Jaeger (hunter in German) rifles were specialized and fairly expensive to make and were highly valued for their stabilizing rifled barrels and large caliber which allowed for effective hunting. Their overall short build (this one is just 42 3/4 inches long overall) allowed for faster reloading and easier carrying than the famous Kentucky Long Rifles which these rifles almost certainly influenced. While the name of these rifles indicates Germanic origins, they were manufactured in various parts of Europe with varying styles and degrees of ornamentation. These rifles worked well for the game animals they were designed to hunt, but some were also used in wartime including many imported during the Civil War. This rifle features a fixed blade front sight and a fixed notch rear sight mounted on a heavy octagon barrel with no visible markings. The lock plate has an engraved border and is marked "S & S" ahead of the engraved hammer. The brass forend ramrod tube, side plates, trigger guard, and buttplate are also engraved with a floral pattern. It is mounted with a full length stock with checkered straight wrist, cheek wrest, and a sliding wood patch box. Additional features are the double trigger and two sling swivels. Includes a trumpet headed ramrod that is threaded on the end.