Kentucky Long Rifle Info on Name, Age, & Value - The Firearms Forum

lmjyahoo · 10-09-2010, 09:32 PM

Pictured is a Kentucky Long Rifle that sorry to say has some corrosion on the side plate and not much can be read. The overall length is 62 1/2". The octogon barrel is 46 1/2", .95" in width and I was told possibly .36 caliber.
There is a secured ram-rod, but also one broken off in the barrel. What was told to be an English action is also in need of repair. Any name, age, history, value or other information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

Lloyd Jones
l_m_jones@yahoo.com

RJay · 10-09-2010, 11:46 PM

Name, age and value?, I'm sorry, I don't think there's enough left of the gun to make any type of identification as to maker. Age can be guessed as to an era. It is cap lock or percussion so that dates it after the 1800s, from the style,perhaps the 1830's. Many guns at that time were almost like a " Kit Gun " Elmer the local black smith and gun maker would forge a barrel, order a good English lock , and very possible the rest of the fittings, and if he was a good craftsman he would carve the stock or have one of the locals do it. There were dedicated gun makers at the time but their works are well documented. Your only hope is to go over the rifle with a ten power glass and see if there any markings at all. No legible markings, then no identification. Value, well it's old, but old does not always mean gold, It is in very bad shape, in fact it is more of a relic than a rifle. Some one might give a couple of hundred for it just to hang over the fireplace and lie about their great grand daddy using it to fight the Injuns. Best I can do, anyone else want to add or delete info?

deadin · 10-10-2010, 10:26 AM

RJay has pretty much summed it up. About all I could add is that the patch box is of the Kentucky style. The barrel and lock don't appear to have been converted from flint, so the rifle was from after the "Golden Age" of Kentucky Long Rifles and could have been made as late as the 1870's or so, using parts from earlier rifles.
You might pull the barrel out of the stock and see if there are any markings on the bottom. Many "blacksmith" assembled BP rifles used "mail order barrels" and they may be marked. (Remington used to supply a lot of them.)

10-09-2010, 09:32 PM	#1
lmjyahoo Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1	Kentucky Long Rifle Info on Name, Age, & Value Pictured is a Kentucky Long Rifle that sorry to say has some corrosion on the side plate and not much can be read. The overall length is 62 1/2". The octogon barrel is 46 1/2", .95" in width and I was told possibly .36 caliber. There is a secured ram-rod, but also one broken off in the barrel. What was told to be an English action is also in need of repair. Any name, age, history, value or other information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Lloyd Jones l_m_jones@yahoo.com Attached Images -->

10-09-2010, 11:46 PM	#2
RJay Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,487	Re: Kentucky Long Rifle Info on Name, Age, & Value Name, age and value?, I'm sorry, I don't think there's enough left of the gun to make any type of identification as to maker. Age can be guessed as to an era. It is cap lock or percussion so that dates it after the 1800s, from the style,perhaps the 1830's. Many guns at that time were almost like a " Kit Gun " Elmer the local black smith and gun maker would forge a barrel, order a good English lock , and very possible the rest of the fittings, and if he was a good craftsman he would carve the stock or have one of the locals do it. There were dedicated gun makers at the time but their works are well documented. Your only hope is to go over the rifle with a ten power glass and see if there any markings at all. No legible markings, then no identification. Value, well it's old, but old does not always mean gold, It is in very bad shape, in fact it is more of a relic than a rifle. Some one might give a couple of hundred for it just to hang over the fireplace and lie about their great grand daddy using it to fight the Injuns. Best I can do, anyone else want to add or delete info? __________________ RonJames Last edited by RJay; 10-09-2010 at 11:47 PM..

10-10-2010, 10:26 AM	#3
deadin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 858	Re: Kentucky Long Rifle Info on Name, Age, & Value RJay has pretty much summed it up. About all I could add is that the patch box is of the Kentucky style. The barrel and lock don't appear to have been converted from flint, so the rifle was from after the "Golden Age" of Kentucky Long Rifles and could have been made as late as the 1870's or so, using parts from earlier rifles. You might pull the barrel out of the stock and see if there are any markings on the bottom. Many "blacksmith" assembled BP rifles used "mail order barrels" and they may be marked. (Remington used to supply a lot of them.)