A true American firearm: the Kentucky Long Rifle

[Jim McDougall]

This is such a great topic, I wasn't ready to let it go to the thread happy hunting ground!
Just some more on one of the illustrious users of these historic guns, as mentioned, Davy Crockett.

Actually, as has already been noted and along with the great information cited by Chris, Fernando, Michael and Lee, some things I found. I have always been intrigued by the great Davy Crockett as I have lived in both Tennessee and Texas and it is hard not to be surrounded by this history.

While these rifles were actually originated and made in Pennsylvania, primarily Lancaster County, they were of course widely distributed. In those early days, the frontier regions were often termed collectively as 'Kentucky'. Since the areas which popularized the guns were typically in the frontier, the Kentucky appellation became well known.

Whether or not Davy Crockett actually surrendered and was summarily executed at the Alamo or died in combat, as long popularly held, has long been the subject of debate. It does seem quite likely that if he did, as believed, die in combat, he quite likely might have been swinging a rifle as a club. In close combat it would have been impossible to reload, and would have become a weapon of opportunity ,using any means at hand. It was said by witnesses that he was found amidst an array of dead Mexican soldiers, and he seems to have used a knife as well.
The idea of the 'execution' is believed to have been perpetuated in later efforts to demonize Santa Anna further, and to place emphasis on his order for 'deguello' (=no quarter).

Actually Crockett had three rifles known.
1. a .48 cal. flintlock which was apparantly one of his personal early guns which has been held in a museum in Knoxville. It has never left Tennessee.

2. The .40 cal. flintlock rifle which was awarded to him by his constituents from Lawrence County, Tenn. and was made by James Graham c. 1822. From 1824-1834, he is known to have hunted bear with this rifle, and which was affectionately known as 'old Betsy'. The name appears to have come from his older sister, whom he held in deep respect, but it is believed that the name may have been 'pretty Betsy' as in one speech he refers to her as thed prettiest sister ever.
This rifle also remained in Tennessee when Crockett went to Texas.

3. A rifle, apparantly percussion, caliber not noted, was presented to him in 1834 by Whigs from Philadelphia. The gun is now in Nashville. The gun was also called either 'old' or 'pretty' Betsy.

Crockett openly disparaged the policies of President Andrew Jackson, which led to his defeat in his run for House of Representatives in 1834. Thoroughly disgusted he left Tennessee in 1834 for Texas. None of these guns went with him, so we have no idea what gun or type of gun he was using at the Alamo on March 1836 when he was killed. The #2 rifle, Old Betsy, is on display at the Alamo in San Antonio now.

It is known that on the way to Texas, Crockett and companions sought to acquire heavier caliber guns as the small caliber of these guns were not sufficient for the larger animals hunted in these regions to the west. I believe that this was the case with the use of rifles during the Revolution, of small caliber guns , and that only deadly aim direct to vital parts of the target would be successful. Naturally the question of velocity, as noted, would be considered as well.

I just thought these notes would be of interest, and I am hoping possibly that a separate thread focused on the symbolism of markings on these 'Kentucky rifles' might be started with some examples.

All best regards,
Jim

[Matchlock]

Gosh, Jim,

From a well known non-firearms man I would never have expected such a profound lot of facts on the Kentucky rifle legend Davy Crockett. Must be I forgot that a great arms historian can deliver inputs like this on any topic any time!
I have been trying to look at all flintlock Kentuckies I can find in U.S. sales for years - even to me they seem to have got that certain something: long and elegant, with octagonal barrels - somehow they almost remind me of those old German matchlock muskets!


Thanks for teaching me,
and best,
Michael

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you so much for the kind words Michael, and though I am decidely a non firearms guy, for me its about learning and this material is from spending some time researching. As always great fun to learn, and Davy Crockett was always a hero from my youngest days......watched intently the Walt Disney series on TV with Fess Parker. Taking myth and finding fact is one of the greatest adventures and we find that the truth often is even more rewarding.

Since the German craftsmen were the progenitors of this distinctly American gun, it really does reflect our deep German ancestry which did indeed extend to those early guns. I believe if not mistaken, the first rifled barrels were on matchlocks in the 16th century.

All the very best,
Jim

[Matchlock]

Abloutely correct as always, Jim,

The fist rifled matchlock arquebus seems to have been manufactured in about 1500 and belonged to the Emperor Maximilian I. It once was in the Renwick (+1972) collection, and then got laid down in the Smithsonian, from where the rest of the Renwick guns were sold in the 80's or 90's. Its present whereabouts are unknown.

Best,
Michael

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

Abloutely correct as always, Jim,

The fist rifled matchlock arquebus seems to have been manufactured in about 1500 and belonged to the Emperor Maximilian I. It once was in the Renwick (+1972) collection, and then got laid down in the Smithsonian, from where the rest of the Renwick guns were sold in the 80's or 90's. Its present whereabouts are unknown.

Best,
Michael

Thanks very much Michael! I love learning this stuff, and you're a great professor

All the best,
Jim

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

Gosh, Jim,

From a well known non-firearms man I would never have expected such a profound lot of facts on the Kentucky rifle legend Davy Crockett. Must be I forgot that a great arms historian can deliver inputs like this on any topic any time! ...

You know how Jim is, when he decides to take things up to his chest; he unlocks his cuff links and rolls up whis sleeves in a way that you can't stop him .

.

[Matchlock]

Wow, that's like Jim indeed!
m

[laEspadaAncha]

Hi Jim,

I owe you a much belated "thank you" for the wonderful historical reference to Pioneer legend Davy Crockett. I have found plenty of articles on line referencing this famous firearm, but little - if any - accompanying imagery.

In fact, I could only find two photos, the first of which is of what is reported to be his first "Betsy:"



...and while it is not the rifle with which he was armed at the Alamo, if I understand it correctly, this Old Betsy is the rifle on display at the museum there:





I'm not sure how given the absence of any survivors a particular rifle could be attributed to Crockett, but either way, I have greatly enjoyed reading the collective contributions here, and am glad this topic has generated the appreciation and interest it has.

[kronckew]

i love these rifles. had a .36 calibre percussion lock repro kaintuck i shot while i lived in the states.(also had a .58 springfield rifled musket that ate a lot more powder & lead per shot)

while the main discussion here is the 'kentucky' variant, i myself prefer the pennsylvania. my understanding was the ones with the straight topped butt stock were 'kentucky' and the more roman nosed (rounded top) ones were 'pennsylvania'. the half stock (straight topped stocks again) hawken/plains rifles in .50-.68 were the magnums of the day. probably what ol' crockett was looking for on his way to history at the alamo.

flintlocks were fairly easily converted to percussion locks to extend their usefull life, tho using percussion caps ties you to civilization, it's a lot easier to find flint in the boonies than a reliable source of caps. even gunpowder could be made from dung, charcoal if you could find sulphur. percussion caps require a more industrial society.

[kronckew]

oops, double posted...