The Pennsylvania Long Rifle, an adaptation of a German hunting rifle, was developed in Lancaster County. It is here that the Mennonite gunsmith Martin Mylin of Swiss-German heritage crafted some of the earliest, and possibly the first, Pennsylvania Long Rifles. The remains of this gunshop still stand today in Willow Street, Pennsylvania, on Long Rifle Road. The long rifle is an early example of a firearm using rifling, (spiral grooves in the bore). This gave the projectile, commonly a round lead ball, a spiraling motion, increasing the stability of the trajectory. A more stable trajectory meant dramatically improved accuracy over the more commonly available smooth bore muskets also used in the period. Jacob Dickert arrived from Germany to America about 1750, he studied under an unknown master learning the gunmakers art. He was an artist, producing raised carved flint longrifles for his many customers. He also produced rifles for the Continental Army during the American Revolution and later had a contract dated 1792 to furnish rifles to the United States Army. He worked in Lancaster County from 1769 until his death in the early 1820's. It was at this time the name 'Kentucky Long Rifle' was coined.
WHAT WAS THE PROJECTILE FOR A PENNSYLVANIA LONG RIFLE ???????
A LEAD ROD = N 40 48.768 W 078 53.861
A ROUND LEAD BALL = N 40 49.299 W 078 53.948
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