Schimmel guns

[B Shipman]

There has always been interest in these guns as well as a lot of misconceptions. It might be interesting to summerize some really good KRA research articles by Tom Ames and Tim Lubenesky(2) as well as research and conversations with Chuck Dixon who probably created this interest in the first place. I'll keep it as short and concise  as possible.The word Schimmel can be translated as "moldy". The PA Dutch use the word to describe many items that are plain, workaday, and well used. Dixon used the term to describe plain guns made in his area. He has a considerable and changing collection of them. It caught on in a big way. An authentic bare bones rifle or smoothgun with a Siler lock and GM barrel that could compete with a good custom. The Schimmel is decribed as the plainest of guns, no buttplate, at most a steel sheet nailed or screwed flat on the butt, a trigger guard made from a bent sheet strip, no side plate, no nose cap, no entry pipe.This type of gun is not universal and seems to be confined to the area east of Lancaster Co. in Berks, Lehigh and Northhampton Counties. These guns are especilly common in an area known by the name "Allemaengal" as early as 1740. Allemaengal literally means "all wants, or bad ground, the outback region". An area hilly and with poor soil and out of the road system from east to west. If you look at a map of PA , find Kutztown and make a V extending north and you've found it. Dixon's shop is right there. Lots of poor farms.Why were they made and who bought them? Three possibilities supported by evidence. Some were custom made for the cost conscious. Example. An over the log rifle signed by D. Boyer. Heavy rifled taget barrel. Finely styled stock neatly finished with a good lock. No B.P., sideplate, no nosecap, rear pipe. A Brass strip T.G. Two. Some made for traveling salesmen. Tom Ames calles them "tinkers". They are stocked but unfinished guns. They apply a crude T.G., stain "sometimes", and an oil finish. Ames submitted guns with similar stying, crudely finished with different T.G.'s. as evidence. In other words, tinkers came to the area to pick up cheap unfinished guns, finish them , and take them with all manner of other items to the farms and settlements on the edge of the frontier.Three. The gunmakers' looking ahead and trying to keep busy. In a poor economy, the gunmaker does repairs and general work. And makes unfinished guns to finish quickly when things improve. He has stocked guns sitting there and the impatient customer says. "I like this one. Finish it with patchbox and carving." Or "finish it up like it is." Local trade.All areas made plain guns. Many modern makers trade on the name "schimmel". And that's fine. But, for example, a Lancaster rifle, with a buttplate and a cast triggerguard, and nothing else, is a plain Lancaster rifle, not a schimmel. Allen Martin has 2 examples of fine and correct schimmels on his website. Very cool.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Thanks, Bill. I'd never heard a true definition of "schimmel" before. I've always heard the term used interchangeably with "barn gun". Seems like that isn't necessarily so?

 

[jbwilliams3]

Good stuff, indeed. There was a discussion going on another board where some gentlemen had it in their heads that ALL early guns were “schimmels.” This is a wonderful and concise definition of the specificity of the term. Very helpful.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

"Moldy", I prefer that term! :haha:

 

[Larry Pletcher]

Thanks,Bill. This has been of interest since talking with Don G at CLA last year. Appreciate your input.
Regards,
Pletch

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I kinda like it too, Joe!

 

[longcruise]

Dixon has a discussion on schimmels in his book on recreating the long rifle. I believe that he has copyrighted or trademarked the term schimmel.

In any case, he discussed the meaning of the term and includes moldy, old, dusty, etc. One definition he wrote was that a schimmel in the PA Dutch lexicon was something old and dusty left out in the barn. So, maybe the term "barn gun" or "barn rifle" came from that.

 

[hawk]

Bill thank you for that .

 

[B Shipman]

marmotslayer, Yes, it means all those things. Moldy is just the pure translation. The rest describes what moldy means. Dixon did in fact copyright, or says he did, the word. He was making a very popular rifle at the time. SE PA styling, Siler lock, GM 7/8 in. barrel. He still sells the pre-inlet pattern at his shop. Nice. Legally, he'd have a hard time supporting his claim as it was pre-existing. Everybody uses the word now.