Christian Springs rifle??

[MIR]

I just like calling these rifles American Jagers, but anyway....Is it basically the norm for most if not all for these type of Rifles to have the standard 37" barrel?

Anyone have pics of their American jagers?? Im trying to get some ideas for my next rifle....

 

Most Christian Springs rifles have 44" long barrels on the average. American Yaeger is a term I have never heard associated with the Christian Springs school. The only short "Yaeger" looking rifle from CS that I am aware of is the restocked Ed Marshall rifle. The barrel was in a Yaeger before it was a CS rifle. The fact that it is a restock is possibly why it is so much shorter than the average CS rifles.

 

[Stophel]

Eric Kettenburg has a theory on the "Edward Marshall" gun barrel having been made in America (though still definitely re-used on the Marshall gun). True or not, 37" is not exactly "short", but all of the other known Bethlehem/CS guns are longer.

 

[MIR]

I think I meant to say Edward Marshall and not Christian Springs...I always get those 2 mixed up for some reason....

 

[RiverRat]

I am having Lion Gun built for me and the Getz barrel will be 42". Mark Wheland is the builder.
George Shumway wrote that the origional gun was built by Andreas Albrecht who worked in a shop in Christian Springs. Eric Kettenburg, who is building me a pistol with carving similar to the Lion Gun, feels the Lion Gun was built by Christian Oerter in Christian Springs. :hmm:

 

[rich pierce]

I recently built an early rifle based on a rifle numbered 40 in Shumway's Rifles of Colonial America. This one has an open guard, one of a small number of American rifles with that feature. Some date the original as a 1760's rifle. The pictures below were taken in late stages of construction, before I knocked the shine off it. The lock is custom, castings from Blackley's of England, square topped frizzen. The guard was customized from a Reeves Goehring casting and the buttplate shaped from sheet brass stock.

My next early rifle (in progress) is walnut stocked and based on rifle #17 in Shumway's Rifles of Colinial America. That is also believed by many to be a 1760's-1770's gun.

 

[rich pierce]

I am having Lion Gun built for me and the Getz barrel will be 42". Mark Wheland is the builder.

You'll be getting an incredible rifle if Mark is building it.

 

Rich, that is a nice piece of work. Those Christian Springs rifles have been a interest of mine for about the last 10 years. I have built several of them on the NO.43 and also No.52.
You did a fine job of No.40. Thanks for showing 'er to us. Do you have any more detail shots of it?

 

[rich pierce]

I need to do a real photo session, not just take snapshots. When I do I'll post them. thanks for the encouragement.

The original #40 had carving that was a bit amateurish behind the cheekpiece and I took liberties there.

These early guns sure make for great handling guns, don't they? Love the big wide buttstocks, modest drop, full cheekpieces, a little castoff and a swamped barrel and the sights line up and stay that way.

 

[RiverRat]

Thanks Rich, Mark does wonderful work and is a really great guy! God willing, I should have it by the end of this year. I always read and respected your points of view in your posts, and now I see that you are a fine gunbuilder too! :hatsoff:

 

[Stophel]

I like that gun, Rich, but it's missing something, isn't it? :hmm:

 

He has the forward lock bolt in his poke. :haha:

 

[rich pierce]

I like that gun, Rich, but it's missing something, isn't it? :hmm:

yes, a couple of things! Like the bow in the guard for starters, eh?

I am having trouble parting with it because it handles so nicely and it shot into the black first try. Generally I need to get another rifle built before I can let go of the previous one.