
t 
Types of Kentucky rifles. The lowest arm won the turkey match referred 
to in this article. 
HEN the smoke cleared away 
after the banging of a 106- 
year old Kentucky rifle at a 
Gresham, Oregon, turkey shoot, staged 
on a recent holiday, it was seen that 
the bullet from the old rifle had hit its 
mark more accurately than those from 
all the modern high-powered rifles at 
the meet, and Noyes Eben Tyrrell, who 
fired the antique firearm, “brought 
home the turkey.” Crack rifle shots 
of Oregon competed in the Gresham 
shoot which is held annually, and the 
competition for honors is keen. Vic- 
tory for Mr. Tyrrell and “Ol’ Kain- 
tuck,” as he dubbed his ancient rifle, 
was regarded therefore as an extraor- 
dinary achievement. 
Mr. Tyrrell confessed that he had 
his .32-.40 rifle with him at the meet, 
but the spell of the old rifle was too 
strong, and he discarded the new for 
the old in the final 
test. His Kentucky ee 
rifle is one of many : 
which comprise an un- 
usual collection of fire- 
arms in the possession 
of Mr. Tyrrell. 
Mr. Tryrrell’s voca- 
tion is operating the 
attractive Tavern at 
Bonneville on the Co- 
lumbia River High- 
way. His avocation is 
collecting old Kentucky 
rifles, which he uses 
skillfully. 
N Mr. Tyrrell’s col- 
lection are twenty- 
five arms exclusive of 
revolvers and_ pistols. 
They are mostly Ken- 
tucky rifles, long and 
ungainly, and of fine 
craftsmanship. Many 
are very old, probably 
Pe 0, AR 

ve 
Se & ni ie bese ak i eas 
Pca’ scl periin  OE rateee O 
made at the time of the Revolutionary 
War. The collection includes both 
breechloading and muzzleloading pis- 
tols and rifles, and have been gothered 
from all parts of the United States. 
The oldest ones belonged to early set- 
tlers near his boyhood home in Indiana. 
R. TYRRELL, who began making 
his collection when he was thir- 
teen years old, has a name for each of 
his guns as a father has names for 
his children. One small accurate- 
shooting Kentucky rifle he calls the 
“Little Minister” because it was made 
by a man named Bishop. A heavy muz- 
zle-loading turkey match rifle made at 
Sulphur Springs, Ohio, in 1862 he calls 
“Old Harmony” because it is a har- 
mony of wood and steel and gun-mak- 
ing art, and was made by a man named 
Harmon. 
Kentucky 
Rifles 
The American Reputation 
For Straight Shooting 
Started Back in the Days 
of Daniel Boone, and As a 
Nation of Riflemen' We Owe 
Much to the ‘‘Long Knife’’ 
By MARY E. RAKER 
HE oldest gun in the collection Mr. 
Tyrrell has christened “Martha 
Washington.” It is a long, small-bore 
Kentucky rifle, a “gentleman’s gun,” an 
aristocrat among firearms and fash- 
ioned on such extreme lines as to de- 
note that it was made long ago for 
some fastidious or eccentric customer. 
It is believed to have come from Vir- 
ginia. The rifle was originally a flint- 
lock, and beautifully made of curly 
maple. The patch box has a secret 
lock. The stock is inlaid with silver, 
and has an extreme drop. From its 
type it must have been made in the 
Revolutionary War period. Mr. Tyr- 
rell got the gun from a man named 
Campbell who was a descendent from 
the historic family of Ball. Mary Ball 
was the mother of George Washington, 
and because of this connection the gun 
(Continued on page 698) 



ee : Seo mek 
i i ean a li i aN IE 
Top—Black walnut half stock “gentleman’s” sporting rifle. 
Center—Curly maple full stock sporting rifle. 
Bottom—The “Martha Washington,” curly maple, full stock. 
649 
