Kentucky Rifle Book

[springfield art]

A recent obituary for historian, collector, researcher, museum founder John Rice Irwin notes he published several books, including
Guns & Gunmaking Tools of Southern Applachia; The Story of The Kentucky Rifle. I looked the book up and it seems to be available
for under $15 on the internet. I've not seen the book yet, but ordered it today, used. Thought some fellows would like to check it
out, or make comments if you've read it. (Of course we all know that the "Kentucky" rifle was made in PA and taken down there, so maybe
he's writing about rifles actually made in Appalachia, which we'd call Southern Mountain rifles. Good reading either way!

 

[Cattywompuss]

Just ordered a copy myself thanks to your post. Thank you for your diligence. That gent passes only a week ago. I would not call the rifles he wrote about Southern Mountain Rifles, because I grew up south of those mountains. The Southern Mountains was a northern term used by northerners 150 years ago to describe the mountains I was privileged to roam as a child. I am from Savannah, GA, but we put a house on top of a mountain in Boone, NC. It took a seven hour drive northwest to get that house. So, at least to me, those Southern Mountain rifles are like wildly foreign legends, geographically speaking.

 

[springfield art]

Just ordered a copy myself thanks to your post. Thank you for your diligence. That gent passes only a week ago. I would not call the rifles he wrote about Southern Mountain Rifles, because I grew up south of those mountains. The Southern Mountains was a northern term used by northerners 150 years ago to describe the mountains I was privileged to roam as a child. I am from Savannah, GA, but we put a house on top of a mountain in Boone, NC. It took a seven hour drive northwest to get that house. So, at least to me, those Southern Mountain rifles are like wildly foreign legends, geographically speaking.

Very nice memories you have of your life there! Thanks.

 

[rafterob]

The Guns and Gunmaking tools is an interesting book. Our local library has it. The original Museum was near Asheville NC but moved to I think TN.

 

[Cattywompuss]

Got my copy in the mail today. First time I've used Amazon to order a book in a loooooong time. The irony is not lost. It is a very interesting book. It shows the very best of and some of the most crude things that passed as rifles. Quite happy I got a copy. Of course mine copy is apparently 40 years old. Were there ever updated or newer editions?