These rifles laced the wooden sliding patchbox (the patchbox was a feature borrowed from the German rifle. The brass patchbox lid on later rifles was purely an American innovation.

Many times these early guns were built from English or German locks, barrels, and other various gun parts. As European arms brought to America from the old countries were worn out with heavy use, the parts worth salvaging went into the American rifles that were to become the Pre-Revolutionary Kentucky.

These are truly interesting pieces, and it is apparent each new season that interest in this type of rifle is increasing.

Some of these guns had a rather short barrel but others had barrels almost four feet long. The barrels were full round, octagonal, or octagon to round combinations.

Locks were generally large and single triggers were used. Trigger guards ranged from a martial type to the English fowler guards. The cheek piece was often distinct and it became a mark of the typical Kentucky. The buttplate was generally large.

The woods used to stock this rifle covered the spectrum of available and suitable American woods and we offer the builder all of the types shown on our listing. We will also supply a piece of matching wood for a patchbox if desired - although most of these rifles sported the brass hinged patchbox lid.