I an thinking about getting another rifle in the next year or so. I have a Lancaster style rifle in .50, which is a nice shooting gun. I've heard people talk about Virginia rifles, and I think it would be interesting to have both. What are the characteristics that separate a Virginia from a Pennsylvania rifle?
Most "Lancaster" and "Virginia" rifles offered as kits or standard models by semi-custom makers are very generic. It might be interesting to explore a rifle based on specific historic examples.
That's the thing here, for most. That generic "kinda sorta" guns, whilst often cheaper and serviceable and fun to shoot, are not very good "replicas" as they don't really replicate anything. It's more fulfilling to learn of the great and small nuances that differentiate a region or time-frame. Learning the variations and variants of different gun makers, per region, per time period, etc, is the core of the study of longrifles and the history of their makings and use.
I have not dug into PA or VA rifles but think that the VA guns can be broken into variants by region and period. The PA guns are generally talked about in specific county or maker and period.
SO I'll bet if you asked a more narrowly-focused question here, you might get some answers that give a bit more guidance. Example: What is the generally agreed upon transition between early and late PA (or VA)?
anyhoo, here's some reading for free (it's the opinion of Gary Brumfield* on Virginia Rifles)
*apparently, I see no credit otherwise. It might be a good place to get some ideas and specifics.
http://www.flintriflesmith.com/WritingandResearch/WebArticles/VirginiaRifle.htm
