Thank You Ethan! I live in Lancaster County seperated from York County by three Susquehanna River. Lots of history in these counties. I was at a gun show in Lancaster County. 2 years ago and an Elderly man had a stand with 7-8 flintlock rifles for sale. It was my favorite stand among all the others and I talked with this very interesting man a while. There was a York County rifle there made in 1750 and it was Fine work of high end art. I should have written the makers name down but didn’t. The man bought it from his old friend who had this gun on loan at a museum. The man said to me pick it up and just feel how light and balanced it is. It was totally amazing how natural it felt, so balanced! The carving and engraving was top quality done with pure spirit! I mean breathtakingly so! It was for sale at $15,000. I said to this man, if I was a wealthy man I’d buy this just to look at! It had many features as the one you show here except even more elaborate. The age of these fine rifles and guns are great examples of an art and spirit of a very unique time in our history. A very essential tool made with Love and respect and spirit by great artists. Thank You So Much and Many Blessings to You and you Family! DaveyJO in Pennsylvania

Thank you for going through this fine musket.

What a treasure! Thanks, Ethan.

A friend of mine had a rather expensive rifle built with straight rifling,no twist he was a demon elk hunter.This is an absolutely exquisite smoothie,dang!

Really a beautiful gun.

Nice to see original dragons blood violin varnish finish on this piece, it is beautiful.

What a gorgeous piece

Top de mais 👏👏👏👍

Sweet looking PA long gun .Makes one proud to be a Pennsylvan. Great vedio, thank you for your work.

"I don't make the rules, I just try to play by them" 🤣🤣 Perfect delivery! 'Why so many screws?' Well ... cause who doesn't like a good screw? 🤷‍♂😎

@TODinWY

Жыл бұрын

With emphasis on "Good".🤣

That was awesome! What a piece and in such a condition amazing.

BEAUtiful “smooth rifle”! Thanks Ethan for sharing a part of history!

I find this piece particularly interesting in that it breaks with the modern perception of what a high quality gun from this era and region should be. A smooth bore ? History tells us that it should have a rifled barrel. The gun’s authentic wear pattern demonstrates that it was carried and handled for probably thousands of hours. If the smooth bore had proven to be a serious handicap in the hunting scenario in which it was employed, the gun would have been relegated to a fireplace mantle long before any serious wear patterns could develop. A hunting weapon of this quality being in smooth bore would suggest that some placed ease of loading and ease of cleaning in higher priority than longer range accuracy. In the forest of early 19th century Pennsylvania, fifty yards was probably a long range hunting shot. (Still true in some areas) The seemingly overuse of screws is a jolting contrast to our perception of the svelte lines and graceful design defining a Pennsylvania long gun. If possible, I would like to see other examples of this gun makers work. Thanks, for this excellent and thought provoking video.

I love York county rifles, they talk to me, I don’t know why, they just appeal to me! Lancasters are second, fantastic work on this firearm, like all the Masters a working work of Art! I do love the Original Rifles!

In one book, I forget which, it was said the Eister quit gun making in 1802 to focus on his farm.

What a beautiful piece. Clearly it was well cared for but seriously used. What is the reason for the smoothbore on such a high quality firearm? .

Yeah you can you get to Showcase a lot of beautiful guns there

@louisianagray8618

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It was supposed to say Ethan you have a lot of nice rifles

@ILoveMuzzleloading

Жыл бұрын

Thank you

beautiful piece and well done video. Wonder if it was originally smooth bore or if it had been "freshened" out at some point during its usable life?

@ILoveMuzzleloading

Жыл бұрын

I wonder the same thing. Perhaps a high quality bore camera could tell us.

@JeffandLeslie

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@@ILoveMuzzleloading that would be an interesting exercise to check out a number of originals that are smooth rifles and see if there is evidence of being "freshened out" or if they were originally smooth bore. I have nothing but "belief" to base this on but I think a lot were smooth originally, especially the lower tier "working man's" type firearm. The high cost highly decorated rifles where cost was no object I can see where they may have been rifles from the start and rebored somewhere along the way. When I build rifles, on the "poor boy" type, I don't take as much time on details like carving, highly polishing brass, expensive double set triggers, etc. On the fancier ones, I pull out all the stops.

Fantastic piece. Question, how is a smooth bore a rifle? Always thought it had to be rifled to be a rifle

@ILoveMuzzleloading

Жыл бұрын

The term "Smooth Rifle" is used to describe arms such as these that have the constructive stylings of a rifle, including a front and rear sight, but a smoothbore barrel.

@kirkstinson7316

Жыл бұрын

​@@ILoveMuzzleloading Ok. Thanks for the explanation

I love mag dumping!!!!

Very nice piece

What was the purpose of a "smooth" rifle? It would be heavier than a smooth bore...

@ILoveMuzzleloading

Жыл бұрын

I think it's to have the stylings of a rifle, but the versatility of a smoothbore, but I'm not an expert. It's something I'll be diggin into more.