Kenton and Boone Rifles

[Del Gue]

In my quest for a traditional flintlock rifle I am researching the time period when Simon Kenton and Daniel Boone roamed Kentucky and Ohio.  I have found little on the rifles these men carried.  Boone's famous "Tick Licker" was  made by his brother who was apprenticed to a gunmaker in PA after the Boone's moved to NC.  Kenton's first rifle was a gift from his employer but there is little information on that rifle.

The rifles these men used could have been one of the many regional styles from the time, e.g. Lehigh, Lancaster, etc.  Does anybody have any more information or experience researching rifles from this time period (1770s) that can help me narrow down the choice of longrifle style? 

Thanks,

Rick

[heatherhistorian]

Who are you trying to portray?  What area in the 1770s?  If you are doing North Dakota, it may be better to look at a french or Dutch trade gun.

[Del Gue]

At this point I am not trying to portray anyone.  I am trying to find a flintlock longrifle style that I like which I will use for hunting small game.  Because there are so many styles of longrifle I decided to narrow down the choice by trying to find out as much as I could about the rifles Boone and Kenton used.  To narrow down the choice even further I am interested in the types of rifle these men, and others of their time may have carried in the time period 1770 - 1780.  Perhaps this is too broad and if so I would welcome advice on how to narrow the scope.

So my primary purpose in this quest it to purchase a rifle to use for hunting but I want a rifle that is as authentic as possible.  I realize that means I am probably going to have to research gun makers to get what I want and that handmade flintlock longrifles can be a bit pricey.    At some later time I may decide to get into this in more detail and develop a persona. 

Thanks for the help.

[old salt]

Del
They would have been one of the Pennsylvania styles or what was to later be called the Kentucky Rifle.

[heatherhistorian]

Google Mike Miller.  One Old Salt and my friends has him make his guns.  He is well known and the work we have seen is great.

[Del Gue]

Thanks Heather.

Rick