A contemporary (read: modern) build, but still ... pretty cool if you ask me! Got it for a song too ... just couldn't pass it up~!
The Rifle – This particular Jaeger rifle was completely custom made by John Derrick around 2010. It is from his personal collection and appears unfired; featuring a 31" Colerain swamped barrel with a .45 caliber mirror bore. Derrick loosely copied this rifle from the "high art" Jaeger hunting rifles built in the Germanic states during the late 17th and early 18th Centuries. These rifles were generally elaborately engraved with Grecian figures and Rococo scroll work (also known as 'late Baroque' style, it is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture) where Derrick copied those details in the creation of this rifle.
The Lock & Trigger – Ignition is provided by an American-made "Germanic Jaeger Rifle Flintlock" by R.E Davis. Davis has been producing custom early American flintlock components for more than 40 years and their locks have an excellent reputation for being ultra reliable, throwing a shower of sparks with every pull of the trigger. This lock is no exception with a solid half and full cock and excellent spark. Matching the Davis Germanic lock is the Davis early Germanic set trigger, which functions perfectly and reliably.
The Furniture – All the furniture was entirely custom made by Derrick, as heavily inspired by Germanic Jaeger furniture of the early period. Each piece was individually handmade from sterling silver cast by the lost wax method. The furniture includes filigree scrollwork intertwined with grotesque figures and animals; depicting the allegory of Actaeon and Diana the Huntress, from Greek mythology.
The Wood – The stock was shaped from a lightly figured piece of European Walnut. Deep rococo relief carving covers the majority of the stock and there are no cracks, chips or damage to the stock, with ornate rococo scrollwork carved overall through the straight grip and forearm.
The Builder – John B. Derrick began making black powder firearms in the early 1990s, after retiring from a career as an English Literature professor. His first inspiration came from his memories of the European firearms he had collected in Germany as an adolescent, during his family's stay there. It was during this period that his interest in antique firearms had first developed, and his aesthetic affinity for the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries was established. Derrick's study of the guns of that era began with a focus on German Jaeger rifles and expanded to include works by French and English gun makers. He actively sought out original pieces that inspired his contemporary interpretations of European masterworks. His guns are rarely exact replicas, yet they are all true in spirit to the pre-industrial baroque and rococo styles that he loved. His trademarks are the use of elk antler, sterling silver and bronze inlay, and his fine woodcarving. He produced his own custom brass and silver furniture by the lost wax method, without the use of molds, therefore each piece is unique. His guns include snaphaunces and wheellocks, as well as flintlocks, where Jaegers and cheek-stocked hunting rifles were his specialty. Mr. Derrick recently passed away on May 14th, 2024.
Too ornate? – Maybe
Will I shoot it? – Oh heck yeah! It handles like a dream! And I can even cheek it well as a lefty shooter without any of the adornment hitting my face.
The Rifle – This particular Jaeger rifle was completely custom made by John Derrick around 2010. It is from his personal collection and appears unfired; featuring a 31" Colerain swamped barrel with a .45 caliber mirror bore. Derrick loosely copied this rifle from the "high art" Jaeger hunting rifles built in the Germanic states during the late 17th and early 18th Centuries. These rifles were generally elaborately engraved with Grecian figures and Rococo scroll work (also known as 'late Baroque' style, it is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture) where Derrick copied those details in the creation of this rifle.
The Lock & Trigger – Ignition is provided by an American-made "Germanic Jaeger Rifle Flintlock" by R.E Davis. Davis has been producing custom early American flintlock components for more than 40 years and their locks have an excellent reputation for being ultra reliable, throwing a shower of sparks with every pull of the trigger. This lock is no exception with a solid half and full cock and excellent spark. Matching the Davis Germanic lock is the Davis early Germanic set trigger, which functions perfectly and reliably.
The Furniture – All the furniture was entirely custom made by Derrick, as heavily inspired by Germanic Jaeger furniture of the early period. Each piece was individually handmade from sterling silver cast by the lost wax method. The furniture includes filigree scrollwork intertwined with grotesque figures and animals; depicting the allegory of Actaeon and Diana the Huntress, from Greek mythology.
The Wood – The stock was shaped from a lightly figured piece of European Walnut. Deep rococo relief carving covers the majority of the stock and there are no cracks, chips or damage to the stock, with ornate rococo scrollwork carved overall through the straight grip and forearm.
The Builder – John B. Derrick began making black powder firearms in the early 1990s, after retiring from a career as an English Literature professor. His first inspiration came from his memories of the European firearms he had collected in Germany as an adolescent, during his family's stay there. It was during this period that his interest in antique firearms had first developed, and his aesthetic affinity for the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries was established. Derrick's study of the guns of that era began with a focus on German Jaeger rifles and expanded to include works by French and English gun makers. He actively sought out original pieces that inspired his contemporary interpretations of European masterworks. His guns are rarely exact replicas, yet they are all true in spirit to the pre-industrial baroque and rococo styles that he loved. His trademarks are the use of elk antler, sterling silver and bronze inlay, and his fine woodcarving. He produced his own custom brass and silver furniture by the lost wax method, without the use of molds, therefore each piece is unique. His guns include snaphaunces and wheellocks, as well as flintlocks, where Jaegers and cheek-stocked hunting rifles were his specialty. Mr. Derrick recently passed away on May 14th, 2024.
Too ornate? – Maybe
Will I shoot it? – Oh heck yeah! It handles like a dream! And I can even cheek it well as a lefty shooter without any of the adornment hitting my face.
