M1803/41/51 Kongsberg Jaeger Rifle

[ron wehmeyer]

Question for bpd303 or anyone who may have one like this. The Goellner back action lock that I have looks similar to your Jaeger lock. Question is the tumbler /hammer shaft square on yours? The tumbler hammer shaft on the Goellner is Pentagon . Has anyone else seen this ?,,DT

 

[arquebus]

I played with a pillar breech (Systeme a'Tige) rifle for a while. Here's a thread relating to it: http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...8366/post/764593/hl/tige/fromsearch/1/#764593

and here's another, that goes a bit deeper into the origin of my rifle, the bullets & reloading of the pillar breech rifles: http://britishmilitariaforums.yuku.com/topic/9291#.V91iM_krK70

 

[bpd303]

The tumbler shaft on mine is square.

 

[ron wehmeyer]

Thank you for the info arquebus, I will read through all of it. ,,,DT

 

[ron wehmeyer]

Thanks bpd303. Did your lock have the stalking safety at one time?,,DT

 

[bpd303]

I believe it did at one time. There is a threaded hole just in front of the hammer with a curved raised boss, where the safety would have been mounted.

 

[ron wehmeyer]

I think you are right , I can send you a close-up picture of the Goellner safety , If you would like. From what I see , it would not be hard to duplicate one. If you had a mind to.,,,DT

 

[bpd303]

I have seen some pictures of them, where the safety rotates and has an extension to block the hammer fall. It would be nice to have a close-up for the back action lock. Thanks

 

[ron wehmeyer]

I will get a close-up picture of the safety in daylight and post it.,,,DT

 

[ron wehmeyer]

bpd303 I apologize for the awful pic. Having trouble loading my new pictures. Here is one of the Goellner safety . It shows that the simple lever is shaped to match the hammer's outside shape . To engage , the hammer is pulled back just a small amount the the safety is lifted into place . This part could be made very easy.,,DT

 

[bpd303]

No apology necessary. I should be able to forge that in no time flat. Thanks

 

[bpd303]

The knob came out a little different, but it works fine. Thanks again.

 

[ron wehmeyer]

Looks Great to me ! ,,,DT

 

[Mean Gene]

Bet it would make one hell of a hog gun.

 

[ron wehmeyer]

I plan on taking it on a Hog hunt as soon as it cools off a bit! ,,,DT

 

[Billnpatti]

I have been reading with much pleasure this thread about your beautiful Konsgberg Jager rifle. You talked about the "pillar breach" and I didn't know what that was. I looked it up online and now know what it is but what is its purpose? Is the spike of the pillar breach intended to puncture the paper cartridge when you seat it? :idunno:

 

[Gene L]

Piqued my curiosity about a pillar breech. Here's what I found.

"As the name implies, the pillar breech system comprises of a pillar extending from the breech plug of the barrel. The system was developed by Louis-Étienne de Thouvenin as another way to force a bullet into the barrel rifling. To load, one pushed the cylindrico-conical bullet down the bore with a heavy iron/steel ramrod until it came to rest on top of the pillar, then the bullet would be given a heavy blow to cause it to expand into the rifling. The system is an improvement of the Delvigne system as the bullet largely remains in shape even when struck to make it expand. In this case the pillar has a pointed tip, other adaptations used a flat topped pillar."

 

[ron wehmeyer]

Hi Mr. Billnpatti, The pillar is meant to poke a hole in the base of the bullet and expand it . The Kongsberg Jaeger has a special heavy steel ramrod for seating the bullet that matches the bullet nose shape. The Idea is that a semi loose fitting bullet could be loaded then sized so to speak, on the pillar , to fit the bore. I have cast some bullets designed for the Kongsberg Jaeger and have made the paper cartridges as described by the Norwegians . I will test them soon and report back. Thanks for the interest in the old , odd ball rifle . ,,,DT

 

[Billnpatti]

Dusty and Gene, Thank you for your enlightenment on a pillar breach. I had never heard of one and had no idea what it could be for. Sounds like a pretty ingenious idea.

 

[bpd303]

Here is an explanation of the pillar breech and the evolution of bullets of the era, on the Pedersoli site. If you scroll down and click on the breech illustrations number 2 is a pillar. http://www.davide-pedersoli.com/ri...he-19th-century-concal-bullet-revolution.html