Sitting Fox Jaeger....Good Deal?

[MattyB]

So, I am looking at getting a Jaeger rifle, .58cal, in brass with a brass PB, and a little carving. I have pinged about every builder I can find on the web, and Sitting Fox has told me it would be a shade over $1700 and around 6 months for a gun in the white(I can finish the wood and metal).

I have searched and searched and can't find any that are already made, so having one built is my only option right now it seems(TVM said 8 months and another $300 for what I am looking for).

Is this a good deal? It would be my first semi-custom rifle. I am not too worried about HC/PC stuff.

Before anyone says "build it yourself", let me say that's not really practical. I am deployed every other 9 months, for 9 months at a time, and would rather spend that time at home shooting it and hunting with it than messing up $800 in gun parts.

Six months is about the max I can deal with and still be able to get a decent amount of use out of it before my next taxpayer-funded trip.

Is it worth the money to have it done? Anyone else do this kind of work that might be a little faster, cheaper, better.....?

I'm just looking for extra opinions/input before plunking down what to me is a lot of money.

Thanks.

 

[jdkerstetter]

....Anyone else do this kind of work that might be a little faster, cheaper, better.....?....

As the old saying goes.....fast, cheap or good....you can't have all three. You have to decide what's important to you.

If you just want a gun in the Jaeger "style" to shoot and hunt with, then go for it. If you want a nice, quality Jaeger I suggest you pick a builder and use some of the money you would be spending on the in-the-white gun for the deposit and get on his waiting list and continue to save. If you choose wisely you will be rewarded with exactly what you want and an investment to boot.

All of that being said, Sitting Fox has been taking a beating around here lately, for what that's worth. I have no personal experience with them.

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[Zonie]

You are the only one who knows what you think is a good price.

As you've probably read by now I often mention that it takes over 140 hours of work to build a nice longrifle (or Jaeger).

Even at a minimum wage of $7.25/hour that adds up to over $1000, not including the price of the lock/stock and barrel.

 

[MattyB]

Faster/cheaper/better was meant as three separate things, not as one.

I think SF will build me exactly what I want. I know it won't be a $4K gun, because I am not paying $4K. I'm good with that. However, TVM and SF are the only folks I know of that might be able to make what I am looking for at a price that I can afford.

Since I am still pretty new at this, I'm just looking for input, ideas, etc... Maybe I overlooked something? Maybe there is something I hadn't thought of? Another company that does work like SF or TVM? That's why I asked.

 

[Flash Pan Dan]

Tip Curtis Frontier Shop
4445 Jernigan Rd.
Cross Plains,Tn.37049
615-654-4445
Tip Curtis email [email protected]

 

[kingsax26]

For what is worth.....the owner of sitting fox does not build the rifles.....he contracts out to a few different people. I was going to buy from him but I heard to much negative..usually regarding issues with build and / or finish. But like every one else said.....if I go cheap..fast...you get disappointed

 

[F.G. Ford]

A good friend of mine had a rifle built by Sitting Fox, it took a little while.
It was worth the wait. Truely a beautiful rifle!
Fit and finish is outstanding.
Old Ford

 

[buzz]

Agreed Bryon
Quality from sitting fox is. hit or miss as he contracts out his biulds
Im not saying anything negative just beware ask ray of sitting fox. whats his policy if your not happy
I wasnt willing take that risk although i bought and traded with ray and i was happy both times

 

[Capt. Jas.]

I believe you could come out a whole lot better by having a builder respected by his peers put a quality kit together for you. Maybe a Chambers Ed Marshall in walnut???
http://flintlocks.com/RK-05.htm

 

[tecum-tha]

Building a Jaeger rifle is not as easy as it seems. I don't know what kind of fanciness you look for, but generally, most orders at historic gun shops were for plain rifles. Historical documents proved this. Gunsmith prided themselves that their plain rifles shot as well as the fancy ones. Even in these times, fancy rifles were expensive and only well to do people could afford them and even then, they often complained about the high prices. Yes, even kings complained!! There are plenty of builders who can throw together a jaeger style rifle, but it requires practice and a lot of study on originals to get a good replica rifle.
I would contact Ron Scott and ask for his prices for a plain jaeger rifle. He teaches NMLRA gunsmithing workshops and must have a pretty nice collection of originals where he copies his hardware from. I don't know his prices, but asking is usually free. I think for $1700 you will get a jaegerized rifle, but not a true replica quality jaeger rifle. Metal and wood finishing can also be a money and time consuming task unless you have all the right tools and techniques. Good builders have their own stains which enhances the wood as good as possible and have the experience to finish it to look like an original.
I would also go with a .62 barrel minimum.

 

[Spikebuck]

See this post by Matt85. His turned out nice and was in the timeframe you're looking at too.
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showpost.php?post/1266369/

You'd have to contact Matt on who his builder was.

 

[Billnpatti]

I will agree with J.D. when he says that there are three factors when ordering a rifle (or most anything else) Fast, Cheap and Good. You can pick any two but only two of them when ordering a rifle.

I would not buy a rifle made in India. It is a real hit or miss thing with the Indian rifles. You may get a nice gun but you are more likely to get something suited only for reenacting not shooting. Some folks rave about what a nice gun they got that was made in India. When I read their reports, I wonder if they have ever had an actual nice gun to compare the Indian gun with.

 

[mccarthy.tf]

Brother I know how it is. Trying to pack all the living you've been missing out on between deployments. I've got mixed feeling on it. I bought a bunch of stuff to get out in the woods or on the lake quick. Mostly it has been replaced already cuz it just was cheap and did not last. I say get your Jaeger in the white. It will get you shooting when you can. Chances are you will want another rifle anyway once you get hooked. Then you can get a nice one.

 

[Zonie]

As for "fast, cheap and good", I prefer saying,

"You can have it "right", or you can have it "now", but you can't have it "right now". :hmm:

 

[Gemoke]

amen brother

 

[steve free]

Mike Lange is a good builder, with good prices. He has a web site that you can check out. Another company to check out is Tenessee Valley Manufacturing. They also have a web site, and from what I've seen do good work with reasonable prices. :thumbsup:

 

[Rifleman1776]

I would not buy a rifle made in India. It is a real hit or miss thing with the Indian rifles.

Those India guns are made and exported as non-shooters. Making them shootable is, literally, playing with bombs.
Might be nice wall hangers. Unfortunately, I fear the day is not far off when we will hear about an India gun blowing up and seriously injuring someone.

 

[Tommy Bruce]

Try Mike Brooks www.fowlingguns.com. It may be a bit more than 1700.00 but well worth it.

 

[Dean2]

If you want something you can shoot right now, Pedersoli makes a finished Jager that will be less than the 1,700 you are talking about and no waiting. If you get hooked you can order one made. I have no dealings with Sitting Fox but two long rifle forums I participate on are both beating him pretty hard for poor quality, but mostly for not standing behind the issues. TVM gets a lot better reviews overall though like all, they have their detractors. Guys like Mike Brooks are a whole different bracket of good.
http://www.davide-pedersoli.com/guns-rifles.asp/l_en/partenza_28/idl_2/rifles/rifles.html

If you want a REAL pretty Jager, check this one out.

http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.ca/2013/04/left-hand-poser-rifle-by-ron-scott.html

 

[Ron LaClair]

Sounds like you might be buying a pig in a poke with SF. $1700.00 seems like a lot for a gun in the white, but I've been out of the loop for awhile on buyin guns.

I've had my Jaeger since 1979, I traded Jud Brennan a used 4WD truck for my .62 Jaeger and a 12ga English Fowler. Jud drove the truck to Alaska when he moved there in 1985.

I've got several other rifles but my .62 Jaeger is my go to meat gun, over the years it has served me well taking moose, buffalo and a boat load of deer