Herman Rupp Longrifle
Herman Rupp · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1793
Also known as: H. Rupp Rifle, Rupp Longrifle, Lehigh Valley Rifle, Kentucky Rifle
Overview
The Herman Rupp Longrifle is a .45 caliber flintlock Pennsylvania longrifle handcrafted by Lehigh Valley gunsmith Herman Rupp southwest of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the late 18th century. Built on a full-length curly maple stock with a slender swamped octagonal rifled barrel and brass furniture, it exemplifies the fully evolved Lehigh Valley school of American rifle building. Rupp's rifles are noted for their graceful architecture, a low-profile grooved nosecap, the distinctive Lehigh 'Lady of Liberty' inlay ahead of the trigger guard, and his signature domed-lid patchbox.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4100 g (144.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1613 mm (63.50") |
| Barrel Length | 1207 mm (47.52") |
| Action Type | Muzzleloader |
| Firing Mechanism | Flintlock |
| Trigger Type | Set Trigger |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 550 m/s (1804 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1270 J (937 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 90 m (98 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 300 m (328 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 7 |
| Barrel Material | Iron |
| Stock Material | Maple |
| Finish | Bright |
Calibers
- .45 Caliber Ball · primary — also known as 45 cal round ball, 11.4mm ball, patched round ball
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Muzzleloading Patched Round Ball
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Octagonal Barrel, Rifled Bore, Domed Lid Patchbox, Curly Maple Full Stock, Brass Furniture, Lehigh Lady Of Liberty Inlay, Double Set Trigger
Service history
Operators
- Lehigh Valley settlers of Pennsylvania · adopted 1793
- American frontier riflemen
Conflicts
- Northwest Indian War (1785-1795)
- War of 1812 (1812-1815)
Production
Production years: 1780-1831
Hand-built one at a time throughout Rupp's career in the Lehigh Valley; total output unknown, few attributed examples survive today.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Herman Rupp
Notes
Dimensions reflect surviving attributed examples: an inscribed 1793 rifle measures about 63.5 inches overall with a 47.5-inch octagon barrel, while a later 1809 example is roughly 58.9 inches with a 42.5-inch swamped barrel. Each rifle was built by hand, so specifications vary between examples.
Background
Herman Rupp (1756-1831) worked his entire life as a gunsmith 15 to 20 miles southwest of Allentown, Pennsylvania, so his work reflects a single regional style rather than the mixed schools seen in makers who moved between towns. Likely trained by or inspired by the Young family of Easton Township, he ranks among the better-known Pennsylvania riflesmiths alongside Andreas Albrecht, Christian Oerter, William Antes, and Jacob Dickert, and his 1793 rifle is regarded as one of the earliest fully evolved Lehigh Valley longrifles.