Jaeger Rifle or Long Rifle ?

[Murphinator]

Recently ive been on an almost literal hunt for my first muzzleloading rifle. Most shops either have nothing new or they are selling used consignment rifles for the price of a racehorse. Anyhow Ive been doing some searching online and have come across two sets of rifles I am interested in. My question is what are the Pros and Cons of both a Jaeger Style Rifle or a Long Rifle of the same caliber ? It would be a hunting rifle whatever I choose and it will be Whitetail Deer that will be hunted. Range would typically be shots of a maximum of 85 yards (maybe 100 when I get very very good one day). The land I hunt is mostly flat and the woods arent very thick so movement is easy. That being said I cant really find anything on the two as comparisons besides everyone mentioning overall length or arguing period correctness. If anyone has recommedations for exact rifles i.e. brand, type, caliber or length that they prefer please do feel free to comment. Thank you to all who reply.

 

[david w]

It's difficult for me to decide for you. Both rifles have pro's and cons. The shorter rifle can maneuver through thick brush better. But a long rifle looks better, in my opinion. My best deer hunting rifle is a .62 cal. Hawken flintlock with a 36" barrel. My squirrel rifle is a .36 Kibler SMR with a 46" barrel. Several members here have barrel lengths much shorter, and have good accuracy.

 

[Flintlock]

The one YOU like best is the only real answer. They both do the job well. A good rifle like these is a very personal choice and even more important than picking a wife.

 

[Tradbow]

If you aren’t planning on doing historical trekking or Rendezvous then get the one that appeals to you the most.

 

[dbo]

In my opinion,with patched round balls, a 50 would be a minimum. As to jaeger or long rifle,pure aesthetics. Which do you like the looks of. To carry and handle in the woods,I'd stay at a max of 36 in barrel. JMO

 

[EC121]

Buy what you like. Then deal with it in the woods. As the local furniture store ads say: "If you buy nice, you don't buy twice.". Hunting is only part of the year, but you will look at it for 12mos.

 

[Jaegermeister]

Jaeger! It’s very name means hunter or huntsman. Must be a good reason for that.

 

[John Strong]

I think your best bet would be to get your hands on a couple of rifles and shoulder them if possible. You need to see what feels best to you. It's can be a tough decision. You'll need to consider length of pull, balance, weight, and all that good stuff. Do you have a black powder club ear you? Most people are willing to help, some may even let you shoot their rifle. Good luck with your search.

 

[recurvebill]

I have loved the black powder smoke since my wife bought me my first one after she roped me !! Thoroughly enjoy my 39" Pedersoli , .36 cal , T/C Cherokee , Seneca , Hawken , 56 smooth bore , and 12ga Tree Hawk !! MY POINT ? BUY AND USE THE ONE (OR MORE) THAT "YOU" THINK YOU WILL GET THE MOST USE FROM !!!!! AND !! Welcome !!!!!

 

[Murphinator]

I think your best bet would be to get your hands on a couple of rifles and shoulder them if possible. You need to see what feels best to you. It's can be a tough decision. You'll need to consider length of pull, balance, weight, and all that good stuff. Do you have a black powder club ear you? Most people are willing to help, some may even let you shoot their rifle. Good luck with your search.

Sadly, ive been to 32 gun stores of which 11 had a few muzzleloaders in stock. Mostly all Percussion or modern. A few new the rest were all used and not in best condition. I was able shoulder only 5 flintlocks. Only 2 were rifles the rest all Pedersoli Muskets. One was a Pedersoli Mortimer which was terrible in my opinion as i could hardly see the front sight from the rear and the second rifle was a Jukar .45 caliber but it looked like hell.

 

[John Strong]

Sadly, ive been to 32 gun stores of which 11 had a few muzzleloaders in stock. Mostly all Percussion or modern. A few new the rest were all used and not in best condition. I was able shoulder only 5 flintlocks. Only 2 were rifles the rest all Pedersoli Muskets. One was a Pedersoli Mortimer which was terrible in my opinion as i could hardly see the front sight from the rear and the second rifle was a Jukar .45 caliber but it looked like hell.

It may be worth a call to Dixon's Muzzleloading to see what they have. It's probably a 3 hour drive or so for you, so I would call first. Next weekend is Ft. Frederick. There is usually some rifles there for sale. You might want to check out FT Frederick if it is not too far away for you.

 

[SmoothboreMurph]

Since most of the comments are "Get what you Like" and are completely missing your question I think it will be time for some answering of your question. Lets begin with the Long Rifle, for starters most of your long rifles will have 42", 44" and 46" barrels. They will be in calibers .40-.62 for the most part. That being said you'll need to decide on a caliber. Maryland minimum is .40 caliber. I personally have taken deer with .45 caliber, .50 caliber, .54 caliber and .75 caliber(Musket). The bigger ball puts them out quicker imo as even the heart shot i made with a .45 had the deer runnin for 40 yards. The .54 put a doe down with 15 yards of running and the .75 dropped a large buck on the spot he moved mayber 3 feet. Now to get back on topic. The longer rifle barrels will give you better sight pictures as well as imo a more stable offhand shot. Long Rifles also imo compliment a taller person with a fuller figure me being 6'4" and 215lbs. You'll also need to note where you'll be hunting and if you walk your deer woods. If you do a lot of walking where you might need to squeeze on off quickly you need to see what fits you best. Get a stick or branch about 5 ft long and try swinging it like your aiming and trying to take a deer in quick time. If you can swing an 6 to 8 pound 5ft branch you'll be one step further on your long rifle. Now back to the Jaeger. The Jaeger Rifle is usually a large bore short rifle however these days they are usually .54 caliber or .58 caliber. They typically have a 30" to 34" barrel. Jaegers are good for tree stands and blinds as well as thick dense brush and thickets. They are good for long walks and very fast on the dime shots. Jaegers are also easier to transport. What vehicle will you be using to hunt with. If you are driving a Ford F150 or a Honda CRV youll not be fitting a 5 foot longrifle in there easily. So lets wrap this up, if you want to be like the hunters of olde then take the long rifle. If you want a rifle thats easy to move, use and get a few questions asked get a Jaeger. Most longrifles are 42" barrel so if you want to stand out id say get a 46" or 48". Hope this helps answer your question. AZ Muzzleloaders on this forum has many for sale on his profile here and on GunBroker. Users always sell here and Kibler is always highly rated. If you want a Jaeger let me give you some advice. Buy a Pedersoli Jaeger Target model in .54 caliber my buddy uses one and its a dream. Secondly a lot of Jaegers for sale are originals from the 1800's. So if you want a piece or history that is always an option. Id also suggest looking up the US Model 1817 Common Rifle as it is an excellent rifle and is a historic piece my friends father hunts with one and it is a divine piece. Check Gunbroker, Track of the Wolf and this forums firearms classifieds for rifles for sale. Go to Ft Frederick in two weeks if you can. Most importantly dont buy anything over $2,000 for your first rifle. Hope this helps you out on your quest to find the holy grail. EDIT: ALWAYS HAVE AN ORIGINAL FIREARM LOOKED OVER BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO SET OFF A POWDER CHARGE AS THIS COULD LEAD TO INJURY OR DEATH. If you decide on an originial and gunsmith says its good to fire start with low powder charges and a remote firing system ( shooting clamp rest and ripcord).

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Short barrels are just as accurate as long barrels but they don't bump into things as often as long barrels do. I like both for different reasons. The obvious solution to your dilemma is to buy one of each but if that isn't possible I'd have to say go for the short one. No matter what they say, length does matter.

 

[Murphinator]

Short barrels are just as accurate as long barrels and don't bump into things as often as long barrels do. I like both for different reasons. The obvious solution to your dilemma is to buy one of each but if that isn't possible I'd have to say go for the short one. No matter what they say, length does matter.

Do you own a Jaeger personally if so what caliber do you reccomend? Also do mean it matters for accuracy and range or just the whole bumping things into and transporting issues ?

 

[The Crisco Kid]

No, I don't own a Jaeger but I do hunt with a 30" barreled rifle. I also have a Kibler Southern Mountain Rifle with a 44" barrel. The shorter rifle is a whole lot handier getting in and out of a truck, which is more of what I do in my old age, than is the Kibler. However, I may take the Kibler out for a javelina hunt next spring. It's all depends on the type of hunting or shooting that you do.

 

[Murphinator]

No, I don't own a Jaeger but I do hunt with a 30" barreled rifle. I also have a Kibler Southern Mountain Rifle with a 44" barrel. The shorter rifle is a whole lot handier getting in and out of a truck, which is more of what I do in my old age, than is the Kibler. However, I may take the Kibler out for a javelina hunt next spring. It's all depends on the type of hunting or shooting that you do.

What caliber do you typically hunt with ?

 

[longcruise]

I would suggest you consider any of the (relatively) inexpensive entry level rifles. They are mostly available in 50 or 54 caliber which will fill the bill for whitetails. So maybe neither of the rifles you are considering .

 

[Jaegermeister]

Just for kicks do an internet search for Pedersoli Jaeger Hunter flintlock rifle. Nice. Not an exact replica Jaeger but great looking and I bet you’ll want one. Look it up if you get some spare time. I bought one when they first came out but sold it to finance my Jaeger kit from Track of the Wolf. I still miss it though. And it has authentic sling swivels. Very handy.

 

[Nor'Easter]

*I would re-enforce the point that transporting a muzzleloader is something to pay attention to. Up until two years ago my longest barreled gun was a 36". No problem getting in/out of any reasonable sized vehicle. Then I bought a fowler with a 41" barrel. I drive a Silverado crew cab, and you have to pay attention getting the fowler in/out of the truck. And if the truck was packed up with hunting / camping gear inside it would be next to impossible.
*Having said all that, as I get older, the further the sights are from my face the better. The front sight on my TC Cherokee is getting harder to focus on each time I shoot it.

 

[Nor'Easter]

Also, if you shoot unmentionables the style you prefer will give you a clue. To me, long rifles are or should be slim and graceful, like the way '92 Win with iron sights carries in your hand. The Jaegers and Hawkins type rifles tend to be stout, and feel like a Rem 700 in the hand. Always exceptions, but that has been my general experience.