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I have for sale an original Jaeger 56cal pillar breech rifle circa 1847 to 1865 in remarkable shape. This rifle has a Germanic flare to it but could also be Danish there are some markings on the side flats but you can only see the tops and I have not been interested enough to pull the barrel to check.
I originaly intended to hunt with this rifle but health problems and age have put an end to anything strenuous. It is fully shootable and the condition for a 150+ year old rifle is amazing. The rifling is strong and appears to be a 1/25 twist the bore is a bit dark but I see no pitting. The barrel is swamped and has a two leaf rear sight and the nipple is free and easily removed. The lock is a short throw and is in perfect shape mechanicaly and only showing a few polish marks on the plate. The stock is in amazing shape and the only detractions is a small stable crack in front of the lock bolt washer. The wooden patchbox slides freely and the checkering is crisp but does not show signs of touchup.
Sharp eyes have probably noticed the strange ramrod. It is steel with a bulbous end and identifies the rifle as a pillar breech. For those not familiar with the term it was an 1847 invention by a Frenchman and predated the mini ball for loading an undersize conical bullet into a rifle. With the pillar breech an undersized flat based bullet is slid down the barrel to come to rest on a post or pillar extending from the face of the breechplug. The steel ramrod is then given a swift downward thrust against the bullet with the base being expanded by the pillar. The system was quite successul but was eventually replaced by the mini bullet. My original idea was to cast up some .54 minis and bump up the base a bit and ignore the pillar. That never came to pass and the rifle has been a safe queen for a number of years. Time to pass it along to someone who will put it to use.
The weight of the rifle is 7lbs 12oz, barrel length is 29in, overall length is 44in and length of pull is 13&1/2in. The nose cap appears to be horn and triggerguard and butplate are brass as are the thimbles. The ramrod is hard to pull out and the channel could use relieved a bit.
I am asking $1050 plus shipping anywhere in the CONUS it is legal to ship to. Payment by postal money order or personal check with time to clear.
I originaly intended to hunt with this rifle but health problems and age have put an end to anything strenuous. It is fully shootable and the condition for a 150+ year old rifle is amazing. The rifling is strong and appears to be a 1/25 twist the bore is a bit dark but I see no pitting. The barrel is swamped and has a two leaf rear sight and the nipple is free and easily removed. The lock is a short throw and is in perfect shape mechanicaly and only showing a few polish marks on the plate. The stock is in amazing shape and the only detractions is a small stable crack in front of the lock bolt washer. The wooden patchbox slides freely and the checkering is crisp but does not show signs of touchup.
Sharp eyes have probably noticed the strange ramrod. It is steel with a bulbous end and identifies the rifle as a pillar breech. For those not familiar with the term it was an 1847 invention by a Frenchman and predated the mini ball for loading an undersize conical bullet into a rifle. With the pillar breech an undersized flat based bullet is slid down the barrel to come to rest on a post or pillar extending from the face of the breechplug. The steel ramrod is then given a swift downward thrust against the bullet with the base being expanded by the pillar. The system was quite successul but was eventually replaced by the mini bullet. My original idea was to cast up some .54 minis and bump up the base a bit and ignore the pillar. That never came to pass and the rifle has been a safe queen for a number of years. Time to pass it along to someone who will put it to use.
The weight of the rifle is 7lbs 12oz, barrel length is 29in, overall length is 44in and length of pull is 13&1/2in. The nose cap appears to be horn and triggerguard and butplate are brass as are the thimbles. The ramrod is hard to pull out and the channel could use relieved a bit.
I am asking $1050 plus shipping anywhere in the CONUS it is legal to ship to. Payment by postal money order or personal check with time to clear.
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