Appalachia's Native Rifle | Southern Mountain Rifles with Randal Pierce

[@Ammo08]

Incredibly helpful to me. I have a rifle that my Dad said belonged to his great-great grandfather. We are Tennesseans. My Dad's people came from Virginia either during or right after the Revolution. The rifle has no brass work, in fact, it looks almost identical to your percussion rifle. This rifle is still functional. It's in beautiful shape other than the patch box being lost over the years.

[@Purple_Wayne]

Randal's got real passion for the southern mountain rifle. Need more content like that on YT.

[@FolkFirearmsCollective]

I’m in love with my Kibler Southern Mountain rifle.

[@UncleDansVintageVinyl]

Great video! Thanks for interviewing this fine gentleman and sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm.

[@Miningpastpresentfuture]

Keep it up Ethan. SMR is my favorite style of long rifle.

[@davevancise]

Well Done!!!!!! Thank you Sir!!!!

[@gerald5344]

Much thanks to both of you! I'm trying to pull together some core reference works for my own shelves, so especially appreciate the discussions of best sources for further study.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Glad it helped!!

[@searchingfor6thgear44]

This was fantastic. Thank you for preserving this moment.

[@randyburleson8273]

I enjoyed it....more, more!!

[@FolkFirearmsCollective]

Strong work on this!

[@rebeccaback3287]

Thanks Eathen for this video.I started admiring these flintlocks and cap lock rifles when I Was 8 year's old.I have a collection of muzzloders. My 3 ed great grandfather made Kentucky long rifle s.If living he would be 218 years old.I plan to follow in his footsteps.David Back from Menifee co KY.

[@louc3336]

Thanks ,Eathan ,and all involved, thanks Randle

[@berryreading4809]

Thanks for covering this topic Ethan, and thanks Randall for the great presentation! I've seen a handful of preserved locally produced rifles from the Appalachia area, some related to Cherokee history with markings/decorations from estimated time periods as they have a few in various displays among some of the museums I've visited in the mountains over the years. However I knew little about the actual why of local material selection/design decisions or the production locations of early designs of not from Kentucky, roughly Kentucky style muzzloaders... Other than information on display cards or a few brief discussions with some great local enthusiasts years ago before I really appreciated the difference between locally produced rifles vs. more common imports from larger suppliers via trade routes/settlers that simply stayed in use for longer and probably came in through in MUCH greater numbers in contrast to locally produced rifles... Definitely need to order some more books now so I'm better at spotting actually locally produced examples. Thanks for sparking my curiosity on yet another historical rabbit hole! 😉👍

[@tumbleweed6658]

Really great information on this video. I grew up shooting precision rifles but my 1st flintlock and that was it for me never looked backed.

[@daniellong1117]

Great video. Thanks for sharing it. A good source for reference material.

[@kennethrose3509]

Thank you very nice.

[@briangibbs5703]

Very interesting! Thank you for sharing!

[@Rkolb2798]

Very nice and informative man

[@WildwoodCastle]

These are by far my favorite style longrifle... Perhaps because I am a 7th generation Tennessean... I have built a few of them based on one made by Alfred Gross...

[@berryreading4809]

I hope none of these incredible personally owned rifles weren't lost during the recent hurricane devastation of the area (and hope the owners are fine as well!) I know WNC took the brunt, but parts of East Tennessee certainly got hit pretty hard too... The section of Intersate 40 allowing easy travel between the two states is just gone for now! 🙁 Best wishes to anyone affected ❤ myself and my family spread across the region were very fortunate and avoided serious losses or damage... Meanwhile a coworker of my neighbor witnessed her neighbors get swept away and lost while they were trying to help eatch other retrieve essential items before evacuating... Mountain people always find a way to sustain though! It just may take lots of time, resources, and community to fix what can even be fixed... 💪❤

[@lets_fish_already_9345]

Could you do a video going over the various styles of rifle such as Ohio Pattern, Pennsylvania,Southern, Indiana and others.

[@Bernie7330]

That's exactly what this series of videos is about. The KRF is lining up additional speakers to discuss regional styles, selected makers and related accoutrements. We're planning to tape additional interviews at our annual meeting.

[@UncleSasquatchOutdoors]

I agree with Mr. Pierce about the beauty of the utilitarian style of the southern mountain rifle. A fancy rifle is fine to look at but all that 'chrome' won't bring that deer home.

[@andreweden9405]

I only learned relatively recently that I'm a descendant of the Virginia maker/gunsmith William Zollman.

[@d.pierce.6820]

how can I get Mr. Pierce's book?

[@JeffandLeslie]

Good Stuff. I built an A. Lawing rifle a few years ago. A friend (sadly now deceased) made the hardware. I have initials of friends and family who have passed on to the next life stamped on the bottom flat of this rifle. I hope no more will be stamped but I know that is unrealistic. After I'm gone, I hope someone will think to stamp my initials on the bottom flat along with all the others.

[@lexheath8276]

Great treatise. Yet I remain a proponent of the Fusil de Chasse.

[@KC-cy3th]

Vast majority of L R’s were made in PA. It’s part of the reason the North won war (iron ore, foundries etc.). Daniel Boone was born outside of Reading PA. Kentuckians do shoot better - no doubt bout it. Windage experts!

[@kennethzullick6897]

There is no such thing as a Kentucky Long Rifle, They are Pennsylvania Long rifles. They originated in Pennsylvania. Same as Daniel Boone, He is a native Pennsylvanian not a Kentuckian.

[@donwaldroopoutdoors3665]

as a kentucky native i disagree lol , i just got into flintlock hunting, odd though how ky is added to rifles , windage

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

This specific style of rifle was developed outside of Pennsylvania.

[@FolkFirearmsCollective]

Several states had unique styles specific to the gunsmiths of that state. Often referred to as “schools”. There was the Moravian school and style, the Lehigh valley style, Lancaster, and other prevalent in Pennsylvania. There is also styles as featured in this remarkable video referencing rifles whose evolution in architecture, design and materials are specific to states such as Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina etc, grouped together as “Southern Mountain Rifles”. The unique styles present in these states is seen in the materials like he mentioned, iron mounted. Pennsylvania is something to be proud of as it did hold many of the most renowned makers of some of the highest end rifles made at the time.

[@ReichenbachEsq]

@ 05:42 he was the 1st white man who moved his white, Christian family to Tennessee. Why don’t we just say it like it is & be proud about it? 🤷🏻‍♂️ why go out of our way to identify other races but diminish our own? Crazy.