KRA Bulletin | VOLUME 42 | NUMBER 1 | FALL 2015

This Fall 2015 issue of the Kentucky Rifle Association Bulletin presents Part I of an extensive biographical and technical study of Leonard Reedy (1776–1815), a Pennsylvania gunsmith associated with the Womelsdorf school and closely connected to John Bonewitz. Drawing on church records, tax lists, census data, and surviving firearms, the article reconstructs Reedy’s family history, apprenticeship, and professional development.

The research examines Reedy’s work in Germansville, Womelsdorf, and Pine Grove, and addresses long‑standing questions surrounding attribution of raised‑carved rifles traditionally associated with his name. This Bulletin establishes the documentary foundation for subsequent analysis in Part II.

Usage Note: This Bulletin is provided for the private research and educational use of Kentucky Rifle Association members. Redistribution or reproduction without written permission is prohibited.

KRA Bulletin | VOLUME 41 | NUMBER 3 | SPRING 2015

The KRA Spring 2015 issue of the Kentucky Rifle Association Bulletin features a major historical study of Colonel William Fleming, examining his life as a physician, frontier soldier, statesman, and early American leader. The article places Fleming within the broader military, political, and social landscape of the 18th‑century frontier, with particular emphasis on his service during the French and Indian War and Dunmore’s War.

The Bulletin also includes a detailed examination of Fleming’s engraved powder horn, interpreting its imagery as a reflection of post‑war culture, identity, and personal symbolism. Additional research content highlights notable Pennsylvania and Virginia firearms and accoutrements, reinforcing the Bulletin’s role as a primary research archive for early American material culture.

Usage Note: This Bulletin is provided for the private research and educational use of Kentucky Rifle Association members. Redistribution or reproduction without written permission is prohibited.

KRA Bulletin | VOLUME 41 | NUMBER 2 | WINTER 2015

The Winter 2015 issue of the Kentucky Rifle Association Bulletin presents an in depth, interpretive study of a highly symbolic Jacob Kuntz pistol, examining its materials, construction, engraving, and layered iconography. The primary article analyzes five intentional signatures placed by Kuntz across wood, steel, and brass, incorporating Masonic, religious, and political symbolism reflective of early American identity.

The Bulletin places Kuntz’s work within the broader context of Pennsylvania gunmaking traditions, Freemasonry, Federal era ideology, and transatlantic cultural exchange. Through close visual analysis and historical interpretation, the research demonstrates how firearms can serve as complex documents of belief, identity, and artistic intent beyond their functional purpose.

Usage Note: This Bulletin is provided for the private research and educational use of Kentucky Rifle Association members. Redistribution or reproduction without written permission is prohibited.