Jaeger Length

[Curt LaManna]

Stophel is correct in the misnomer of a "Jeager" as the rifle. It would be in German, a "Jaeger Gewehr", Hunter's Rifle. As Americans we abbreviate about everything, even if it's incorrect.
I have to correct pattern "Jaeger Gewehrs", circa, 1750-1780, one was made by James Gefroh, of Gefroh's Big-Bores, and is 31" bbl. .58 cal., it's one fancy embellished rifle, and the other is .62 cal. also 31" bbl. It's more plain, as an issue to an NCO, Jaeger Soldier's would have been, during the American Revolutionary War period.
I'm 6'4" and it's not too short for me and I prefer the Jaeger Gewehr's handling characteristics. It may not be my first choice for a long-range Desert environment shot, but for fun, I think they are just great!
I think you NEED a Jaeger Gewehr, Big D!
28-32" bbl would be about right, and unless you're 8' tall, it won't be too small for you! :thumbsup:

 

[BigDeutscher]

Good golly Mike ...you are an artist
That is just what I am looking for
a real looker WOW!!!
My Hoyt thinks it will be a good project for me.
I like a 44 right inbetween what I have and what is in the Works
Thanks Mike I am inspired
Deutsch

 

[BigDeutscher]

I didnt see these on your site ,
I guess I wasnt lookin hard enough.
Thanks again
It is wonderful we have this means to share great works like the two guns you posted.
I havent started with my new england Fowler yet other than ordering the barrel and gathering some parts,and already the next project is going
I will call Bobby tommorow and see if he can make me a barrel like he made for you.He already bored it and has one machine broken down, so I have a couple of weeks to get with him on the specs
Deutsch

 

[Ken Cormier]

Yep Smiley then sur are nice gunne's

 

[hoochiepapa]

Nice, Mike!!

 

[hoochiepapa]

I just went through Shumway's "Jaeger Rifles", and the barrel lengths run the gamut of 24" to 40". And some were said to be shortened. DO what you want, and have fun. :thumbsup:

 

[tg]

I have always wondered that if specific builders were making longer barreled smoothbores and got into the rifleing game why they would automaticaly go short with the rilfes? if thye all did, the only think I could see would be the limitations of their equipment but it seems they would at least for some get a rifle cutting set up to accomdate what they were used to making, just speculation and thinking out loud, and if the mid 18th century Dutch imports were made because that was what the market was asking for then colonial builders must have made quite a few longer barreled rifles in the 2nd quarter of the 18th century for this demand to be spawned, not argueing with anyone or anything just trying to make some sense of it as there are virtualy no surviving rifles of colonial make or of the import type mentioned from the 2nd/3rd quarters of the 18th century to examine, I am very comfortable with Mr. Brooks and Stophels impressions of early guns, Eric Kettenberg is another real good source for a passable pattern I think

 

[jsn]

Maybe you could get creative and try something a bit more interesting?

Maybe a bit earlier?

Like this maybe?

 

[jsn]

Just saying this but I think that a shorter rifle barrel would take less time to rifle. And once a barrel was rifled it was more accurate than what they had been using......

Just my 2 cents

 

[redwing]

I use a 30" swamped .58 Cal and I call it a Yaeger. I shoot Big Bore and Primitve with this rifle. It is a great off hand rifle. I like my Long rifles but you have to ask why did they go to the long tubes. This rifle will hold its own out to my hunting limits of 150 yds. :hmm:

 

[BigDeutscher]

Ye have madeith a fineth rifle for ye-self
I like it .And your home pictured in the backround looks quite roomy and well built.
just funnin!
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[tg]

"Just saying this but I think that a shorter rifle barrel would take less time to rifle. And once a barrel was rifled it was more accurate than what they had been using......"

I really do not know why some made longer barrels and others made shorter ones in the mid to late 18th century as the general of the time theory was that ballisticaly longer was better, it had been the norm for many places for a long time, I guess appearance/style and personal preference probably played a role in the choices then as now

 

[jerrywh]

Original Jaeger barrels averaged 28". 32" would be considered long. Some were as short as 18"
years ago I aveaged about 50 different jaegers

 

[Stophel]

Some were as short as 18"

Oh, they can be even shorter than that! I have a little German rifle from about 1830 (the lock was originally flint, but I think the gun as it is stocked was always percussion). The barrel is 16" long. :wink:

 

[hoochiepapa]

Some were as short as 18"

Oh, they can be even shorter than that! I have a little German rifle from about 1830 (the lock was originally flint, but I think the gun as it is stocked was always percussion). The barrel is 16" long. :wink:

hotoSmile:

 

[Stophel]

www.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Fatdutchman/Original Flintlocks/1830Stutzen/

I have the hammer. The tumbler in it has been badly butchered by drilling through it to put a brass screw with a nut inside to hold the hammer on. The lock is rather older, and has no bridle. Probably 65-70 caliber.

 

[BigDeutscher]

there is one almost like yours for sale on gun broker
Its a Jeager with a 33 inch barrel
same butt stock configureation .68 cal
$85.00 flint not shootable
I would like to have it just for parts
Deutsch

 

[hoochiepapa]

An absolute beauty!! I love those old German(?) rifles. THey were real craftsmen.
Thanks for posting the pics.

 

[Squire1]

Speaking without facts as I'm certainly not knowledgeable on the subject I speculate the Colonial gunsmiths copied the short barrel imported rifles because the paying customers were accustomed to that style. If you wanted to one up your neighbor on the next farm with a new rifle then you wanted one just like his only a smidge better.

It's possible that the European gunsmiths made rifles with short barrels because longer barrels carried a higher tax. At that time in history Europe was still split up into small Principalities who imposed taxes on everything, even the number of windows in your house.

Regards,
Squire

 

[Curt LaManna]

It's possible that the European gunsmiths made rifles with short barrels because longer barrels carried a higher tax. At that time in history Europe was still split up into small Principalities who imposed taxes on everything, even the number of windows in your house.

Regards,
Squire

Now we have a "Government" here, that taxes us on everything else! Maybe some of these "Representatives" need to read that pesky thing, called the "Constitution"?!?!