Where did the longrifle come from??

[Andy A]

Guys,
Don't know exactly where to post this, but I would like to know the history of the longrifle.

I guess what could be written would fill volumes---(like the history of the world in 10 volumes!) But I would appreciate a general summary of it's history, also including Southern rifles. I have never heard anything like this----just a summary that puts together the entire scope of this firearm.

Anyone want to try??

Andy A

[rlm]

Andy A, You ask what seems to be a simple question but there is no simple answer. Every time someone makes a statement about the origin of the longrifle there is someone there to counter that claim and usually with valid arguments. The rifled gun was not invented in America. I would suppose to make the statement that it was invented in Europe may be safe but I'm not too sure such a statement couldn't be argued. However, the majority of surviving early rifles from Europe are generally of larger bore and shorter barreled than their American cousins. For that reason we can be reasonably safe in saying that the "longrifle " is an American innovation.
In America the development of the longrifle was an evolution rather than a single event that can be attributed any single person or gunsmith. There are those who swear that longrifles were developed in eastern Pennsylvania during the 2nd quarter of the 18th century. There are those who can make persuasive arguments that Virginia and North Carolina gunsmiths were also making long rifles at a very early date. The complexity of determining the origin of early longrifles is clouded by the reality that there are very few surviving examples that can be dated prior to1770. Further we can make educated guesses but often cannot specifically assign early rifles to specific gunsmiths or location of manufacture. Very few were signed. The late George Shumway in his two volume thesis "Rifles of Colonial America" often struggled with this very problem. I might add that this is a very good source to start your study. I think I am safe in saying that the Moravian gunsmiths of eastern PA and other southern locations  played an important role in the development of what has come to be known as the "Kentucky Rifle" or as many prefer, "The American  Longrifle".

[nosrettap1958]

British army officers coming back from the Revolution made it famous, because, man did they hate that rifle!!
And also, they created the image of America as a nation of riflemen.

[Buck]

rlm,
Great explanation to a question that some might have shook their head at.
Buck

[AMartin]

I have seen longrifles in Germany "With barrels over 42" & rifled" dating as early as 1720 ......... the longrifle was NOT invented here ...

[nosrettap1958]

I agree, the French and others had long barreled rifles way before us, we made it so everyone could have one.

[Buck]

Gentlemen,
Could it be said that we perfected the longrifle or maybe utilized it better here?
Buck

[nosrettap1958]

Their rifles were pretty fancy and ours, even in our "Golden Age", would seem crude compared to some of the best makers in Europe. However, only the Nobility could afford one and their rifles were completely restricted to that class. But, accuracy wise, I don't think after reading the limited resources we have at our disposal in this comparison, the European rifle was as accurate as our rifle.
A high ranking British officer, who was a noted marksman, once wrote after the Revolution, "Never in my life have I seen better rifles then those made in America"  

Noting a journal written by a German traveler to America in the 1800's and his comments.  He brought a double barrel shotgun and traded for a double barrelled rifle but, "Noting the superioity of the American rifle and knowing that a certain Mr. (No name written) had a fancy one I soon procured it and used it exclusively."

I don't know what the term 'Fancy" meant back then or how it was applied in everyday speech.

[rich pierce]

There have been many attempts to summarize how the longrifle as we know it arose.  It is not too difficult and fairly safe to simply state what we know from existing specimens and documents.

Explaning why it arose and why it became different from European rifles is the stuff of informed conjecture.  Some of that conjecture has become "fact" because it has been repeated so many times. 

Why did the longrifle develop with long barrels?  You will hear that the barrels became longer because powder was iffy and we needed longer barrels to burn the iffy powder.  You will read that the barrels became longer because shots were taken at longer range and our forefathers needed the long sight radius for accuracy.  You will read that the barrels were long because the Indians were used to long barreled trade guns (smoothbores) and wanted something similar in their rifles.  All these could be true but are reasonable hypotheses without period documentation.

Same with caliber reduction, etc.  Good hypotheses, no period documentation stating, "I, Jacob Dickert, began making rifles with smaller caliber barrels around 1770 because customers wanted to save on powder and ball".