About a year ago, while trolling a gun auction site, I won a flintlock “Jaeger”, that was charitably described as “unfinished” and a project. Both words didn’t describe what arrived. What did show up at my door was a TOW walnut stock of marginal quality, 1 1/8” straight Green Mountain barrel in 54 cal, 31” long and a collection of brass fittings, all of which were brought together by someone who got in over their head and obviously decided to cut bait.
My gun building experience to date is purely aspirational, the last time I tried to build something was 20+ years ago. So, I figured this would be a good project to learn on … figuring that I couldn’t do much worse than had already been done before tackling something more intensive. I also reached out to some incredible, sterling builders for advice and direction as I dove into it – owing much to their valued encouragement, friendship and no doubt giving them much amusement and head-shaking in return. I’ve kept working on this more out of spite and stubbornness than wisdom – exemplifying the “sunk cost fallacy” dynamic.
What I’ve done to date:
• Had the barrel cut down to a much more reasonable 27 ¾”
• Reinlet and repositioned the first two ramrod pipes
• Installed new barrel lugs
• Reinlet the buttplate
• Cleaned up the original inletting
• Filled in all the drilled holes
• Filled in the original trigger guard and trigger inletting and inlet a new trigger guard – modifying the same
• Inlet a new trigger
There’s a lot more to go, and I am learning along the way. I’ll post more as the saga continues. Pictures to follow.
