Paul Jaeger

17 January 2020, 09:43

whelenite

Forty years ago I sent an Interarms Mark X action in the white to Jaegers to have barreled in 270 Win. Went with a 24 in. Douglas Premium #2 contour, and had the action trued, bolt engine turned, and trigger set to 2¾ pounds. My local gunsmith then glass bedded it in a Reinhart Fajen walnut stock. It was super accurate, often grouping under ½ inch. It also had the pleasant attribute of putting Sierra 110s and 130s, and Hornady 140 BT Interlocks to the same point of aim at 100 yards.

19 January 2020, 17:36

xausa

This is a Mannlicher stocked Paul Jaeger creation I picked up at an auction a while back. Very nicely done considering the prices he was charging in those days. Caliber .30-'06 with a 4X Leupold scope.

This is somewhat of an enigma: the action is an earlier version of the FN Mauser, the iron sights are a 1930's Lyman 35, the caliber is .275 H&H Magnum, which ceased to be a factory produced cartridge before WW II, and the scope is a pre-War Zeiss Zielvier in a Jaeger side mount, with clamps for the rail instead of rings, but the Monte Carlo stock and the inlay
and grip cap would seem to indicate post War production. Anyway, it proved to be a hammer on white tails this season.

Both rifles share the unusual Jaeger cheek piece.

21 January 2020, 18:12

LesBrooks

The article on the Jaeger shop and history brought back my thoughts. I was stationed in the Army about 20 miles from Mainz where Kurt Jaeger had his shop back in 1958. It was quite a shop and I don't remember too much as it was so many years ago I had gunsmith books sent to me from Stoegers, and that was my time to start learning the trade. There was a small gun shop in Bad Krueznach. He sent me over to Mainz. A fun time in the Cold War times waiting on the Russians to come run us out of Germany.

21 January 2020, 18:54

Pegleg

xausa- You sure have a wonderful collection of rifles.I bet A guy could spend all day handling and looking at your collection.

21 January 2020, 19:21

mdstewart

quote:
Originally posted by xausa:
This is a Mannlicher stocked Paul Jaeger creation I picked up at an auction a while back. Very nicely done considering the prices he was charging in those days. Caliber .30-'06 with a 4X Leupold scope.

This is somewhat of an enigma: the action is an earlier version of the FN Mauser, the iron sights are a 1930's Lyman 35, the caliber is .275 H&H Magnum, which ceased to be a factory produced cartridge before WW II, and the scope is a pre-War Zeiss Zielvier in a Jaeger side mount, with clamps for the rail instead of rings, but the Monte Carlo stock and the inlay
and grip cap would seem to indicate post War production. Anyway, it proved to be a hammer on white tails this season.

Both rifles share the unusual Jaeger cheek piece.
  

Question. Are you using the original .245 bullets, and if not, what are you Using? Thanks.

JP Sauer Drilling 12x12x9.3x72
David Murray Scottish Hammer 12 Bore
Alex Henry 500/450 Double Rifle
Steyr Classic Mannlicher Fullstock 6.5x55
Steyr Classic Mannlicher Fullstock .30-06
Walther PPQ H2 9mm
Walther PPS M2
Cogswell & Harrison Hammer 12 Bore Damascus
And Too Many More

21 January 2020, 21:39

vzerone

Paul Jaeger scope mount on 1947 Winchester Model 94 in 32 Special. You can still use the iron sights and the scope slides off the mount via a button and lever. Re-zero's perfect when put back on.

22 January 2020, 17:54

xausa

quote:
Originally posted by mdstewart:

Question. Are you using the original .245 bullets, and if not, what are you Using? Thanks.

I don't really know what you're referring to. The original .275 H&H used a .287" bullet, but since this rifle was made in the US, it happily digests .284" bullets and puts them into a 1" circle at 100 yards.

Factory cartridges in England (Kynoch) were loaded with the .287" bullets, but the Western Cartridge Company in the US used the American standard .284" bullets, and it would be unlikely that Jaeger would chamber for factory ammunition virtually unavailable in this country.

24 January 2020, 19:10

tom mason

Look at Guns Intl. No. 101370474. I just bought it. What a steal!

24 January 2020, 20:14

xausa

You're right, it was a steal, but the buying public seems to think that a side mount detracts from the value of a rifle, while I think it adds to it. Most of mine are G&H's, however.

24 January 2020, 22:46

butchlambert

I have Mike Walker's 722 in 257 Roberts. Guess what scope mount Mike put on it.

25 January 2020, 00:12

xausa

I don't know what scope mount Mike used, but if he shared my taste in G&H side mounts, that puts me in pretty select company.

I met Mike once at a benchrest match in Johnstown, NY in the fall of 1964. He was wearing his trademark Stetson.

25 January 2020, 00:36

butchlambert

I was fortunate enough to purchase a couple of his rifles, a couple hand presses that he made out of Remington receivers and 2 of his scopes. One was the prototype of the 24X and 1 of 3 of the ones produced in the custom shop. These are internal adjustment. I had 4 of the external adj scopes, but others wanted them more than I.

25 January 2020, 05:48

Colin Masters

I’d love one of his mounts for a styer MCA.

29 January 2020, 18:15

Blackbart2

Tom- what was it that you scored off GI?

The number doesn’t pull anything up now?

Bob

29 January 2020, 18:25

tom mason

I know. It was a Pre-64 M70 FWT in 308 Win. with the Jaeger side mount. It looked like it had a jeweled bolt like the Super Grade Fwts had. It has a Jeager grip cap and Jaeger sling swivels and studs. It also has a checkered butt plate. Every Jaeger I have ever bought with checkered butt plates had those made by Beisen. Anyway, I paid $1,000 for it.

30 January 2020, 01:40

Blackbart2

Wow, small world. The shop that had that in DE is 20 mins from my house and i saw that one last week. Left there thinking I would regret not pulling the trigger so to speak. Glad it went to a good guy though.

01 February 2020, 18:57

tom mason

Got the rifle yesterday. Its a Custom Deluxe Paul Jaeger no. 737. It had G&H sling swivels instead of Jaegers. The grip cap and butt plate were checkered as shown in their 1973 catalog. It was a nice buy.

27 February 2020, 03:15

Timbavati

I hunted with one in .270 about 40 years ago. Rifle was borrowed from girlfriend's dad for a NM elk hunt. The hunt was a bust but the rifle did very well. Great accuracy and precision. Drop dead beautiful wood work.

27 February 2020, 21:07

dogcat

Thanks for all of the responses.
Question - with all of the positive feedback on his work, why do the rifles bearing his name and work not sell for the prices a Goens or Ottmar or Geisel or Biesen custom?

28 February 2020, 00:45

xausa

quote:
Originally posted by dogcat:
Thanks for all of the responses.
Question - with all of the positive feedback on his work, why do the rifles bearing his name and work not sell for the prices a Goens or Ottmar or Geisel or Biesen custom?

Probably because Jaeger was selling a catalog item, not a true custom, tailor fitted to the customer's specifications. Of course, such custom rifles were available as well, but at a significantly higher cost, I should think.

Jaeger was just one of several companies who offered rifles of that nature, using FN barreled actions: Flaig's of Millvale, PA, come to mind.