Baker Rifle Options??

[nhmoose]

if you go with and auction house you will have to pay them a premium and fees. you might try track of the wolf. they have handled hi dollar guns.

Fee's at GB on the seller not the buyer like Real foundation auction houses called the buyers fee.

 

[vulture]

I own one of the Pedersoli jaegers and love it, however I did not like the fast twist, 1-23, so had it bored and re-rifled in .58. I love the way it handles and fits me. The target version of this rifle has the slower round ball rifling, and if you are going to shoot round ball then that is what I would go with. I got my off an on line auction and had to take the faster twist, in the end I would have been ahead to have just sprung for a new rifle, at the new rifle price, and got the rifling and caliber I really preferred, however, the fellow that did my barrel gave me some beautiful round bottomed rifling that is super great, at least for me it is, I'm neither a hunter or an accuracy fanatic, just like to hit a bowling pin once in a while.

 

[jbwilliams3]

I’ve always fancied the British Pattern 1776 rifle ”“ not nearly as heralded as either of it’s more famous rock lock British rifle counterparts (Ferguson and Baker), but used much more extensively than the Ferguson during the Revolution ”“ a ton of light infantry used these. Aesthetically, I think it’s much more attractive than the Baker ”“ it’s basically a militarized English Sporting Rifle with Jaeger rifle influence. I handled a great reproduction at the armory at Williamsburg ”“ it was very sweet handling. That said, unless you just really had to have a militarized British rifle, I echo what some others have said. Chambers’ English Sporting Rifle kit is phenomenal. Graceful lines, smooth handling, and a great shooter.

 

[Gene L]

Baker rifles are pretty ugly, but performed well. I didn't know about the 1776 rifle, and information is thin on it, but it seems to reflect the Baker to some degree.

 

[robinghewitt]

Baker rifles are pretty ugly

I think you are confusing the Baker and the Hall rifle.

 

[Gene L]

No, I'm not. For my tastes, the Baker and the Hall lack the beauty of the American long rifles or even the Jaeger. Which neither one were military designs. Very few military rifles have the grace of the civilian rifles. But that's just me.

 

[tenngun]

Taste is all unexplainable. I think an iron mounted southern rifle is the best looking. A 1st and second bess or a roman nose charly are the only military guns that strikes my fancy for looks. Maybe I would add the 1803 HF rifle. Still military arms are made to impress and terrify an enemy, not made to look pretty...and they don't IMHO.

 

[Gene L]

My MLs are mostly (actually exclusively) iron mounted, and mostly Southern style. Well, with one exception, which is a HA underhammer. I modified my Pedersoli Blue Ridge from brass to an iron Southern style, very poorly, I must say...didn't have the tools to inlet the trigger guard. But I think I improved the rifle.

No brass for me. Nothing wrong with brass, it looks good and is probably more authentic from the late 1700s than iron, but my ancestors liked or could afford only iron.

Taste changes.

 

[Cowboy]

[/quote]

Nice rifle Cowboy! :hatsoff: [/quote]
Thanks azmntman :hatsoff:

 

[jon math]

I had two military rifles on my short list, the Baker and a cap lock Enfield. I figured I’d wait on the Baker and chase the Enfield. I happened upon a display at a local living history event that, while geared to the French and Indian era, had a group there with ACW gear.

At any rate one guy finally admitted the rifle I was looking at was a Pedersoli not an original like his partner was trying to pass it off as. I could get out my soap box and rant about self taught people attempting to teach history, but will not. He let me shoulder the beast and I’m glad he did. I don’t know how people were built back then; but I need a bit more drop than the stock that the Italian maker has put on their rifle, to shoot it at all. Scratch another one off my list.

I contacted the North American Distributor of Pedersoli about a Baker, he reported that to the best of his knowledge there are no plans to produce one in the near future.

I think a Jaeger will be my choice, I have a line on a target model. Is the only difference between the models the barrel twist?

 

[Cowboy]

Jon, If what you want is a Jaeger, I know of someone who has a Pedersoli Jaeger that he wants to get rid of for half the price of what they normally go for. He also has an extra L&R lock with it so it can be used as a Percussion or Flintlock. What ever your in the mood to shoot that day!

If you want you can PT me and I'll give you his contact information.

Respectfully, Cowboy :thumbsup:

 

[jon math]

Will do!

Thanks

 

[jon math]

Thank you for the info. I have a line on a used one as well and it too is in the 1:24 twist. I have read various things about the twist, some claiming it was traditional to have one rotation in the barrel length, others saying it’s a modern bullet only twist, still others saying that it will shoot patched balls. I’ll give it a try and if I cannot find a load I might be asking for the name of your gunsmith

 

[Gene L]

I don't know of any modern firearm that has a 24 twist. That's way too slow for modern velocities. More like a 1:12 for .30 caliber rifles.

Likewise, I don't know of any round ball low velocity guns with a twist that fast. So it's kind of a mystery, but I suspect the fast 24 twist (relatively fast) would probably be for an elongated low velocity (again relatively speaking) bullet rather than a round ball. But I'm just guessing.

 

[jon math]

It is what Pedersoli lists on their website for the Jaeger (hunter) model. The target model has a slightly longer barrel and a 1:64 twist listed.

 

[Artificer]

Jon,

FWIW, I have handled quite a few original Enfield Rifles and Rifled Muskets and they ALL are too straight stocked for many folks and my taste as well.

Your post brings up a good point that if at all possible, a person really should handle and shoulder a gun before buying it for the reasons you mentioned.

Gus

 

[jon math]

My ancestor came over to the States during the ACW. He had already served in the British army and went right into the Union army upon arriving here. The odds that he did not use and Enfield either here or there are pretty slim; for that reason alone I’d love to shoot one sometime. Having handled the replica I’d rather not own one however.

 

[RAEDWALD]

Re the 1:24 Jaeger twist. The Jaeger rifles of the Army of the Prince of Hesse-Cassel serving in America were, in one known example, about a 1:29 twist and used a bore of .62" so not that far away and was the most commonly used Jaeger rifle in the American War. Possibly up to 2,000 of them. They used a patched round ball.

The US Model 1803 Rifle, commonly called the Harpers Ferry, was the American equivalent of the Baker. Just as the Baker reflected the German Jaeger the Model 1803 reflected the US Long Rifle with the smaller .54 bore and a longer barrel as well as more drop at the butt.

Re the Enfield. The stock is a matter of what you are accustomed to. If you are used to the traditional US dropped butt of the 'long rifle etc. and holding your head up to aim, the Enfield butt seems very high and intrusive. If you are accustomed to the straighter stock of European guns with the head lowered to the butt to aim then that will seem a better ft and the head up stance curiously unsupported. With a Pattern 1853 and a MkII** Snider Enfield I naturally go with the straighter butt. But (no pun intended) each to their own. To me the straight stock of my 10 bore Honourable East India Company Musket seems perfect, even with a 4 1/2 dram load under a .755 ball.

 

[jon math]

Well after a bit of consideration I purchased the Jaeger that Cowboy posted about. It turned out the owner and I live about an hour apart (small world).

It’s resemblance to an original Jaeger is fleeting at best, but the rifle handles very well for me. I may replace the trigger guard with a more open loop style seen on originals.

I’m the third owner and the original had replaced the factory sights with ones that look like they may have been taken from a modern lever gun. I will be replacing them, most likely with the dual leaf real sight from TOTW.

The rifle is also in percussion, and I really want a flint lock, so I ordered the lock direct from Pedersoli and am still waiting for it to arrive. Without the lock I have not had a chance to shoot the rifle or work up a load for it yet. If it shoots as well as I hope this Jeager could easily become my go to hunting rifle, when a rifle is appropriate in my state.

 

[Cowboy]

The rifle is also in percussion, and I really want a flint lock, so I ordered the lock direct from Pedersoli and am still waiting for it to arrive. Without the lock I have not had a chance to shoot the rifle or work up a load for it yet. If it shoots as well as I hope this Jeager could easily become my go to hunting rifle, when a rifle is appropriate in my state.

jon, I am a little confused about the lock issue? Back in February the seller ( The one who sold you that rifle) emailed me and told me he had that rifle for sale.

He told me that it was a Pedersoli Jeager that comes with two locks. A Pedersoli percussion that came on the rifle and also a L&R Flintlock Lock with vent liner.

He told me the rifle and both locks would be half the price as a new Pedersoli Jeager would be.

He also stated that the gun was in excellent condition and told me nothing about different sights being installed on it.

I did not make the deal because I didn't have the money at the time. I saved his original email to me in my email archives.

If you don't mind I would love to see pics of this rifle and if you PT me I will tell you what he offered to sell it to me for as well. I can't believe he only gave you the original percussion lock and not the L&R Flintlock Lock as well!!

Something just don't seem right about this whole deal! :hmm:

Respectfully, Cowboy