Quarter moon used on cheek piece question

[FG1]

You see a lot of quarter moon inlays on the cheekpiece of rifles and wondered if there was any significance to this other than ornamentation ?

[northmn]

I have heard a few rumors on it but am curious also.

DP

[HIB]

Gentlemen,   In the fall of 1991, KRA past president Albert Sullivan wrote an article for the KRA Bulletin titled 'Symbolism on Kentucky Rifles'. In that article he refers to the qtr. moon as the Crescent and explains it was almost as popular as the Hunters Star.

I quote " A widely accepted theory about this inlay [Crescent] is that it is our talismanic hope for a bountiful life from the abundance of nature. The Crescent is symbolic of the harvest moon and a bumper crop. It represents fertility and plenty. An interesting aspect of the fertility theme is that some Crescents are male and some female. This feature is not common, but does show up occasionally

The Star and the Crescent dominated the early rifles and remained popular for many years."   A. S.

Interesting theory.   HIB

[FG1]

Thanks HIB ! Thats why its used so much .

[Kermit]

In my long-ago youth, sun and moon cutouts (or painting) both appeared on privys. Moon for the ladies, sun for the gents. I've also heard the moon/fertility-abundance connection.

[Elnathan]

I suspect that the old-fashioned habit of timing activities to correspond to different phases of the moon might have an influence. Whether the moon represents fertility or barreness would depend on whether it is waxing or waning, what month it is, etc.

[Lucky R A]

      In Pennsylvania Dutch lore the direction of the points of the moon is also important:  A moon with the points pointing downward will pour out blessings, A moon should face in the direction you want the power to be directed.  The moon can direct the tides etc. thus it can direct the bullet...a little powder helped also....

[Collector]

I thought a 'man in the moon,' facing/pointed down, was a 'good luck' symbol.  I sure hope so, because I carved on on my powder measure that faces downward, as it is poured into the barrel!  I carved one in the butt plug of a small priming horn that I made that a Canadian fella liked so much, that he bought it from me.  I guess it was LUCKY for me in that case!



 

[smylee grouch]

Looks like you get mooned every time you look at that but plug.  Niffty looking though.     Gary

[54ball]

 I have read that the cresent moon, with the points pointing downard, means a wet moon.  A wet moon or wet night as every hunter knows makes the leaves wet enableling the hunter to kreep quietly through the woods.

[rick landes]

The 194? (1944 or 1942??) Pennsylvania Dutch Historical Society Annual tells a good bit of info regarding the symbols on FL's. Look up flintlocks and info on the Landis museum. Get it thru interlibrary  loan.

Some of my favorites are the Hex signs put (often under barrels) to ward off evil from the user.

Also the old belief that the first shot ever to the bullseye was a bad omen. (The way I generally shoot I must have a lot of good luck!)

[omark]

the first shot from a new barrel has to be at a full moon, straightens out the kinks and makes it shoot true. now, if i could just figure some way to take the kinks out of my back,,,,,,,   mark

[54ball]

 The moon shot relaxes the barrel.  Since the rifle tried to hit the moon a 100 yard shot should be no problem.

 The hex marks on the underside of the barrel prevents the little demon from entering the barrel and riding on the ball making it shoot untrue.

 If a demon was suspected in a new barrel that shot untrue, it was removed from the stock, unbreeched and placed in a stream where the water would flow through the muzzle exit the breech and wash the demon out.  After a few days in the stream the barrel was marked with an X or cross behind the muzzle to prevent the return of evil spirits.

 That probably really worked.  Think about it.  A fresh rifle may have burs that would not polish out.  Being immersed in a stream silt and mud would flow through the barrel.  A small bur would start to corrode and when the barrel was cleaned the mud and silt would act somewhat as a polishing compound.  Thus truing the barrel.   

[Wolf Eyes]

I had read somewhere recently that the moon was the symbol for the Virgin Mary, the hunter's star is the Star of Bethlehem, the heart is for the fifth wound on the Cross and the bird is the soul.  There are probably as many ideas as there are symbol makers/users.

All this folklore just makes flinters more interesting.