Jaeger
JamesKelly wrote ( Chambers has the best locks, period.
Green Mountain makes the strongest barrels. Unless you go to custom barrel maker Jim McLemore whose are the best.
Pedersoli makes a solid, functional rifle but their best one, the Frontier, is copied from a Hadfield--not particulary authentic. I kinda like their .54 cal Jaeger. OK as-is, could be gussied up a bit with brass buttplate, triggerguard & a bone forend cap. ) End quote ...........
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Jake the Jaeger is one I would have to agree on with JamesKelly , ( not the Chambers Locks or Green Moutnain Barrels though
) , especially now since they are on sale for $695 at Dixie , normally $995 . For a production gun they are pretty nicely built . If you buy the Percussion model , then you can buy the Jeager Lock seperate and its a drop in fit , then you'll have two rifles , one for the rain and one for the non-rain
Not sure about gussyin it up with a stinkin brass buttplate though
, it has a very fancy scalloped hammered steel CCH'd plate that is gorgeous as it is .
Not sure how you can get much nicer or fancier than that for a buttplate on a fullstock Rifle !!!!!!! ??????
Same with the Trigger guard, its very fancy as is .
Here it is in its stock form , just beautiful as is .
For a great woods gun that has the cpability to go back and forth from Rock-Lock to Percussion , this one is very hard to beat , especially now . And bye the way with the double phase double set triggers and Jaeger lock that is on this gun with fly tumblers and everything , a Chambers lock is definately not better , and the Jaeger locks are over $200 for a reason , thier AWSOME . Chambers $175 ..........
And they can be gussied up alright too
..Without ugly brass buttplate and trigger guard or bone forend cap ?
Hopefully you'll find something you like allot and buy it
Good luck to you .
Das Jeager