Henry Dreppard Longrifle
Henry Dreppard · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1810
Also known as: Henry Drepperd Longrifle, Drepperd rifle, Lancaster longrifle
Overview
The Henry Dreppard Longrifle is an American muzzle-loading flintlock longrifle handcrafted by Lancaster, Pennsylvania gunsmith Henry Dreppard (whose guns were signed "Drepperd"). Firing a patched .45 caliber round ball from a long octagonal rifled barrel, it embodies the classic Lancaster County school of the Pennsylvania/Kentucky longrifle: a slender curly-maple stock, brass patchbox and furniture, and a double set trigger giving a fine target-quality let-off. Dreppard-marked locks were also fitted to rifles built by many other Lancaster makers, making his name one of the best known in early American gunsmithing.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4100 g (144.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1500 mm (59.06") |
| Barrel Length | 1100 mm (43.31") |
| 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, Brass Furniture, Carved Maple Stock, Signed Lock Plate, Patched Round Ball, Muzzle Loader, Rifled Barrel
Service history
Operators
- American frontier riflemen and settlers
Production
Production years: 1810-1840
Individually handcrafted; no production count survives. Dreppard locks appear on rifles by numerous Lancaster gunsmiths in addition to complete rifles bearing his signature.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Henry Dreppard
Discontinued: 1840
Notes
Dreppard worked in Lancaster City at the corner of Mulberry and King Streets, listed as a locksmith or gunsmith between roughly 1810 and 1840. Tax records spelled the name "Treppert" while he signed his work "Drepperd." Surviving examples span the transition from flint to percussion ignition; many original flintlocks were later converted to percussion caps. Measurements are representative of Lancaster-school longrifles and vary between individual originals.
Background
Henry Dreppard signed his barrels and locks "Drepperd" even though the Lancaster tax rolls recorded the family as "Treppert." His signed gun locks became so respected that other Lancaster gunsmiths bought and fitted them to their own rifles, spreading the Drepperd name across the Pennsylvania longrifle tradition.