09/23/2026
This is our perspective on Reading guns after a lifetime of living and working in the Black Powder world.
These don't walk through the door like they did 30, 40, 50 years ago. It makes for a very exciting day to have the privilege to study a r***e unknown to the hobby.
The man that owns this r***e received it from his in-laws. It had been passed down through the family. They were from the Oley Valley, so the r***e was not far from its origin.
A classic Reading r***e. It has all the earmarks characteristic of Reading r***es.
Patchbox with no engraving.
Trigger and Trigger Guard with wide bow.
Reading style cheek piece
Floral carving behind cheek piece like #74 in Kindig's book.
1 piece nose cap secured with 2 copper rivets.
1 unusual item is the patchbox release at the lid of the patchbox. Most Reading guns have a push rod on the top of the buttplate.
Still in original flint with original length barrel.
Nice large barrel, 42 7/8" long, 1 5/32" at the Breech, tapering to 1 1/16" at the muzzle.
The bore measures 62 caliber smoothbore, I can picture this gun new, having a r***ed bore in the .55 to .60 caliber range, meant for serious work.
Kindig attributed these to Haga, newer collectors say William Schoener.
We will make a post of our Reading gun in a few weeks. It is currently on loan to the Kentucky R***e Foundation for the display at the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center, Pennsburg PA.
