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Deckhard Rifles
- Thread starter gak
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CrackStock
69 Cal.
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Modern or antique?
I have seen various spellings of Dickert from the Rev War era. Is this the builder that you mean? What style of rifle, time period and location?
CS
I have seen various spellings of Dickert from the Rev War era. Is this the builder that you mean? What style of rifle, time period and location?
CS
You ain't talkin about ole Jake are you?
The following is based on information from Dr. James B. Whiskers book GUNSMITHS OF LANCASTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA copyright Old Bedford Village Press
Jacob Dickert, born 1740, died 1822.
Born in Maintz, Germany
Jacob came to the US with his parents in 1748 and settled in Berks County Pa. In 1756 the family moved to Lancaster, Pa.
In 1770,1772, 1776 and later he was listed as a gunsmith in Lancaster.
Dickerts rifles are rather famous and share the straight (modern looking) comb with the straight lower line of the stock with other Lancaster guns.
Three of them are shown in Shumways RIFLES OF COLONIAL AMERICA Vol I, reference number 66 thru 69.
Pecatonica Rivers Catalog says of Dickert
"the style of early rifles produced in the Lancaster area can be easily appreciated in the work of Jacob Dickert.
...Dickert was an influential gun builder who is credited by some authorities with giving directin to the development of the Kentucky Rifle.
The examples of his work that survive are very few, but there are indications he favored a relatively simple design. He used both incised and relief carvings and patchboxes were daisy-style and engraved...
Dickert's rifles were sturdy, about five feet long, and about nine pounds in weight. The rifles were thick stocked and included a flat butt plate and high comb."
Pecatonica River offers a pre-carved "kit" for the Dickert rifle.
My third rifle was built using this pre-carved stock and parts from Pecatonica River.
For more information about my gun follow this quick link:
Older Lancaster Style Rifle
The following is based on information from Dr. James B. Whiskers book GUNSMITHS OF LANCASTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA copyright Old Bedford Village Press
Jacob Dickert, born 1740, died 1822.
Born in Maintz, Germany
Jacob came to the US with his parents in 1748 and settled in Berks County Pa. In 1756 the family moved to Lancaster, Pa.
In 1770,1772, 1776 and later he was listed as a gunsmith in Lancaster.
Dickerts rifles are rather famous and share the straight (modern looking) comb with the straight lower line of the stock with other Lancaster guns.
Three of them are shown in Shumways RIFLES OF COLONIAL AMERICA Vol I, reference number 66 thru 69.
Pecatonica Rivers Catalog says of Dickert
"the style of early rifles produced in the Lancaster area can be easily appreciated in the work of Jacob Dickert.
...Dickert was an influential gun builder who is credited by some authorities with giving directin to the development of the Kentucky Rifle.
The examples of his work that survive are very few, but there are indications he favored a relatively simple design. He used both incised and relief carvings and patchboxes were daisy-style and engraved...
Dickert's rifles were sturdy, about five feet long, and about nine pounds in weight. The rifles were thick stocked and included a flat butt plate and high comb."
Pecatonica River offers a pre-carved "kit" for the Dickert rifle.
My third rifle was built using this pre-carved stock and parts from Pecatonica River.
For more information about my gun follow this quick link:
Older Lancaster Style Rifle
Tennessee's first historian J.G.M. Ramsey wrote in his book THE ANNALS of TENNESSEE HISTORY, published in 1853, that many of the Over the Mountain men were armed with a Deckhard rifle. In a footnote he described the rifle by saying "This rifle was remarkable for the precission and distance of its shot. It was generally three feet six inches long, weighed aabout seven pounds, and ran about seventy bullets to the pound of lead. It was so called from Deckhard, the maker, in Lancaster, Pa. One of them is now in the possession of the writer."
During the Civil War, Ramsey sided with the South. Most of his possessions were carried off or destroyed by fire during the war. That is possibly the fate of the rifle to which he referred in his book.
Another early historian who shared ideas and information with Ramsey was Lyman DRaper who wrote KING'S MOUNTAIN and ITS HEROES. In Drapers book published in 1881, we find the following: "A century ago the Deckard or Dickert rifle was largely manufactured in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, by a person of that name. It was, for that period, a gun of remarkable precision for a long shot, spiral grooved, with a barrel some thirty inches long, and with its stock some three and a half or four feet, carrying bullets varying from thirty to seventy to the pound of lead. The owner of a Deckard rifle at that day rejoiced in its possession."
I have a theory that the term Dickert or variations there of became a generic term for a long rifle in earlier times--like today, any soft drink being called a coke. Many Dickert rifles were signed and it seems odd that if Dr. Ramsey owned one, he would have spelled the name like it appeared on the barrel. This makes me think think that Ramsey's rifle was not signed and leads me to beleive that any long rifle might have been called a Dickert or Deckhard.
Also, Ramsey and Draper would have probably talked to survivers of Kings Mountain. They would not be primary sources about the rifles used at Kings Mountain, but are the closest sources that I know of. I would be interest in knowing if anyone knows of any primary sources that describe the weapons used there.
Thanks,
Lynn
During the Civil War, Ramsey sided with the South. Most of his possessions were carried off or destroyed by fire during the war. That is possibly the fate of the rifle to which he referred in his book.
Another early historian who shared ideas and information with Ramsey was Lyman DRaper who wrote KING'S MOUNTAIN and ITS HEROES. In Drapers book published in 1881, we find the following: "A century ago the Deckard or Dickert rifle was largely manufactured in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, by a person of that name. It was, for that period, a gun of remarkable precision for a long shot, spiral grooved, with a barrel some thirty inches long, and with its stock some three and a half or four feet, carrying bullets varying from thirty to seventy to the pound of lead. The owner of a Deckard rifle at that day rejoiced in its possession."
I have a theory that the term Dickert or variations there of became a generic term for a long rifle in earlier times--like today, any soft drink being called a coke. Many Dickert rifles were signed and it seems odd that if Dr. Ramsey owned one, he would have spelled the name like it appeared on the barrel. This makes me think think that Ramsey's rifle was not signed and leads me to beleive that any long rifle might have been called a Dickert or Deckhard.
Also, Ramsey and Draper would have probably talked to survivers of Kings Mountain. They would not be primary sources about the rifles used at Kings Mountain, but are the closest sources that I know of. I would be interest in knowing if anyone knows of any primary sources that describe the weapons used there.
Thanks,
Lynn
