During the 1730’s in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Immigrant craftsmen designed and invented the Kentucky Long Rifle (Bogan). The Kentucky Long Rifle was the first truly American firearm. The invention of this rifle was significant for many reasons: It conserved valuable lead, it’s range was greater than the musket due to it’s longer, 40 inch barrel, and it was “rifled” inside the barrel with grooves allowing for more accuracy (Bogan). Compared to smooth barreled rifles and muskets, the Kentucky Long Rifle’s grooved barrel allowed the ammunition to tightly spin when fired consequentially increasing its range and accuracy (Bogan). This rifle was deadly up to 200 yards, a distance that was previously to far to do significant damage (Jones). Though this rifle was a laced with remarkable innovation, it had room for improvement. It was very slow to load it, and it required custom bullets, which were expensive (Bogan). Even with it’s shortcomings, The Kentucky Long Rifle was influential in the American Revolutionary War. Skilled marksmen were able to do damage from greater distances, an advantage the British Army did not possess.
Work Cited:
- Jones, Brian. "10 Guns That Have Shaped The Course Of American History." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 26 June 2013. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
- Bogan, Dallas. "A Short History of the Kentucky Long Rifle." A Short History of the Kentucky Long Rifle. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
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