Question about Shenandoah Rifles

[LURCHWV@BJS]

  I've been toying with the notion of building a Shenandoah Style Rifle for my next build.  I read somewhere that Shen rifles were normaly shorter then they're Pennsylvania cousins.  Can anyone expand on this?  I've fallen in love with what I believe to be Colonial Virginia Rifles, but I've noticed alot of similarities with Pa rifles  Ofcourse I relize characteristics from different schools sometime make they're way into other schools.

  Meteorman had pictures from the Lewisburg show,  In the pic that showed  Mr Kelley's rifles the second one from the top really struck my fancy.  I just don't know what school or area it is from. I'm still learning  If any of you could help me out with this question,  It would be GREATLY appreciated.


   Rich

[flintriflesmith]

Rich,
When you say Shenandoah are you refering to the county, the river drainage, or the greater Shenandoah Valley?
You might want to look at the map on this web page and at the link to county formations.

http://www.flintriflesmith.com/WritingandResearch/WebArticles/VirginiaRifle.htm

Gary

[LURCHWV@BJS]

flintersmith,

  That really helped alot,  I am reffering to the Shenandoah River Valley.But I'm torn between two rifles I've seen on your website.  The Shenandoah and the S.W Virginia.  I would love to make a rifle with a wide flat butt  that could be attributed to a virginia style rifle,  I guess I still have alot to learn in making decisions on what I desire to build.  Since Frankenstien turned out more like a mongrul in stead of a particular style.  So with tis build I plan to listen to those who know more than I and follow they're instruction.


   Thanx Gary

[G-Man]

Lurch - for early style (Rev. War and earlier) Virginia rifles, the Shumway Volume II has some good examples.  Also, take a look at the Adam Haymaker rifle on the "American Historic Services" website.

Although from a slightly different part of Virginia, take a look at the John Davidson rifle also on American Historic Services.

There are a couple of great Virginia guns by Spitzer and Lauck on the ALR Virtual Museum.

Someone also recently had Dr. Whisker's "Gunsmiths of Virginia" for sale on the "Items for Sale" board - I highly recommend it if you want to study golden-age era Virginia rifles.

longrifles.http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=14486.0

Finally, Wallace Gusler's articles in Muzzle Blasts - see if you can get your hands on those.  Gary posted a list of all of them just a few months ago - if you do a search for Gary's post and then contact the NMLRA you can probably get most of them.

Guy

[flintriflesmith]

Guy,
Here's an easier way to find the list of Wallace's MB articles.

http://www.flintriflesmith.com/WritingandResearch/Research/MB_articles_WG.htm

Gary

[G-Man]

Thanks Gary - I forgot you added that to your site. 

For anyone interested in Virginia rifles or related topics - captured lid patchboxes, early iron mounted Appalachian longrifles, "stepped toe" southern rifles, and the general history of the use of longrifles on the southern frontier, I highly recommend getting ahold of the articles on Gary's list.  I think some may no longer be available as they have had a lot of requests for back issues on these.

Guy