The Modern Kentucky Rifle- What is the modern "Patriots' rifle"?

[kcmarine]

In the days of the American Revolution, the Kentucky Rifle was the most venerable and ubiquitous weapon in the young nation. It was accurate, well crafted, and designed for the needs of shooters at the time.

Fast forward to 2008. Firearms technology is light years ahead of what it was then. All modern firearms fire a metallic, self-contained cartridge that loads through the breach. Many firearms today are repeaters. Of course, many are derived from military designs. The Kentucky Rifle was used for hunting, competition, and of course, for combat. In your opinion, what would be the modern equivalent of the Kentucky Rifle?

 

[waverace]

Gotta be the AR thats why they are tring to ban them

 

[rklessdriver]

I agree. Gotta be the AR... althou I did just buy a M1A1.
Will

 

[younganddumb]

ar because it it the iconic american gun

 

[dak0ta]

M1 Garand.

Ma Deuce.

 

[Sunray]

A scoped, bolt action, .30 calibre, hunting rifle. Not ideal for fighting, but it'd do in a pinch.
Mind you, in the 18th Century, muskets were far more common than rifles of any kind.

 

[Pilot]

The Kentucky rifle was copied from the Pennsylvania rifle. So a modern day one would have to be a clone of something. I vote AK.

 

[armoredman]

In today's America, the iconic rifle would have to be either a lever action 30-30, or the SKS.

 

[theotherwaldo]

Your Kentucky rifle would equate to a scoped, bolt or semi-auto deer rifle - commonly called a "sniper rifle" by the press.

The more common musket translates into the pump or semi-auto shotgun, usually included in the "room broom" or "street sweeper" branches of the "assault weapon" category.

The squirrel gun parallels the lower-powered AKs, ARs, and most of the other "assault rifles".

 

[lions]

The "American Patriot" rifle would have to be the AR, the "all around patriot" rifle would be the AK.

 

[Mikee Loxxer]

I would vote for the AR.

 

[alemonkey]

Scoped, bolt action deer rifle.

 

[Goblin]

One thing to consider is that the Kentucky rifles were actually more advanced than the British Brown Bess, which was a smoothbore musket.That being the case,the "modern" Kentucky rifle should be an order of magnitude more advanced than the M-4.Now what weapon would meet that criteria???

 

[1KPerDay]

the SKS

huh??

 

[Tarvis]

Red Ryder BB gun.

Shazam!

 

[elmerfudd]

A scoped bolt action.

Kentucky rifles were primarily hunting rifles. When used in battle they were generally employed as sniper rifles because they could not match the rate of fire of the musket or mount a bayonet.

A bolt action hunting rifle exactly matches these characteristics. They are more accurate over a greater distance than general issue military rifles. They are primarily intended for hunting and their slow rate of fire puts them in the same position as the Kentucky rifle.

 

[SSN Vet]

M1 Garand

or

M16

 

[woof]

Marlin 336

 

[toivo]

Scoped, bolt action deer rifle.

I'd have to agree. It has to be something that's in pretty much every household. I think there are a lot more of those than there are AR's out there. I think almost everybody that has an AR also has a scoped bolt-action rifle, but not vice-versa.

 

[CajunBass]

The Marlin 60 and the 10/22.

 

[High Planes Drifter]

A modern "Kentucky" rifle?

Well to qualify as a "Kentucky" rifle you can only buy it with a welfare check, you can only fire it without wearing shoes, the recoil has to knock your toof out, and the only person who'll come around you when you're playing with your gun is your sister,

Fixed

Edited - OBTW , I'd say AR.

 

[TheDriver]

336 or 94

 

[Limeyfellow]

Put it up to another bolt action hunting rifle. Something like the Remington 700 or Winchester 90 in my opinion would be a perfect comparison. Slower rate of fire, increased accuracy, hunting rifle that hurts in the hands of skilled marksmen.

 

[EHCRain10]

scoped bolt action in a standard 30 caliber round

 

[yhtomit]

toivo wrote:

"I think almost everybody that has an AR also has a scoped bolt-action rifle, but not vice-versa."

Hmm -- I suspect otherwise. I know I'm in the other camp (which doesn't prove anything by itself), but "EBR Fever" has attracted plenty of attention; lots of people who want to own a rifle for "armed citizen" reasons (rather than "downstairs freezer" reasons) are drawn to the AR style, for its reputation, accessories, reputaton for reliability and accuracy, and (I speak here for me but I think for many others) the cool shape. "Sexy" if you must

However, I agree with you that the modern Kentucky rifle is a scoped deer rifle -- the original K.R. was an implement of practicality; a valuable object but closer to mundane than to fetish, and that's how I see a scoped deer ("sniper") rifle.

timothy