There have been a number of names applied to this rifle and the name depended on where it was used. Whether the design was called a Kentucky rifle, a Schimmel, southern poor boys or a Tennessee rifle, many have consistently been manufactured in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. A typical rifle of this design had a barrel from to in length. It was .50 caliber (13 mm) and had a stock made of curly maple. The stock fully supported the barrel. It had a crescent-shaped buttplate, a patch box and a cheekpiece were also common. Early models used a flintlock firing mechanism while later models used the percussion cap. The barrels were rifled. 