What is a "Longrifle" ?

[roundball]

A basic question that I've never actually seen clarified anywhere...I've always assumed the term 'Longrifles' to be a muzzleloading related term, but maybe I'm wrong.

Or is it simply used to differentiate from:
Pistols?
Smoothbores?
Military arms?

Is there specific criteria like:
Overall length?
Barrel length?
A particular period in time?

Inquiring minds want to know......... ::

 

[2172]

Good question. I dunno either...I just assumed it was another term for the Ky/Pa rifle...Hank

 

[bob1961]

could be the length of the stock....aka....full stock.... :m2c:.....short rifle might be a half stock.... :crackup:....good question....anybody know this one let us know..........................bob

 

[roundball]

Strange...I surly would have thought someone in the brain trust could have answered this question by now...

 

[Bluegrass]

I'm not an expert, but :imo:, a longrifle is any muzzleloading rifle with a full stock and a barrel at least about 38" long.(Give or take an inch or two.)

This looks like a good term to add to the "Glossary of Muzzleloading Terms" in the Muzzleloading Links forum. We just have to settle on a good definition.

 

[musketman]

This looks like a good term to add to the "Glossary of Muzzleloading Terms" in the Muzzleloading Links forum. We just have to settle on a good definition.

Once the final length is established, then I'll add it, this way there's less editing done later...

I seen "longrifles" sold with 33 inch barrels as well, it has to have a full length stock though...
:imo:

 

The term "longrifle" shouldn't be taken out of context and disected here.
It's kind of like asking an old biker,"why ride a harley?"

"If you gotta ask, you'll never know'!"

I'll give ya a short answer rb,, A "Longrifle" is something T/C never made.,The REAL answer to this is history and just a little study at the local library,,
,,,What's a longrifle? well the "jager" was not but the "jukar" is,,,,,,

 

[Huntinfool]

To my way of thinking Longrifle depicts a certain type of rifle usually full stock and long in barrel length.

As far as difference between pistol and and others I think the term longguns fit better. Such as longguns as opposed to handguns!

Chuck :m2c:

 

[roundball]

This looks like a good term to add to the "Glossary of Muzzleloading Terms" in the Muzzleloading Links forum. We just have to settle on a good definition.

Once the final length is established, then I'll add it, this way there's less editing done later...

I seen "longrifles" sold with 33 inch barrels as well, it has to have a full length stock though...
:imo:

Ignoring caustic responses which are of no value what-so-ever, it's interesting to already see the different assumptions, opinions that we might have, so it's obviously not a universally understood topic...for example:
Does it apply only to rifles or to smoothbores too?
Would it apply to a Jackie Brown Canoe Gun, which is full stocked but short?
I can assume what the answers would be but..........

 

[Ohio Joe]

I've been thumbing through Chuck Dixon's book, "The Art of Building The Pennsylvania Longrifle", and I can't say as he really nails down a true definition?

He refers to barrel length, but also states that not all longrifles had long barrels, or even rifled barrels...

This makes me think that the "longrifle" term may have come from the Indian usage of refering to us Colonial's??? When the U.S. Cavalry started to roam the plains, the Indian's refered to us as the, "Longknife's"...

I have heard the term of, "A Company of Longrifle's", so is it something we came up with, or the Indian's in the east back before we crossed the Mississippi, and the Missouri River's?

Doe's anyone know of any Colonial Frontiersman who refered to his "Longrifle" as that, or just merely, "Rifle"??? The answer may be found in the Lewis & Clark writing's... How did they refer to their firearm's?

Just some food for thought? :m2c:

 

[robinghewitt]

I thought it was short for "American long rifle", meaning an oddly American gun that doesn't really look like anything from anywhere else ::

 

[Ohio Joe]

The more I think about it I think the term "longrifle" was obviously a Colonial term of a rifle that could shoot far...

Because of the design of rifle's of that time, long barrel's, full stock's, the term "longrifle" is the first thing that comes to mind when we see, let's say a, Lancaster County Muzzleloader from the 1770's...

The British feared them, as our Riflemen could pick off their officer's at extrodinary ranges during the American Revolution.

Where's "ghost" when ya need him? :hmm: eace:

 

[robinghewitt]

The more I think about it I think the term "longrifle" was obviously a Colonial term of a rifle that could shoot far...

Not sure about that, because we Brits were shooting back with Long land pattern muskets ::

 

[Claude Mathis]

,,,What's a longrifle? well the "jager" was not but the "jukar" is,,,,,,

It's my understanding that the term is a relative one, not one of specific length.

When the gun makers began to modify the German Jager, making it longer to adapt to the new North American needs, it became the "Longrifle". (As compared to the shorter Jager)
:imo:

 

[musketman]

When the gun makers began to modify the German Jager, making it longer to adapt to the new North American needs, it became the "Longrifle". (As compared to the shorter Jager)

Could we then reclassify the Jager as the "Shortrifle"... :winking:

 

[Claude Mathis]

When the gun makers began to modify the German Jager, making it longer to adapt to the new North American needs, it became the "Longrifle". (As compared to the shorter Jager)

Could we then reclassify the Jager as the "Shortrifle"... :winking:

Nah, it's just a "rifle". ::

 

[roundball]

FYI...I couldn't even find the words "longrifle" or "longrifles" in various dictionaries.
Do a "google" search and there's a long list of clubs all of which call themselves by the name "xxxxxxxxx Longrifles Club"

 

[Claude Mathis]

FYI...I couldn't even find the words "longrifle" or "longrifles" in various dictionaries.

It may be similar to the Indians calling the U.S. soldiers "long knives" because of their swords. It's just a name, not a definition.

 

[bulletman]

my brain hurts

 

[tg]

I think the train of thought that deals with the "American Longrifle" being the base for the term is probably accurate and the barrel length could be 36" and probably still be a lonrifle if all the other factors were there, There were long barrel rifles made by the Germans and Dutch and others in the early to mid 18th century but the term we use is generaly reserved for the colonial/American guns that developed during the last half oh the 18th century, I am not so sure that a stubby 18-24" "canoe gun" if such a thing could be documented to a colonial/American builder would fit the bill, trade guns,fusils muskets and such are a different breed, the colonial/American "smoothrilfe" however would probably be included in the longifle class...if it has a 24" barrel it is likely a fantasy gun made by a contemporary builder, if we want to study the terminology and what it is in reference to we must study the originals not the replicas. the above is one opinion among many.