German Jaegers

[hawkeye1755]

A friend of mine wants to buy a new Jaeger rifle.So i searched the web and found this.
Bavarian Longrifle
Description: A 60-caliber, 40-inch barreled rifle c. 1730. The architecture and carving are influenced by a Bavarian Jaeger, illustrated by George Shumway in one of his Germanic rifle articles.

Burl Stocked Jaeger
Description: A 58-caliber, 26-inch barreled Germanic hunting rifle. The iron mounts are tastefully engraved with traditional motifs.

Damascus barreled Jaeger
Description: A 50-caliber hunting rifle combining mounts and architecture of the Prague school with decorative carving typical of the Suhl region. The Damascus barrel is a unique decorative addition. C. 1730

Oh, btw,for those of you who wants to know the guy who made these jaegers: Link
:hatsoff:

 

[d.thomson]

Wow , beautiful gun. It looks like more than I will ever be able to aford. Still nice to look at F.K. P.S. I would be afraid to take it into the bush, one scratch and I wouldn't stop crying like a school girl for a week :haha: At first I thought it was one rifle, I still wouldn't take any of them hunting. They are pieces of art.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Both rifles are unbelievable!
I have seen some very fine work on this site...BUT! that first rifle takes the "PRIZE"
Best Regards

Old Ford

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Beautiful guns.

I remember once at the Cody Firearms Museum (part of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center) when they were displaying some German Rifles. Even the the lines of the wheellock rifles were amazingly modern, led me to ponder if Jake and Sam Hawken had not gotten more than a few ideas from them for the architecture of their classic Hawken rifles,
[url] http://www.bbhc.org/firearms/index.cfm[/url]

 

[Wehrmacht]

IMO it is possible for a material object to be overpowering. Jagers fall into that catagory. I would never take something like these pictured, and the ones that my good friend Ron Ehlert made to the woods hunting. Pieces like these are for a certain type of collector or belong in a museum. At least that's my thoughts.

 

[rsblack]

Beautiful guns

 

[jweston]

Does anyone know how they made the bumping inside the acanthus on the cheek carving? That is a very neat effect that I'd like to duplicate.

 

[fw707]

Beautiful rifles! :hatsoff:

 

[wildeagle]

Blacksburg,the effect is called stippling.It is tapping the backround areas at random with a center punch or nail." When using this method you can,if you wish,paint the stippled area with india ink.the Ink is very permanent,so don't get any on the carving.The ink process will make your carving stand out like a star on a dark night".This quote is taken from the book "Chechering and Carving of Gunstocks" written by Monty Kennedy.Primarily dealing with newer guns it does have alot of great information on carving,tools plans for a stock cradle,and recipes for finishes.I've used it for a few checkering jobs,some basketweave carving,and tool designs.There is alot of informatoin between the covers.There is also some good pics of BP riles,english fowlers,a ferguson rifle,unfortunately they are all black and white.My copy is first printing march 1952, the ISPN # is 3-235-1-47778 I think - it is hand written inside the cover not printed.Sorry for all of the yak-yak-yak, :yakyak: :yakyak: but it is a good hands on book. Wild Eagle

 

[jweston]

Thanks for the response. It is a beautiful effect which highlights the carvings.

 

[whitetrash078]

drool, drool, drool, slobber, slobber, slobber, :bow:

 

[k.jacobfrost]

Those are some very beautiful rifles. They do bring up a question I have been wondering about. What are the specific things that well make a Jaeger distinctly a Jaeger?

Thanks
Frost

 

[TFoley]

The effect is commonly seen these days on target rifle and handgun grips. The German language word is 'Gepunzt' or stippled. It is done using a square punch with four spikes on it. There are many variants on the effect - some have gently-configured 'dents' whilst others have very sharply defined hills and valleys, and one can sometimes see tiny holes as well as indentations.

A look at the Nil Grip [Nil Handgriffschalen] site will show you many examples of the modern use of this finish.

BTW, not wishing to piddle on anyone's parade, but the rifle, although undoubtedly a rightly expensive work of art, would benefit from having the lock screws 'timed' or lined up. A European critic would find the present appearance rather gauche. You will note that the tang screw is likewise 'out-of-line...

For want of a nail and so on... :winking:

tac

 

[TFoley]

The effect is commonly seen these days on target rifle and handgun grips. The Germans call is 'Gepunzte' or stippled. It is done using a hand punch with spikes on it. There are many variants on the effect - some have gently-configured 'dents' whilst others have very sharply defined hills and valleys, and one can sometimes see tiny holes as well as indentations.

See -[url] https://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/store/productdetail.aspx?p=396[/url]

A look at the Nill Grip [Nill Handgriffschalen] site will show you many examples of the modern use of this finish.

BTW, not wishing to piddle on anyone's parade, but the rifle, although undoubtedly a work of art, would benefit from having the lock screws 'timed' or lined up. A European critic would find the present appearance rather gauche. You will note that the tang screw is likewise 'out-of-line...

For want of a nail and so on... :winking:

tac

 

[JoelH]

The term "jaeger" is loosely just a german word for "hunter". We here in the modern world of muzzle loaders tend to use it to describe as best we can a short rifle of large proportions, usually of large caliber, rifled, having sling swivels, European walnut stocked, heavily cheeked. Sometimes carved and embellished, but not always. There are many exceptions to the rules....some had long barrels, etc. etc. These were rifles made in the Germanic lands and designed specifically for the purpose of hunting. Many had wooden patch boxes, large trigger guards with a wide open style, some guards were made of wood, brass, steel, and even horn. The persuit and study of these awesome works is a field entirely within itself! There are many good books written about them and I highly recomend checking out the one written in German with a companion translation available from Jim Chambers website. The color pictures alone are enough to get the saliva glands all worked up! I forgot to mention the jaeger rifles were made over a very long period of history. From the time of matchlock, wheellock, through flintlock, to percussion, and I have seen some modern cartrige rifles still referred to as jaegers. I have had the pleasure to own and hunt with a 54 cal. jaeger that was made in Suhl Germany ca. 1830. It is my favorite big game bush gun. This entire rifle is just 40 inches long. A lot of punch in such a small package!

 

[JoelH]

 

[Leonredbeard]

JoelH,
I am assuming this is the original that you described. Even if it is not, thanks for sharing the pics. Beautiful gonne. I just never tire of looking at the voluptuous lines of a Jeager. I made mine fairly slim in profile, but it is heavily carved and is quite satisfying to own, shoot and hunt with.
volatpluvia

 

[fw707]

Seems like most of the Jaegers I've seen lately have swamped barrels.
Is that common on the older guns, or just a more "modern" thing to cut down on weight a little?
Maybe a dumb question, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

 

[Stophel]

Tapered and flared barrels were S.O.P. on German rifles. Most barrels were octagon. On rare occasion, you will see an octagon to round rifle barrel (though, of course, common for smoothbores), but the neatest ones I think, are round with a raised top rib!

I have gone through all my gun books and auction catalogs and such, and tabulated how many German rifles I found compared to German smoothbores. I got about a 60-40 ratio. In "real life", I end up seeing more German smoothbores than rifles!

While the German gunmakers did like to line up their tang and buttplate screws, they didn't seem to bother much with the sideplate screws.

 

[Wehrmacht]

Chris, a question for you and others familiar with original Jaegers:

Can you expect to see castoff in an original? Was it common? Am I correct in my thinking that castoff most probably originated mit der Deutsch?