The history of kentucky, and indeed the history of the united states, are each closely connected with the chronicle of the kentucky long rifle. A smooth bore flinter that will shoot both patched ball. If you want to use a paper form to order cds, download, fillout and mail this form. The kentucky rifle foundation is a nonprofit, 501c 3 corporation and is funded by contributions, the sale of educational materials, fund raising events and endowments. Kentucky long gun, no ram rod, inlay, engraved side plates, 1800s. This modest production benefits from color photography and location shooting at picturesque vasquez rocks, a popular site for filmmakers and now part of a state park. Western action 1956 84 minutes color a man escorts a wagon load of kentucky rifles through indian territory, and must find a way to get through, without losing the rifles to the indians. By the late 1600s gunsmiths wereexperimenting with longer barrels than the. The kentucky rifle is known by many different names including the pennsylvania rifle and the long rifle. Before the war, the kentucky rifle was a popular gun among hunters and frontiersman.
This old flintlock rifle is also known as the kentucky, the hog rifle, or the long rifle. British soldiers of the time were equipped with smooth bore muskets that forced them to get close to a large group of enemy soldiers and volley into the crowd, hoping to. Because the train has a strict schedule to follow, the broken wagon is left behind. The long sighting plane between the blade front sight and fixed notch rear sight adds precision shooting accuracy. Eventually, his use of the rifle spread among the people and the kentucky was considered a necessity by frontiersmen. Im watching something on tv about the kentucky rifle. Kentucky rifle ram rod i would not recommend the hardware store type dowels for a ramrod. While the wagon train forges ahead, a few people stay behind to repair a disabled riflefilled wagon but they have to contend with one anothers ego and with aggressive comanches who demand the rifles as payment for safe passage. John wayne, randolph scott, bob steele, ken maynard, roy rogers. The barrel is blue finished, all fittings are of polished brass and the walnut stock is oil finished. Unfortunately, the indians know about it, and give the occupants an ultimatum. The pennsylvania long rifle also provided a considerable military advantage for the continental army during the american revolution. Im 99% sure that the kentucky rifle is also known as the pennsylvania rifle. Kentucky rifle significant weapons in american history.
The kentucky long rifle was more accurate than any known previous firearm, and it soon became famous with a flight being deadly at over 200 yards, which was an astonishing range at that time. The grain and growth of the hardware store dowels are different from the hickory rods used for muzzleloading. The kentucky rifle was one of the most manufactured american rifles in the 1700s and was used extensively in the american revolution. Unfortunately the indians know about it, and give the occupants an ultimatum. Light, slender, and graceful, this rifle was the first truly american firearm. Kentucky rifle is one of those movies that is immediately recognizable as having been made in the 1950s. The kentucky rifle was the classic american muzzle loader and a more common rifle in your neck of the woods. In order to pass through comanche territory, the stranded passengers of a westbound wagon train must sell the indians their rifles in this western from carl hittleman. The pennsylvania center for the book pennsylvania rifles. They are usually made of birch or something similar. The kentucky rifle is widely recognized today as a uniquely american work of art, a form of applied art and a historical document that is highly prized by collectors. Weve got it all from classic western feature films to old westerns like you used to watch with your dad.
Kentucky rifle 1956 cast and crew one of the wagons attached to a wagon train has a damaged axle. Emphasis on challenging areas of building flintlocks, expanded commentary and many drawings that can be copied and reproduced to make templates. A 48 page softcover book with details and drawings to include fullsize sketches of the stock pattern and component parts. Daniel boone carried a kentucky rifle throughout his forays into the dangerous woods of kentucky and through the cumberland gap. Dillin, wrote his famous book the kentucky rifle, the first comprehensive and. Klette was the master armorer at the rappahannock forge in falmouth, va during the revolutionary war, and his home was the crossroads of stevensburg in culpeper county, va outside of fredericksburg, va 6. This rifle was common in the revolutionary war, correct. The ball which was fired from this rifle was a smaller projectile, a. The original kentucky rifle featured a flintlock ignition, however, this variation of the rifle features a percussion ignition for easier use out in the field.
The western accent used in the movies and television matches nothing i have ever heard anywhere else. The kentucky rifle was originally a flintlock design, but evolved into a percussion rifle as the technology. Either way, it was designed in monroe county, pa wahoo. Kentucky rifle is a 1955 american western movie starring a buckskinclad chill wills and featuring cathy downs, sterling holloway and henry hull, involving smuggling a wagon filled with rifles past american indian tribes already aware of the subterfuge. Overview of kentucky rifle, 1955, directed by carl k. This rifle evolved from the german hunting weapons and was a major rival of the brown bess.
Kentucky long rifle few guns get the patriotic juices flowing better than the kentucky long rifle, which was used widely by militiamen in the revolutionary war. The hickory rod is stronger and more flexible than the birch dowel. The kentucky rifle matches classic beauty with outstanding performance. The kentucky rifles are a blend of country rockabilly classic rock and blues from the mountains of northern jersey. Buy kentucky rifles for sale at auction invaluable. They call the ones with 36 12 barrels kentucky rifles, and those with 41 12 barrels pennsylvania rifles. Rare gem 1850s antique sharps pistolrifle falling block action carbine. A man escorts a wagon load of kentucky rifles through indian. This rifle evolved from the german hunting guns and was a major rival of the brown bess. Kentucky rifles for sale, historical kentucky rifles by. The germanstyle lock on this rifle is signed f klette, and the. Rifle shooting was a way of life along the american frontier. Part of songs from the one of the best old western movies kentucky rifle.
With chill wills, lance fuller, cathy downs, sterling holloway. It is characterized by an unusually long barrel, a development in american rifles that was uncommon in european rifles of the same period. Westerns still enjoyed tremendous popularity in 1956, when kentucky rifle was released. The rifle that would become known as the kentucky rifle was first crafted during 1730 in. A very young chill wills and lance fuller star in this thrillpacked story of the gun that tamed the wild west. Typical weapon in use in the american colonies it became, thanks to its lightness and accuracy, one. The long rifle, also known as longrifle, kentucky rifle, pennsylvania rifle, or american longrifle, was one of the first commonly used rifles for hunting and warfare. The kentucky or pennsylvania long rifle was the most accuratelongrange gun for several decades. While the wagon train forges ahead, a few people stay behind to repair a disabled rifle filled wagon but they have to contend with one anothers ego and with aggressive comanches who demand the rifles as payment for safe passage. The birth of the kentucky rifle association was the culmination of the friendship and common interest of a number of early collectors and students of the kentucky rifle and pistol.
The kentucky rifle foundation education committee has taken the original negatives from several books published by the kra in the 60s and 70s and created this valuable tool. Typical rifle in use in the american colonies it became, thanks to its lightness and accuracy, one of the most popular american rifles. Kentucky rifle 1956 one of the wagons attached to a wagon train has a damaged axle. The signed, frederick klette rifle of circa 177580 fig. A man escorts a wagon load of kentucky rifles through indian territory and must find a way to get through without losing the rifles to the indians. Send us an email, include the word patron and we will add your email address to a confidential listserv which will inform you of significant kentucky rifle and accoutrement issues and events as they become known to us. Kentucky percussion model, rifles kentucky 17501850 c.