Very pleased to see the interest in this prolific maker. I have followed his work with some persistence, and find myself to be continually surprised in Reinhard's variation, and evolution.The earliest rifles he made in the Columbus, Ohio area, sometimes are full stocked, and follow the Pennsylvania /Ohio Germanic traditions. He was a young gunsmith, and the early rifles lack the refinement found after his years with Billinghurst.The earliest picket target rifle I have seen is dated 1860, has a false muzzle, and very fine engraving at the breech area. He was home from the Billinghurst shop. He now produced a wide selection to meet customer's wishes, from squirrel to precision target competition rifles.During the l1870s and 1880s he made many slug rifles, shooting long 2 part bullets, hard noses, soft bases. These were some of the most accurate rifles during his time,and won many matches. During the 1950s through the 1970s a shooter named Harold["Skunk, or Pole Cat"]Porter shot perfect national scores with an old Reinhard rifle named"Old Harrison" . This rifle retains the origional bore ,and most tools,and remans competitive today.The rifle pictured on line, sold at the Brunk auction, is a heavy picket rifle. And the late date leaves us questioning the late continuation of the picket form. It shoots quite nicely at 100 yards. The round ball"farm guns" made by Reinhard pictured in the AOLRC article] turn up fairly often, in various states of condition, and are always a fond sight in these hills.To the writer who knows of "Big Susie"; Please post more info, as many of us have speculated, without conclusion, regarding the whereabouts of this one. 4 original Reinhard rifles were shot on the range at Canal Fulton in Septenmber 2011, in competition. Also, The AOLRC display in Marietta, Ohio will include the work of Reinhard. See our website AOLRC for more info.
