Jaegers--regional differences?

[Kermit]

Could be my ancestry showing through, but I've been attracted to jaegers for a long time. But it seems to me that guns would have had regional variations in Europe, just as exist here. What sorts of differences are/were there? Where can a person curious about them get a start on understanding the nuances?

My mother's family exited Switzerland mid-19th century, originating in the Bernese Oberland, specifically Kiental. I'll be looking around for originals on my June trip, but a little study before going would be helpful, I'll wager. Owning a jaeger is on my bucket list, but I'd kind of like it to reflect my ancestry.

Probably posting this under the wrong heading--feel free to correct me.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

TOW sells a paper backed book which is a series of Jaeger articles printed in Muzzle Blasts mag over the years.  But the best book bar none is "Steinschloss Jagerbuchsen" sold by Jim Chambers Flintlocks.  Buy the English translation too...absolutely mind blowing.

[Kermit]

Taylor--thanks. I'll be getting all over that today. I'd seen the TOW compilation last night, and I'll check out the Chambers sit right now.

[Acer Saccharum]

Two weeks ago I'd written to Jim Chambers about getting a copy for a friend. Jim writes back, paraphrased:

Nope, don’t have any of the books left.  The German Gun Collectors Assoc. started selling them.  You might get in touch with them to see if they can provide one.

[Tom Moore]

The German Gun Collectors Assoc. does list the book on their website:

http://germanguns.com/books.html#books

B086 - NEW!! Steinschloss-Jägerbüchsen (Flintlock Jaeger Rifles) -(In German) Erhard Wolf, 2006. 576 pp hardbound with hardcover sleeve. Outstanding color photos of Flintlocks. 144 pages of history and makers $145.00

Does anyone know where to get the English translation that was mentioned above?

Thanks, -Tom

[holzwurm]

I have both, the TOW and the high price book. The images in the TOW book are pretty poor but readable. The nice thing about the TOW issue is that the guns are discussed acording to the region of Germany/Prussia in which they were made. So you can get a sense what some of the particulars are from each region.

[jwh1947]

Don't overlook George Shumway's work on Jaegers.

[Tom Moore]

The TOW book, is that "Alte Scheibenwaffen - Old German Target Arms, Volume 1, by Jesse Thompson" or something else that I missed?

[Willy]

Hello,
  One of the most interesting and beautiful Jaeger rifles I have seen recently is gun#1 at the Berks County exhibit in Reading.The delicate brass furniture and rear leaf sight are exceptional.The wood carving is intricate,yet appealing,and the Green Man on the patchbox is very stunning.
Made by Johann Kuchenreuter of Regensberg,Bavaria c.1750.Glad this one didn't go up in smoke during the war.
The rifle exhibit is excellent and gives one a very good grasp of how Germanic gunsmiths influenced the American longrifle in Pennsylvania.Don't miss it !
               Regards,
                     Willy
(no photos are permitted unfortunately,but Hornberger's book has many good ones and provides a nice study of the subject.)

[Stophel]

Don't overlook George Shumway's work on Jaegers.

Get it, but you can disregard the regional attributions almost entirely.

 
 
Ok, some are right, but some are way off.  Primarily in regards to guns with the star on the cheek (or other places).  This is NOT a trait of guns from NW Germany.  This is "Der Fraenkischer Stern", found on guns in the Main River area from Franken (or what the English insist on calling "Franconia") to Der Pfalz (the "Palatinate"), and a bit north and south of the river.  Otherwise unmarked German guns with the star automatically get the designation "Sueddeutsch"  (South German) in the German auction catalogs.

The North East has its own "school".  Prussian (and surrounding area) guns are pretty readily recognizeable.  The same can be said of Austrian guns in general.  There is a very distinctive "school" from the Frankfurt-am-Main region, which shows through VERY strongly in guns from the Lehigh/Bucks county area.  If you want to see a "Proto-Lehigh" gun, look at something from the Freund family of gunsmiths from Fuerstanau.

Otherwise, German guns can be VERY hard, if not impossible, to put a location on.  Some basic forms saw widespread use, and gunsmiths did not necessarily feel tied to one particular form of stock.  A gunsmith may make a straight-wristed gun one day, for example, and the next, make one with a stepped wrist.

You must go to www.hermann-historica.com and check out their website.  Buy some of their old auction catalogs...I have about 10 years worth.  VERY helpful.  Their later/current catalogs have much better photography.

For Swiss gunsmiths...you're on your own!  I have had little luck finding any known Swiss rifles of the 18th century.  I have no doubt that some of the "German" guns are from Switzerland, but who's to say.  I have seen precious few photos of guns known to be from Switzerland.  I'm sure that there are plenty, but I don't know where to go to see them!

Here's a photo of two of probably only about 3 Swiss guns I know of.

Note, by the way, the long barrel of the rifle.