My first rifle from a plank..........take two!

[Mike Brooks]

Greg,

Back when I was young and foolish I read everything I could get my hands on about flint guns.  Much of what I read was written by folks who were extolling the virtues of the American Longrifle and, apparently, the authors thought the best way was to contrast the American guns of the late 18th century with the predecessor guns of the 16th and 17th century Europe, generally, and the German lands more specifically.  Those references described the German Jaeger rifles as "clumsy, heavy, chubby, short" amongst other less complimentary terms.  

Then while on a work-related trip to Europe I had the opportunity to spend a weekend in Copenhagen, during which I visited the Tojusmuseet, the Danish National Arms Museum.  I lost no time in making a bee-line to the hall of flintlock guns.

HOLY GUACAMOLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There, in one room, had to be several hundred jaeger-style rifles.  I found that virtually everything I had read from all those books and articles was WRONG!  None of the guns I saw were clumsy.  They were all trim and excellently designed.  Yes, the butt plates are wide.  (If you are shooting a 66 caliber ball in a 7 pound rifle it lets you know you pulled the trigger!  That wide butt-plate makes the recoil tolerable.)  But moving forward, the stocks necked down to a slender wrist.  The stocks then flared out to support their respective locks.   The lock-plate flats were scarcely a 1/16" wider than the lock plate and the locks seemed to be let in hardly a 1/16" inch.  The side-plates flats swelled out symmetrically.   But the wood had been taken down to the point where it seemed as if the wood was only filling in the spaces between the metal parts, AND NO MORE.  Then the stocks necked right down to form a slender, tight wrap around the swamped barrel.  Usually the thickness of the wood along-side the barrel was less than 3/32".  The stocks then flared at the muzzle.  The muzzle-caps, some horn, some brass and some steel, were all flared. The ramrod was tucked tight under the barrel.   I could really see how trim these guns were when I looked at them from the top or bottom.   The only flat surfaces on the whole gun stock were the lock flats.  Everything else was rounded, trim and often concave.   Profile photographs can be VERY misleading.  

So, now that I am just plain foolish I realize that the typical jaeger rifle was NOT heavy, ponderous, clumsy, clunky and chubby.  Even the strictly military issue guns were lean and trim.  An authentic jaeger rifle is trim, nimble, quick on point.  It handles like a Model 94 Winchester!

I hope my recollections of my experience in Denmark 20 years ago helps you as you explore the art and craft of the jaeger rifle in your next build.

Best Regards,

John Cholin

You put all that far better than I did!

I wouldn't recommend one of these Germanic rifles to anybody that didn't have a lot of skill under their belts and quite a bit of time handling originals in person. It would be a far better idea to practice skills with a gun style with much simpler architecture. Once you have your basic skills in hand then by all means jump right into the Euro zone! In my opinion of course.

[thimble rig]

Boy would that be a sight to see all those jagers.You didn't just happen to sneak one of those out when no one was looking did you?

[Gaeckle]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch.....

With regards to your rifle, not bad for a first timer, need to improve some and that happens with doing more. Nice thing is the more 'mistakes' you make the better and quicker you learn (supposed to be that way, but I'm somewhat slow).

The cheeckpiece side needs help....looks like there is enough wood on there to re-shape it into a nice gentle sweep and undo those harsh 90 degree angles...but that's just me. I'd also undo as best I could the carving detail... it really isn't needed, but that would take a bit more experiance, which is gained by doing and making mistakes (viscious circle).

If you can, depending on your location, visit Friendship and hang out at the gunmakers hall. Watch and talk to Dick Miller, look at his cigarbox of tools, handle them, ask about them, watch how he uses them. Dick is a very generous person and is so open to questions and really appreciates interest in the subject matter. Go to Dixons if you can and do the same.

Put this one aside for a later time, build and learn, then go back to it if you wish and see if you can make some improvements....I know it sounds perverse, but if you take the approach of thinking: "It's jsut a peice of wood and there's a lot out there", then a lot of anxiety goes right out the door, it makes building easier to do and a lot more enjoyable.

Getting back to Dick Miller....I would ask him where in heaven's sake did you get these tools? His reply was: I made them....the light came on! Most of his tools are remnents of needle files reshaped, tiny little home made chissels in a walnut shell, all sorts of things. He had to make tools to do the carving and work he was doing. See, there is not any one source for tooling to do some of this, so you need to use your imagination to make some of these. When you get to that point, the fun really starts.

Good luck with future stuff.....

[conquerordie]

Gaeckle,

Thanks for the ideas. I think you and many others who have contacted me are right. I'll probably leave it for now. I see things that I improved this second go around, and more things that I still need to work on. I can't let this become an obsession, or I'll never finish a gun, and more importantly I'll probably stop enjoying it. Like others have said, enjoy it, learn from it, and start another one. I will start collecting parts for another. I believe I have found my place to view and handle an original. I will probably use this piece as my inspiration for what I build next.
Greg