Lancaster barrel length?

[Forestclimber]

Did any of the original early or later Lancaster gunsmiths use barrels 36 inches or less in length on a regular basis?  What was a common caliber for the Lancasters?

[coyotejoe]

Rifles were built in the Lancaster area for most of 150 years so there is considerable variation but I think a 36" barrel would be unusually short, 42-48" would be far more common. Calibers could be anything from .32-.62 but most were between .45 and .54 caliber. The shorter barrel would be more typical of a "transitional" rifle, mostly American longrifle style but still showing traces of the earlier European rifles.
 This link will take you to one example.
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/partDetail.aspx?catId=13&subId=77&styleId=301&partNum=EDWARD-MARSHALL-LONGRIFLE-FLINT-PARTS-LIST

With all of that being said, do hunters today all carry exactly the same rifle? Would those of two hundred years ago have been any less individualistic? It's your rifle, build what you like and don't apologize for it.
If some know-it-all thread counter tries to tell you "oh they NEVER built rifles that short in Lancaster" just ask if he has measured every single rifle ever built there. Of course he hasn't since probably less than 1% of them still exist.

[Forestclimber]

Thanks, Coyote Joe. 

[Hooker]

The average length is right around 59" for most Lancaster rifles with a 42" barrel length. But I've read about and seen some shorter rifles. A lot of these rifles were for the most part semi custom so a person of shorter stature would most likely have had the maker build to fit. As with all of these early types firearms there were specific styles , but different makers and customers had an influence on the final product.

Pat