Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders A REAL muzzleloader!

Perch Belly Percussion .45 Caliber by Sharps Man, on Flickr

Very slick.

GREAT LOOKING MUZZLELOADER IT IS

I agree.
I don't care what others do, but for me I have ARs and AKs as well as modern bolt actions and even a BLR lever action. If I want to shoot modern guns I do, and I love them. But when I want to used a muzzleloader I want an old fashioned gun. My own 2 hunting rifles are flintlocks, and yes, I have killed plenty of game with them.

The idea of making a super modern rifle out of stainless and plastic, putting a scope on it, firing it with a modern primer and even using smokeless powder is lost on me. If I want that much "modern" what's wrong with my AR15? Or my Ruger #1 for that matter?

So for me, I only make and use old fashioned muzzleloaders. I care not at all what others want to use, and I don't condemn them for liking in-lines and plastic/stainless guns. It's just not something I can have fun with.

Here are a few I have made.

Very nice!!!!!!!

Thanks.

Damb Beautiful Rifles
The flints always get my attention
Thanks for posting the art work.

Pretty work!



Mike

Sure like me some Jäger rifle! Those are Awesome ones szihn !!!

Too nice of rifles for stump cutting trash like me!

Thanks Guys.

kaywoodie....you should not ever let such thoughts cross your mind. You can do the same. The secret to getting better is to never think you can't do something. Sure, when you do try work at the next higher level, you may not do it perfectly the 1st try. So what?
It will be better every time you do it and soon you need to set the bar even higher.
If I ever feel like I have "arrived" in my gunsmithing I'll quit doing it. If there is no longer a level for me to reach for, I will feel like there is no longer a reason to keep trying. That's what keeps us going and keeps us young.

(well....younger than if we give up anyway)

I was 12 years old when I made my 1st rifle and 14 years old when I made my 1st muzzleloader.

At 12 I did a hand made thumbhole stocked 270 on a Mauser. It's on it's 3rd barrel now. I don't show it off much because I have come a long way from those days, but when I was a high school kid my dad used to show it off to everyone. He was more proud of me for doing it then I think I was. He's tell all his buddies "My son made this when he was just 12. The inletting is good and tight and the shaping of the stock is still nicer than what I see offered by anyone today.

When I started the project every one said building a gun was a project for a real expert, and no 12 year old kid could do it. To be honest, my dad didn't think I could either, but didn't want to discourage me, so he gave me his blessing and thought any work I did would help me learn even when I failed.

I didn't fail.

So I like to tell that story to other folks that think they can't do something. YOU CAN!

God made man in His own image. God is the creator.
That means a man made in the image of God has the creative quality inside him. He just needs to bring it out. Never doubt it.
Never let your past limit your attempts in the now, or in the future.
Every great man that ever lived was "just one man." A man made in the image of God. But those that do are those that think they will gain by going beyond their current level.

Pick one you like and make it. You may never get to the level you want to be at (I am not....yet) but by not listening to the voice that says "you can't"....you will! You will get better and better.

Call me if you want to talk and I am always happy to advise and give tips as much as I know how.

If I light your candle with my candle, it doesn't diminish the light of my candle, but does bring more light on the subject.

Only petty small minded men with very limited abilities ever try to keep these things secret, and try to insult the work of others. There are plenty of them out there, with quite a few who are members of this forum. They are men of low moral fiber and not to be listened to. Never doubt yourself and don't give room for the negative speakers to make you think the Emperor has beautiful clothing, and only they really understand that clothing. They are trying to be thought of as experts, and the centers of attention.
But the Emperor is naked!

We are all just men. But as men we can do far more than some would have us believe.

Evil says "give up". You are too insignificant.

Righteousness says "Get better. Be better. Keep trying. Share blessings with others. Leave this word better than you found it, even if only a small amount."


Ok,,,,I'm off my soap box now.

Happy hunting and shooting.

Those jaegers.....dang....

Seems like there's fairly little info on building jaegers vs long rifles out there. Any hints on where to find more?

Thanks! Kinds and true words, szihn!

Tddeangelo, the only real difference between German Jaegers and American Longrifles in building is the intricacy of inletting the fancy butt plates side plates, T. Guards and so on. Also the carving of the German rifles is usually more intricate than it is on American rifles, but not always. Some American Long Rifles had carving that was the full equal to the masters of Europe.

About the only thing on a Jaeger that is actually easier to do is the barrel inletting. Shorter is stiffer, so the 28-31 inch German barrels go into the wood faster and easier with less chance of flexing then the typical 42 to 46 inch American barrels.

Carving, engraving and wire work are all subjects for discussion, but they are not "building" topics. More under the topic of ornamentation. But if you want to chat about them drop me a note and we'll exchange phone numbers. I can advise, and give you a few tips that will help.

Learning this kind of thing is fun, but I recommend learning on objects that are not too costly. In that way you can carve and sand off the carving many times to learn the tricks, and never cost yourself more money. Same with engraving. Use round stock from steel yards to learn on as well as some 1/16" thick brass plates. Think of them as the tablets you got in 4th grade. You would do the work, then throw that paper away to do the next assignment. It's not the papers that are important, but the knowledge and skill learned by the student.

When you get good at a given skill, THEN buy a set of gun parts and do the work.

It doesn't take as long as most people think to learn. Working on real guns and gun parts can get very expensive if you make bad mistakes, but steel from the yard costs about 60 cents a pound, and if you buy a HARD stock from any supplier you can carve, sand, wire, sand again, carve again, and on and on, for the price of only one stock.

Don't buy soft wood. Always hard.

You can learn good skills working on one stock for a full year, and when you have cut it down to minimal dimensions you can still sand all the old work off and sell it as a plane gun, getting all you money back and usually a small profit to boot.

But------ back to Jaegers.

Here are a few I have done. I hope they are helpful.

^^^^^^ for me better than the 223 AI thread!!! ^^^^^^^

Awesome Jägers !!!!

Steve, I actually have parts for a gun, but I'm moving a snail's pace.

I work for a school district. I haven't seen the wood shop guy for a while, but next time I pass him in the hall I plan to ask if he can save me any maple he might be tossing as scraps.

Just be sure it's hard maple, not soft maple.
The soft maple doesn't work, cut or sand the same way hard maple does. You will not learn much working with it.

Yeah, I'll have to see what he has, but figured it's worth asking the free source first.

Can't hurt to ask.

you sir are V E R Y ! good. you also have found some great wood to use.
god has blessed you.

Thank you sir.

I also see it as a Blessing from God, and I am thankful to HIM for it, but as much as any skills, I am thankful for the passion HE gave me to strive to get better.