Country Rifles / Kentucky Rifles at Antietam

[Scott Hann]

Members,

What exactly is a "Country Rifle"? Aside from the fact that they fired a "picket bullet" and seem to have been used exclusively by Confederate forces during the Civil War, I know nothing about them.

Also, I'm researching the possibility that Kentucky Rifles may have been used at the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg, MD) September 17, 1862. Has anyone ever come across a primary source documenting the use of just one of these longarms in the battle?

Thanks,

Scott

[emike123]

I think that a so called Country Rifle is a Kentucky Rifle. Apparently the "Picket" bullets were fired from the Kentucky Rifles.

3 names for one type of weapon -- how's that for confusing?

[Scott Hann]

Thanks for the reply. Do you know if Kentucky Rifles used buck & ball ammunition more frequently than a picket bullet? I have yet to hear of picket bullets being found at Antietam, although I have a Country Rifle bullet mold documented to have been found near Dunker Church.

[emike123]

I am not an expert in the firearms side of bullet collecting, but generally Kentucky Rifles are of a relatively small caliber that, in my opinion, would not allow for Buck 'n ball type ammo to be used.

[Scott Hann]

The Kentucky Rifle I have is a battlefield recovery; badly rusted and the wood decaying. Taking the rust factor into consideration, it's at least a .42 caliber musket that was probably produced during the latter end of the "Percussion Phase" of Kentucky Rifles (1825-1860).