Christian Oerter Longrifle
Christian's Spring Gun Shop · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1774
Also known as: Oerter rifle, Christian's Spring rifle, Johann Christian Oerter Longrifle
Overview
The Christian Oerter Longrifle is an American flintlock longrifle handcrafted by Moravian gunsmith Johann Christian Oerter at Christian's Spring in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. A muzzle-loading rifle firing a patched .45 caliber round ball from a long octagonal rifled barrel, it is celebrated for its slender maple stock, relief carving, engraved brass patchbox and delicate silver wire inlays. Fitted with a double set trigger for a fine target-quality let-off, Oerter's signed and dated rifles rank among the finest surviving examples of the early American longrifle.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4000 g (141.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1500 mm (59.06") |
| Barrel Length | 1120 mm (44.09") |
| Action Type | Muzzleloader |
| Firing Mechanism | Flintlock |
| Trigger Type | Set Trigger |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 550 m/s (1804 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1270 J (937 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 250 m (273 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 1220 mm (48.03") |
| Number of Grooves | 7 |
| Barrel Material | Iron |
| Stock Material | Maple |
| Finish | Browned |
Calibers
- .45 Caliber Ball · primary — also known as 45 cal round ball, 11.4mm ball, patched round ball
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Features: Octagonal Barrel, Double Set Trigger, Brass Patchbox, Silver Wire Inlay, Carved Stock, Engraved Lock Plate, Signed And Dated Barrel, Patched Round Ball, Muzzle Loader, Rifled Barrel
Service history
Operators
- American frontier riflemen and militia
Conflicts
- American Revolutionary War (1775-1783)
Production
Production years: 1766-1777
Individually handcrafted; Oerter ran one of the busiest gun shops at Christian's Spring but no production count survives. Only two signed, dated examples are known today.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Johann Christian Oerter
Discontinued: 1777
Notes
Only two signed and dated Oerter rifles are known to survive: one dated 1774 in the Museum of the American Revolution (recovered by the FBI in 2018 after being stolen from Valley Forge in 1971) and one dated 1775 in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle, given to the future King George IV. Measurements are representative of surviving Christian's Spring longrifles; individual originals varied by maker and order.
Background
Oerter took over his master's gun shop at nineteen in 1766 and, despite dying of tuberculosis at twenty-nine in 1777, left a decisive mark on the style of the American longrifle. His 1774 rifle was stolen from Valley Forge in 1971 and famously turned up at a Pennsylvania barn sale before being recovered by the FBI.