Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles "Too pretty to hunt with?"

Most of the old original Kentucky Long Rifles made by the old master gun builders form the early 18th to the early 19th Centuries, were decorated with relief carving and engraving on the metal. The wood was most times beautiful curly maple on top of the decorations which together, made for some stunning rifles. These guns were never in a safe and were used for what they were made for....to shoot and hunt with. The wear and "patina" on these guns we see these days only adds to the looks of the rifles and fowlers that have survived for 2 centuries. Their history is etched in every wear point and ding and lets us just image their story. If a gun of any type is too nice to be used, it might as well be a toaster. I have no use for them.