Interesting eBay Find ... thoughts ?

[Nailcreek]

I picked this remnant off of eBay and welcome the forum's thoughts on its history and possible date.  It was a plain rifle, no carving, patchbox or inlays, but with seemingly early architecture and an engraved Jaeger-ish trigger guard.  Apologies for the marginal photography.  Thanks

 

[alacran]

There are several things that make it look like a Jaeger to me. The trigger guard of course. The Cheek piece, the sling swivel, and the shape of the inlets suggests it. Possibly from North Central Germany, maybe a later 18th century Brandenburg rifle.
Interesting find.

[Pukka Bundook]

I think I would have expected a rounded profile to the lower buttstock if Brandenburg, Alacran.
No hard and fast rules of course!
The rather shallow and somewhat straight buttstock reminds me of some guns from the Suhl area, but I could be wrong!

[Daniel Coats]

Looks like a great inspiration for a custom rifle build!

[BOB HILL]

Great study piece! Thanks for posting.
Bob

[Bob Roller]

A great relic now in much reduced circumstances and as mentioned,a possible inspiration to a reproduction.

Bob Roller

[RAT]

Can we tell if this is European or American walnut?

[Nailcreek]

Thanks for the insightful replies.  I'm going to reach out to the University of Wisconsin forestry department for help in identifying whether it's European or American walnut.

I'm interested in suggestions as to cleaning the wood and stabilizing the iron parts.  I'm considering building a shadow-box to enable it to be displayed.

[Dave B]

This is very cool.  Thank you for sharing it with us. Is the  trigger guard repaired at the  rear bow section? It looks like it may have broken and was repaired? The shape of the side plate is interesting. The grain on the stock is very open and looks like american black walnut to my eye. I have only the english walnut as my point of refference and have had none of the good stuff Ron Scott has now availble to us for serious builders of Jaeger Rifles.

[Dennis Glazener]

Can we tell if this is European or American walnut?

I was thinking the same thing, it sure looks like American Black Walnut to me. I am not very familiar with European Walnut but I don't think I have ever seen any with that much open grain and that color of raw wood.
Dennis

[Brent English]

Can we tell if this is European or American walnut?

I was thinking the same thing, it sure looks like American Black Walnut to me. I am not very familiar with European Walnut but I don't think I have ever seen any with that much open grain and that color of raw wood.
Dennis

Certainly could be a restock.

[RAT]

That was my first thought, which is why I asked. The grain and color of the end grain where the butt plate was looks very much like American walnut.

It could be a restock, or it could have been made here from imported parts.

[alacran]

I am curious as to what the outcome of the UW identification.
Depending on the soil conditions of where walnut is grown will have an impact on the wood quality.
CVA imported some shotgun kits back in the eighties that claimed to have European walnut. The kits that I remember had some very light-colored open pore walnut.

[rich pierce]

The buttstock was shaped with a well-trained hand. That big shelf cheekpiece is strictly European or just off the boat. I agree it looks like black walnut but that is very surprising with the architecture. It’s a great find.