Jager questions

[Parzifal]

Hi guys , Was reinacting this weekend , and seen many nice guns.
I also am becoming captivated by the jager rifle.

But due to the cost I am looking carefully into the pros and cons of each.

Are all the Jagers breeched like the pieder ones, with a patent breach "of sorts???

Also who offers them in a "white" kit form with the lock already tapped for the mounting screws, barell tennins fitted, and sights installed?


Thanks gents

 

[Stophel]

There are several who make "Jaeger" kits, but in my not so humble opinion, none of them I have seen so far are very good as to style and stock shaping.

You will find German guns with hooked breeches...Smoothbore bird guns, but rarely, if ever, will you find a rifle with one. "Patent breeches", no. In the 19th century, I suppose, but not really the 18th.

 

[William Joy]

Drilling and tapping is quite simple. Track of the Wolf has a Jaeger kit and offeres gunsmithing services....

 

[Birddog6]

If you want a "in-the-white" Jaeger, I suggest ya call Tip Curtis Frontier Shop. Tip usually has one made up & they are fairly priced (IMHO) He is at Friendship right now but you can reach him a 615-654-4445 in a week or so. Or call him & leave a message & tell him what you are wanting & leave him your tele.# and he is pretty good at returning calls when he gets back.

:thumbsup:

 

[Mike Brooks]

I'd do some research. There is no jeager on the market that accurately represents anything that was made in that time period.
Maybe those fellows in India will be whipping those together soon..... :wink:

 

[Stophel]

Hey Mike, you haven't washed away, I guess. Hope you're not flooded out where you are. I know a lot of folks there are.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Hey Mike, you haven't washed away, I guess. Hope you're not flooded out where you are. I know a lot of folks there are.

You'd get flooded out by the Mississippi before we do, we're several hundred feet above flood stage on the bluff. :thumbsup:

 

[Parzifal]

I'd do some research. There is no jeager on the market that accurately represents anything that was made in that time period.
Maybe those fellows in India will be whipping those together soon..... :wink:

Nah I doubt it, I want a walnut stock and a swamped barell.

I am definately going to do as much study as I can.
My friends rifle is built from a track kit, Swamped barell, and just a beauty.

Though I dont want the patch box.

I have opened a dialogue with sitting fox, and he is really being patient with my questions and requests.

I want something, with some ornamentation, carvings and engraving.
"I am going to do the wood engraving and a friend of mine is to be contracted to do the metal engraving"
All in all I want it to be a might basic, steel mounted reflecting a somewhat Germanic/Hungarian aspect if that makes any sence.

Cheers

 

[pcrum]

A good book to pick up is "jaeger rifles" by Shumway Link It has tons of Photographs and is arranged by region.
Keep in mind that true Jaegers were custom made so there really no two alike. They all had typical characteristics, but there is not a "standard jaeger" This has pro's and cons of course. The pros are that there is a lot of leeway in what you can do. Just don't go crazy.
Also, most of what you see here, my own rifle included are "americanized" jaegers, which are a slightly different animal from the really expensive European guns that would have been really rare over here in the 18th century.

One thing of note- a few of the Jaegers in Shumway's book are smoothbore, and IIRC a couple are straight rifled (lands and grooves that have no twist.)
Hope this helps!
Pat

 

[Mike Brooks]

Though I don't want the patch box.

Even the Military guns the Hessians brought over had wood box covers.
Get the book by Dewitt Bailey about English rifles in the colonies, he has a good section on the Hessian rifles that were brought over here. They were built to a specific pattern. TOTW probably sells it.
Take it easy on the decoration, these Hessian military guns were pretty plain, They had carving, but it wasn't elaborate.
Here's a good example of a jeager that I built last year.
JEAGER

 

[Stophel]

Never seen a Hungarian rifle...or gun of any kind for that matter. I would tend to think that they would probably follow Austrian style...

German smoothbore guns rarely had sliding wood boxes (but sometimes do), and the rifles rarely are without them (but sometimes are).

First place to go is to www.hermann-historica.com and look through their online auction catalogs. Good photos of lots of neat stuff.

 

[mazo kid]

Mike, that is a mighty handsome gun! Emery

 

[Mike Brooks]

Wow, Mr Mike, that Yaeger...Wow, thats what I mean by a bit of engraving, simple and tasteful.
I also fancy the big lock, shure to give lots of spark.
I have made up my mind to go with the Davis large Germanic lock.
Its going to be my 1st really high quality piece so I am going to be aplenty picky about the components, and really take my time.

I would suggest instead their new "colonial" lock....I think that's what they call it. It's the same lock that is on that Jaeger I built and posted pictures of above. It's far more correct for what you're looking to do.

 

[Parzifal]

Wow, Mr Mike, that Yaeger...Wow, thats what I mean by a bit of engraving, simple and tasteful.
I also fancy the big lock, shure to give lots of spark.
I have made up my mind to go with the Davis large Germanic lock.
Its going to be my 1st really high quality piece so I am going to be aplenty picky about the components, and really take my time.