Jaeger barrels

[BillinOregon]

I'm just daydreaming about one of these rifles, but would my dream be more correct if the rifle had a swamped barrel? Were any jaegers built with straight or tapered barrels?
Thinking about the Pecatonica kit, which I understand isn't terribly correct, but my goal would be a handy big bore flint hunting rifle. Seems like a jaeger with swamped barrel would be a good choice. I would likely go to a different barrel -- maybe a Rice or Longhammock -- to get a .62 or larger bore.

 

[fatboy]

Did some research into this and seams a 28 to 36" swamped would be the way to go i have a .58 straight barrel laying here and I cant seam to make myself do a jaeger rifle with it it should be a swamped barrel. I think others will chime in.

 

[Scharfrichter]

Did mine w/o a swamped. I wish I had, nuff' said.

 

Pecatonica offers a very correct style kit for a germanic jaeger and they offer a swamped barrel from either Getz or Colerain as an option. I built TOTW's jaeger but if I were to do it over I would give Pecatonica's kit a try. The fore stock is more finished and I love the trigger guard. Both Track of the Wolf and Pecatonica uses R.E.Davis locks and triggers which are very correct. Keep in mind that jaegers had countless variations in hardware styles and other details but all generally had short, swamped barrels, big locks, thick stocks, flat butt plates, slings and set triggers. Having said that there are also (although not as common) long barreled smooth bored jaegers, swivel breech jaegers and on and on. Try to retain the key, common features and you can't hardly go wrong with a jaeger style rifle. You are offered more freedom in design than you would be if you were building an Issac Haines, Bedford Co. or a Lancaster style. You gotta love a jaeger !

 

[Birddog6]

All of them I have built have had swamped barrels & the balance wonderfully. I have one here now about 1/2 way done in a .72 cal straight Orion barrel & boy that seems wierd to handle after having all swamped barrels. I have stocks ready to do 4 more, so I guess ya could say I like them........

Personally for hunting I like the 31" barrel the best, and for target I like the 37" barrel the best.

Use a White Lightning vent liner & it will make a big difference. Really fast ignition......

As for the locks, I like the Chambers Germanic & Chambers Virginia or Colonial locks for them the best. Plus the Chambers lock has a lifetime warranty on parts. Have used several of the Davis Jaegers & had big problems with 2 of them. But it is a good sparker if ya get one that happens to be put together right. Had a horrendous time with a couple L&R Jaeger locks & 2 years later they admitted they had a problem.. no kidding........ ALL in All, I would go with Chambers first & Davis second & if it comes to using a L&R, I pick a different rifle & start over with the Chambers lock first again........

:results:

 

[BillinOregon]

Fellas: Really appreciate the replies. Another question, just out of curiosity: I am I correct in believing Jaegers tended to have faster twists? Not that I wanta fast twist, that is. In fact, I would consider setting up the rifle with Forsythe-style round-ball rifling and heavy charges for big-game hunting.

 

I have read of some that had very fast 1-24" inch twists, some had slower twists and some had grooves and lands with no twist at all, just straight grooves. These germanic rifles are fun to research. Something new to learn at every turn (or rate of twist).

 

[Birddog6]

Bill: Suite yourself, but if it were me I would get the twist for what I am going to do with it, rather than what a certain one was. Jaegers had all kinds of calibers, twists, barrel lengths, etc. But myself, I would not set a twist that takes a 150 grain charge to shoot accurately if I am only going bear or moose hunting 2 times in my life.... (in reality) if you get my drift. Or the same just to target shoot or deer hunt with......
Now some guys do this & that is fine, it is their money, and I am not knocking the special twists or big calibers or special barrels or nothing like that...... And a few of them shoot these rifles & say they enjoy them & go out & shoot it 10-20 times in a day...... However, from what I have seen, any more than that & most guys are beat to a pulp...... So, be that as it may, I personally don't care to have the manure beat out of me just shooting one 15 times in a day, when I can take it down to a reasonable charge & twist & shoot the dang thing all day long & not pay for it for 2 weeks later. (in wallet & sore shoulder) I would rather have one that is reasonable to build, reasonable to get the caliber & twist I can really use, and reasonable to shoot ($).
Also if it is a more normal rifle & you take care of it, you can sell a nicely built Jaeger in a heartbeat if it is something that the general hunter or target shooter can shoot.

:results:

NOTE: The Jaegers I have seen with real short barrels (21-24") did have faster twists than the longer barreled ones. But I always set the twist by the caliber I want to shoot RB in, not by what someone did 300 years ago.
Because they did a certian twist 300 years ago doesn't mean it was the right twist for that barrel & caliber, it just means the gunsmith they contracted to make the rifle picked that twist & caliber by what "he" thought was best OR what some general told him to make ?....
Lots of times people think because something is PC it means it is right.... Not So.... it only means it was done that way at that time cause that is how they figured out to accomplish the goal with the knowledge & tooling available at the time.....
But it doesn't necessarily mean it was the best way. :imo: