early rifle terminology

I've collected a few terms associated with flintlock rifles from the archives of the Pennsylvania Gazette, 1728-1800. I think some will seem familiar, they are still in use, today. These are all taken from ads about runaway servants:

Sept. 1739 "Took with him a smooth Rifle Gun..."

November 13, 1776 "...had on, a dark hunting shirt and trowsers, and had a short rifle with him."

May 3, 1775 "They had and took away with them a country square barrelled, smooth bore GUN, rifle stocked, one pistol, and other firearms;..."

September 16, 1772 "...had on, and took with him, a brown home made coat, lincey jacket, and leather breeches; a half rifle gun, stocked rifle fashion."

December 12, 1771 "...took with him a rifle gun, 2 feet 10 inches long in the barrel, brass mounted, had a silver thumb piece, very light and handy;..."

January 26, 1769 "...took with him a smooth rifle gun..."

It seems the term smooth rifle has been in use a long time. Wonder what they meant by a "half rifle, stocked rifle fashion"?

Spence

Wonder what they meant by a "half rifle, stocked rifle fashion"?

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My guess would be "rifle fashion" indicated a narrow crescent butt as opposed to the wide smooth butt used on some rifles, but mostly fowlers.

Interesting the short rifles mentioned during that time. Also, what is a "lincey jacket"?

Linsey-woolsey (less often, woolsey-linsey or in Scottish English, wincey) is a coarse twill or plain-woven fabric woven with a linen warp and a woollen weft. Similar fabrics woven with a cotton warp and woollen weft in Colonial America were also called linsey-woolsey or wincey.

Swampy said:

Also, what is a "lincey jacket"?

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They made a coarse cloth with flax/linen warp and woolen weft called linsey-woolsey, I assume that is what is meant.

Spence

Ahh ok, thanks guys. :thumbsup:

"stocked rifle fashion" may mean a flat toe, a cheekpiece, and possibly a patchbox as those are features normally found on rifle-built guns but not fowling guns. Would like to know about the original sources you quote.

No idea on "half rifle"

Rich Pierce said:

Would like to know about the original sources you quote.

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Pennsylvania Gazette newspaper, and those few citations were from advertisements of runaway servants. Regular articles and advertisements for goods for sale at retail were also very interesting and productive. I clipped pertinent phrases from them for my personal files. The archive of the Gazette used to be available free as a searchable database on the net, but several years ago they went to subscription usage only. I haven't used it for a long time, but am in the process of subscribing and am looking forward to reading it again. The subscription also includes the Virginia Gazette, another good source.

Spence

Could "half rifle" mean a short stock?

I would guess half rifle gun would be a half stocked rifle, either by design, or repaired...