Guns and Gunmaking Tools of Southern Appalachia: The Story of the Kentucky Rifle

Rating:
Summary: A Must for students of Southern long rifles
Review: For students of the Southern mountain rifle as well as Appalachian lore, this book is a must. What is so amazing is how these plain, but entirely serviceable rifles were made under such primitive conditions. The chapter on cross bows and how they were made gives the reader an idea of the extreme poverty that these folk lived in. I also found the chapter on Hacker Martin, a 20th century maker of these guns to be entertaining and informative. Being a collector and muzzleloading shooter, I certainly appreciated what John R. Irwin has done with the subject