KRA Bulletin | VOLUME 44 NUMBER 1 | FALL 2017

This Fall 2017 issue of the Kentucky Rifle Association Bulletin presents original research, artifact documentation, and historical analysis contributed by members and scholars of the Association. The Bulletin continues KRA’s long‑standing mission to preserve and advance accurate knowledge of the American longrifle and related material culture.

Featured content emphasizes evidence‑based study, careful examination of surviving objects, and informed interpretation grounded in primary sources. As with all KRA Bulletins, this issue is intended as a permanent research reference supporting serious study, responsible collecting, and historical preservation.

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 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 1 | FALL 2014

KRA’s Fall 2014 issue of the Kentucky Rifle Association Bulletin presents a documented historical account of Ann Hupp and the defense of the Miller Block House during a Shawnee attack on the western Pennsylvania frontier in 1782. The lead article examines a Lancaster made longrifle attributed to gunsmith Joel Ferree, believed by many researchers to have been used during the siege.

Drawing on period records, family histories, and physical analysis of the rifle itself, the Bulletin distinguishes documented events from later folklore and highlights the role of women on the Revolutionary era frontier. Additional articles explore early American transition firearms, including a rare Revolutionary era rifle later converted to musket and fowler configurations, reinforcing the Bulletin’s focus on primary research and historical context.

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 40 | NUMBER 1 | FALL 2013

Misidentification and attribution errors surrounding gunsmiths of the same name have long complicated the study of Pennsylvania longrifle makers. This Fall 2013 Bulletin addresses one such problem through a detailed investigation of Christian Beck of Jonestown, distinguishing his work and career from those of similarly named relatives previously conflated in published scholarship.

Using tax records, church registers, estate filings, and close examination of signed rifles, the article reconstructs Christian Beck’s apprenticeship, working life, and stylistic lineage as the son of John Philip Beck. The research clarifies generational relationships within the Beck family, resolves longstanding confusion regarding Christian Beck “the Earlier” and “the Later,” and provides a documented framework for accurately identifying rifles produced in and around Jonestown during the early nineteenth century.

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.