Jaeger project rifle...

[bpd303]

I picked up this original German Jaeger off of Gunbroker for $140. I figured the lock alone would be worth the cost. When it came in I was pleasantly surprised as it's in much better shape than I thought it would be in.

The barrel/bore is in very good shape, no rust or pitting. It is marked WILH:KRUEGER in WRIEZEN and 22 inches long. The bore is four lands & groves that measure as .560 and .600 respectively. After de-breeching I was surprised to find it has a Thouvein Tige/pillar breech and the twist rate is 1:14.

The lock is missing the hammer, but works perfectly and has a half cock with a fly. The set triggers work, after a little cleaning/oiling and adjustment.

It has a horn trigger guard that's in good shape.

Now on to the stock, it's missing the patch box cover and someone has started making a missing fore end out of what looks like a cut off from a long rifle.
I have never seen a Jaeger with a two piece stock, but looking at the original stock I think it was made that way. I've got my work cut out, but it should be fun and a great shooter.

Any thoughts?

 

[necchi]

I think,
For 140 you've got a good value in the barrel, lock, triggers and TG,,
I'd buy new wood and start from scratch rather than attempting to bandaid or putting time in the split stock,
No matter what you do it's still gonna look like two pieces of wood.
IMHO, :idunno:

 

[Col. Batguano]

Cutting out a patch box to fit an existing inlet is tricky. It's much easier to inlet the wood for an existing patch box.

The horn TG is a real find. I don't think those are commercially available from the usual sources.

Yeah you have a solid $140 in parts there. What about the butt plate?

 

[Stophel]

I seriously doubt that it was originally made as a two piece stock. I'm sure that the stock was cut in half to stuff it in a duffel bag.

:wink:

 

[F.G. Ford]

Very nice find! :shocked2:
Could you please show us more of the rifle.
The wrist area, butt plate area.
I am excited about your find.
A piece of bison horn for the nose cap would be nice, also a flat piece of horn to use as a spacer
between both pieces of wood.
All the best!
Fred

 

[kaintuck]

Yup.....need a new stock, and a nice BP, nose cap, RR pipes....then age that wood finish to match the metals patina....you'll have about 300 bucks in a supper nice "original"
:bow: :grin:
Marc

 

[bpd303]

I figured that I could restock it as a last resort, but I always try and preserve as much of an original as possible.

The existing stock is in good shape so I'll try and add a fore-stock first. I like the idea of the horn spacer and nose piece. I don't think it will be too hard to make the sliding patch box cover with some walnut pieces I have.

Some more pictures.
The butt plate is nice with engraving, but my camera doesn't take good close ups.

The rear sight is a two leaf flip up.

Found a hammer in my "stuff", that fit with a little filing for the tumbler shaft. I had to reinforce the tang, where it was cracked at the through bolt by welding a piece to the underside.

 

[Col. Batguano]

A wooden patch box shouldn't be too hard to make. It's the metal ones that would be tougher to get to fit something that's already cut out. Still, getting the forestock to match the butt will be a chore. Maybe using something like an ebony spacer, to make it look like it was originally designed that way? I'd pitch that chunk of wood that's on there now. The bedding job is terrible, and the grain pattern doesn't come close to matching.

 

[Supercracker]

If you really want to get down to brass tacks.

If you can find a fairly close match in color for the new wood. You could shape it up to the point of being ready for finish and then send it to to The Stock Doctor to be matched up. He can make it so that you can't tell where one starts and the other ends.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Nope, after second look, I think you should ship that old to me.
A gun that old will never amount to much :redface:
I'll even pay shipping :grin:
I am well recognized as slimy old Fred, always willing to barter.
You have a fine piece of history, I'm sure, if you do your homework, you will match that fore stock just fine.
Shape your stock to the configuration as close as you can.
paint the wood well with lye, that will age your stock very well. Be sure to neutralize the wood with baking soda, to stop the ageing and so that the lye, does not attack the metal.
Fred

 

[bpd303]

Actually the piece of for-end wood when dampened with water comes very close to the color of the butt stock. It doesn't look it in the photos but I think with my wife's artistic help we will be able to match the color pretty well. As far as the bedding Acraglass will go a long way to correcting the problem. If I can't make it work to my satisfaction then the hunt for another piece of wood will begin. Being retired the time put into it is of no a concern, need something to keep me out of the taverns after all. :haha:

 

[Zonie]

Don't use lye water on walnut. It will leech out so much tannin the wood will look black.

For those who do use lye water on lighter woods, you do not neutralize it with baking soda. Both baking soda and lye are "bases".
To neutralize lye, use an acid like vinegar.

Also, lye does not attack most metals. Acids like aqua-fortis do.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Zonie,
You are quite right Lye is an alkaline, not an acid, and yes vinegar will neutralize it, but strong alkaline will cause corrosion on metals.
Lye will age walnut, and one will have to scrape back to get the color desired.
Fred

 

[bpd303]

We went to the Spring Muzzle Shoot in Berryville on the 16th. Michael from Flintlocks Inc. was there and I was able to pick up some much needed spare parts for several projects.

For the Jaeger, I got a set of ram rod pipes and some small wedge escutcheons in steel. Sadly he didn't have any horn pieces that would work.

I haven't had much time to work on it, but was able to inlet the pipes although the back extension of the pipe couldn't be inlet due to the wood being too thin. It will have to just lay proud, or I'll use a pipe without the tail.

I'm thinking of making the spacer and nose cap from polymer clay, which is very tough and looks like black ebony or horn.

 

[bpd303]

Been working on the Jaeger for a while.

Got the barrel and breech glass bedded with Acraglas & a black spacer made. It came out good & solid.

Made a new wedge pin & inleted the escutcheons. I decided not to use a black nose cap. Wrapped some black tape around the nose & didn't like the look.

Mixed some stain that comes pretty close to the original butt stock (at least I'm happy with it).

Only thing left to do now, is make the patch box cover, which I think should be plain to match the stock.

Next up... see how or if it shoots.
:grin: :grin: :grin: :hmm: :grin:

 

[kaintuck]

Looks really nice.....you did goot....... :applause:

Now to see how she shoots them 'square' booklets!

Marc

 

[bpd303]

Up early, at the crack of dawn, this morning. Like a kid on Christmas morning.

The first thing I had to do, was figure out how much powder would fill the chamber to come up to the top of the pillar in the breech. Started with 40gr of Goex ffg then dropped the ramrod down & got a metallic click when it hit the exposed pillar. Then set the measure to 5gr and added powder til I got a soft feel of powder then, wet the end of the rod with my tongue to pick up a few grains of powder. 70gr did it.

The only round ball I had was a Lee .535 cast and with a .020 linen patch, I could thumb start it (a little loose)Moose Juice as a lube. I also had some 475gr Lyman 557456 HB Minnie's that cast up at .560 with soft lead. used Jojoba oil & beeswax lube.
The targets were shot offhand at 32 yards. The first group at the top were round balls. Surprised me that they grouped so well, even though the patches were blown to pieces. I then switched to the Minnie's on the same target. 5 rounds each. I was so excited, I may have miscounted the rounds (looks like 6 to me).

This target was all Minnie's with 70gr ffg. The very top hole is actually the first 2 rounds and I discovered that I had inadvertently flipped up the rear sight leaf. All the rest 10 rounds (except for the called flyer) went into one big hole.

I think I'll keep her. :grin:

 

[satx78247]

NIFTY!!!

yours, satx

 

[shawn_c992001]

Awesome!

 

[vulture]

Fore a long time now I have wanted a short rather heavy stocked large bore, .58 probably, flintlock rifle. The one you have been working on is exactly what I had in mind. I want it to be plain, no carving and all metel to be iron, no brass. I doubt that I will ever get around to building one but after looking at your project I came close to placing an order for some parts, but common sense won out this time, common sense and my bank account, oh and my wife, if mama aint happy ain nobody happy, and that my friends is an eternal truth. Very nice work you have done, thanks for the pix. Stew.