''poor boy'' ?

[Audubon]

I have a question about the term poor boy when referring to a simple or economical gun. Is there any true historical significance to the name or is it a modern term?

 

[Packdog]

I believe you will find it to be a modern term. I've never seen any historical reference to a "Poor Boy".

 

[Stumpkiller]

I believe it is a modern term.

When I was growing up a "Po' Boy" was a sandwich.

 

[Semisane]

We've got Po` Boy shops all over New Orleans. A good oyster Po` Boy is gonna cost you about eight bucks. :wink:

 

[rice1817]

Could "Barn Gun" or "Schimmel" be the PC name of such a piece?

 

[paulvallandigham]

I don't think so. The Poor Boy- at least the modern incarnation gets its name because of all iron(steeo) furniture, and usually the lack of any buttplate. Sometimes the owners would make a buttplate( Pad) from thick cowhide, and tack it and glue it in place. But, even iron was expensive, so you saw no entry thimbles, no sideplates, and no patch box. Some had grease holes, but not all. These guns were made in the Appalachians for years to give the poor rural people living there a serviceable gun with which to feed their families.

Contrary, Barn guns were usually the neglected, and abused remnants of any kind of rifle, mostly because they had been left to rust after the owner died and no one in the family wanted the gun enough to take care of it. Young people back in the 19th century wanted all the " New " things of the day, too, and who would want Granddad's old gun if they could get a new " repeater"??? As long as the gun functioned without requiring much maintenance, it could be used to slaughter hogs. It became the " Barn Gun", often because women objected to having the smell of rotten eggs in their homes, and didn't know how easy that could be gotten rid of by just cleaning the barrel with soap and water.

 

[2172]

Paul, thanks for a clear and interesting answer..I learn something each time I read you.Hank

 

[Bob Gular]

"Schimmel" is the PA Dutch name for a plain unadorned rifle or smoothbore characterized by the lack of nosecap, entry thimble, patchbox or buttplate and the presence of only one rod thimble. This lack of inletting and metalwork would have resulted in a lower price tag because of the time and material saved and were probably marketed to those who couldn't afford a "fancy" gun. I have also heard these referred to as "barn guns", but would bet that they were not used as such. I believe Paul's definition of a barn gun to be very accurate.
Just a couple sparks from this side of the fire.

 

[Audubon]

So, to reinforce the answer; poor boy is a modern term that has no 18th or 19th century significance and there is no primary source to support it being otherwise?

 

[paulvallandigham]

I don't see the term used before the 20th century, so unless someone else comes up with documentation that the term " Poor Boy" was applied to a particular style of rifle, in the 18th or 19th century, I don't think there is any historic precedence fot the term. My poor boy has no nose cap, but it does have a steel toe plate, and an antler heel plate. Both protected the corners of the buttplate very well. When It was muddy out, I had to remember to place the butt on my boots, and not down in the mud. Otherwise the stock got muddy and so did my shirt or jacket. I used to carry a sandbag in my trunk to use to set the butt of the gun on when it was muddy out. Then we covered the firing range and loading tables at the club, and my need for that sandbag lessened considerably.

 

[ol vern]

Poor Boy is a modern term, in the 1800's plain
rifles were often called "common rifles"

 

[tjohnson56]

I'm not sure about this but I think schimmel means old gray horse or old plain gray horse in german. At least that was what I was told it meant by my german grand mother.

It was my uncles nickname who married her daughter, not sure how that reflects on him or who hung it on him.

 

[Bob Gular]

Maybe your uncle was a man of good "caliber". Seriously, I don't know when or why the name was applied to a plain gun, just that it was and is. I'll check with the many Dutchmen I know to find out the reason for the name. Film at eleven.

 

[William Joy]

A "Schimmel" is a gray ( white) horse in the german language.