Book

A brief introduction to long rifles as works of art. Thirty rifles are illustrated and described.

This book serves as an introduction to the flintlock and percussion rifles that were built between 1750 and 1850 in Pennsylvania.

A number of different Pennsylvania rifle-making schools are featured, including Lehigh Valley, Bucks County, Berks County, Lebanon County, Dauphin County, Sunbury, Philadelphia, Lancaster, York, Littlestown, Chambersburg, Bedford, Somerset and Pittsburgh.

Because it is an introduction, only a few examples, and sometimes only one, are shown of each school. For each rifle two views of the buttstock, cheekpiece side and patchbox, are presented, along with a discussion of the builder and relevant features of the gun.

These well-decorated pieces represent most of Pennsylvania's important schools of gun making, from the Lehigh Valley in the east to Pittsburgh and Beaver Co. in the west. Softcover, 64 pages, illustrated.