The Kentucky Rifle
BY Herschel Smith
3 years, 10 months ago
Early in the 18th century, rifle-makers from Germany and Switzerland began settling in Pennsylvania, in the Lancaster area. America was attracting skilled craftsmen immigrants who wanted to set up their own businesses, free from the repressive controls of the homeland.
In the UK or Germany, gunmakers usually had to belong to a trade guild. Entry into the guild was constricted. Guilds, as with other limits on suppliers, create oligopolies that reduce supply to consumers and increase profits to the limited number of suppliers. But in guild-free America, gunmakers could manufacture affordable arms for as many customers as they could find. The absence of guilds was one reason for the prevalence of guns in the American colonies.
It’s interesting to learn of the role liberty itself played in the proliferation of firearms in America due to the absence of oppressive guilds. David continues in an explanation on when fighters preferred smooth bore guns versus rifled guns. Then there is this interesting bit.
While European rifles generally had a caliber (interior bore diameter) of .60 or .75 inches, Americans preferred a smaller caliber, usually around .40 to .46, and sometimes as low as .32. A smaller caliber meant smaller bullets. One pound of lead will make 16 bullets for a .70 caliber gun, and 46 bullets for a .45 caliber. With the smaller caliber, a person on a hunting expedition that might last for weeks or months could carry a greater quantity of ammunition.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, yes? Today the M-16 family of guns continues to be the staple of American fighting because of the smaller, lighter, higher velocity round it shoots.
I truly learn something every time I read Kopel.
On July 8, 2019 at 9:59 am, Frank Clarke said:
“The absence of guilds was one reason for the prevalence of guns in the American colonies.”
Oh, my goodness… It all becomes clear…
On July 8, 2019 at 11:26 am, Gryphon said:
Lower Prices, and I would suspect, a Demand for Lighter, Higher-Accuracy Arms for Hunting led to the development of a Militia comprised of more Individuals with Sniper Skills, i.e. the ability to use Concealment and Aimed, Accurate Fire against a traditional European Army that used Mass Fire with short-range, inaccurate Smoothbores.
The Initial Engagement of the Revolution showed the Value of the Individual Militiaman in the Harassment of the British Forces in their Retreat to Boston.
Unfortunately, today we have a similar Problem in Firearms Development, with the Non-Constitutional ‘regulations’ by the feral government, of Gunmakers and the Types of Arms they may Produce.
On July 8, 2019 at 11:39 am, Herschel Smith said:
@Gryphon,
Everything you say is true. It’s especially significant with the 1968 ban on machine guns, where the ability to develop open bolt systems has hindered U.S. firearms manufacturers, viz. our purchase of FN and other firearms from non-U.S. companies.
However, it’s nice to see the resurgence of precision shooting among U.S. shooters, along with CQB skills in 3-gun and other types of matches.
On July 9, 2019 at 1:56 pm, Gryphon said:
Herschel – while I don’t have Links, you can easily find Vids of Weapons ‘Experimenters’ on the ‘net, who are working with non-gunpowder systems, that as of Yet, haven’t drawn the attention of the communists. a lot of this stuff wouldn’t be very useful even if it ‘worked’ better than the Experiments show, but Some of this stuff is Already VERY capable of causing rather Horrific Injuries if applied correctly.
FWIW, I know a guy with a Specialty Metalwork/Machine Shop (Aircraft and Stuff for “Naval Propulsion” and He has a Cincinnati-Millicron Laser Cutter that Slashes 3-inch thick Nickel-Alloy as fast as a Gas Torch cuts 1/8-inch Steel.
On July 14, 2019 at 1:14 pm, BRVTVS said:
A related video: https://youtu.be/tpNMmKL2vkg