Southern rifles

[Magungo1066]

Hello all. What are some generalities about rifles that may have been made/used/found in the Carolina area during the 1770s-1810s? I spent a lot of my childhood on my family's South Carolina farm so I am looking for something that my ancestors may have had. I am not interested in smoothbores down there. Just rifles. My family's farm lies right within the region where Francis Marion operated, so there is an extra element of interest there. I realize of course that there would be a wide variation in rifle trends spanning those years but I don't not even know where to begin for starters. Thanks for your knowledge!

 

[tenngun]

The rules are Iron mounting to increased drop.
But early we are talking similar to Lancaster or Virginia style. Iron became more popular as years went by, but brass never went away. Silver is underrepresented today.
Some of the early rifles had a stock that was almost Fowling gun shape. Half round barrels are known on southren rifles
That’s a forty year span of time. 1770 look more classic Pennsylvania 1810 more classic Appalachian rife

 

[nchawkeye]

First, google Vogler, Old Salem Rifles and you will find some to the finest examples of rifles built during that time...One is mounted in coin silver and I was told it was made in the 1820s for one of Marion's men...Next, get a copy of Bill Ivey's book on Rifles of North Carolina, it discusses the different schools in NC, the closest to SC is the Mecklenburg school...Also, there was a rifle, called the John Thomas rifle it is in Shumway's books that came from SC, this rifle ended up in England so it was from the Revolutionary War era...

 

[nchawkeye]

I just remembered another builder nearby...The Bear Creek school in Robbins, NC...There is an area they call Mechanics Hill and the most well know builder was David Kennedy, google him as well as he also made some nice rifles during that period...

 

[Magungo1066]

First, google Vogler, Old Salem Rifles and you will find some to the finest examples of rifles built during that time...One is mounted in coin silver and I was told it was made in the 1820s for one of Marion's men...Next, get a copy of Bill Ivey's book on Rifles of North Carolina, it discusses the different schools in NC, the closest to SC is the Mecklenburg school...Also, there was a rifle, called the John Thomas rifle it is in Shumway's books that came from SC, this rifle ended up in England so it was from the Revolutionary War era...

Awesome! Thank you. Looking at those specimens is really helpful. And thank you Tenngun! That is good to know. The increased drop is something that is really attractive to me.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Iron was up in the mountains. Brass mounts were common everywhere else.

 

[Notchy Bob]

@Magungo1066 ,

We had a very extensive, picture-heavy discussion of this very topic two years ago. Check out this thread: Southern Rifle - South Carolina

Bear in mind, not all southern-built rifles were southern mountain rifles. There were documented builders in Greenville, Spartanburg, and Charleston. As @Comfortably_Numb suggested, brass mounts were pretty common. In addition, South Carolina rifles evolved over time, as they did everywhere else, so a 1780's rifle from the Palmetto State might be very different from an 1840's rifle.

Some may suggest that you get a Kibler Southern Mountain Rifle kit and call it good. This will undeniably produce a very nice rifle, but it won't be a South Carolina style. People have taken an interest in southern rifles over the past few years, and we now know there were some distinctive regional features and styles, as well and known and documented builders. Look for rifles by Thomas Peden, Patrick Hoy, and William Reid, for starters.

Good luck in your quest! There is a lot of information out there, if you are willing to search for it.

Notchy Bob

 

[rich pierce]

The Kibler SMR is closer to post 1830 in styling.

 

[TDM]

The Kibler SMR is closer to post 1830 in styling.

That's what I understand too, based on 1830 North Carolina styling. But what a great drawing board to make changes to suite other stylings.