

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