Re-Boring And Rifling A 50 Caliber Hawken

[victorio1sw]

Robert Hoyt
Freischutz Shop
2379 Mt. Hope Rd.
Fairfield, PA 17320
717-642-6696

Try calling first thing in the morning (EDST) before he gets his machines running.

Thanks for providing Robert Hoyt's contact info. I will call him and leave a message, if he cannot answer at the time.

My question about loss of barrel length stemmed from a "feeling" that there may be some rifling tool "chatter" near the muzzle and breach end. The breach end would be left as is, and the muzzle shortened beyond the chatter length. But my experience with re-boring and re-rifling is ZERO!

 

[victorio1sw]

There 'tis.

Thanks!

Thanks for providing Robert Hoyt's contact info. I will call him and leave a message, if he cannot answer at the time.

My question about loss of barrel length stemmed from a "feeling" that there may be some rifling tool "chatter" near the muzzle and breach end. The breach end would be left as is, and the muzzle shortened beyond the chatter length. But my experience with re-boring and re-rifling is ZERO!

Thanks again.

 

[Huntschool]

Thanks for providing detailed information on Hawken barrels that you have seen and studied. All I have is the old Hanson book on "Plains Rifles".

My eyesight is also going down hill. But even when young, I had difficulty in using open sights. So for serious shooting, I added temporary peep sights to my muzzle loaders.

If you can find copies of Bairds two books they are totally dedicated to the Hawken rifle. Both are way out of print and in some cases are going quite high on the secondary market, but they are great books.

Have fun with your gun.

 

[Zonie]

IMO, anyone interested in buying John Baird's books should not waste their money on his, ""FIFTEEN YEARS IN THE HAWKEN LODE". Way too much talk about modern stuff.
His book, "Hawken Rifles The Mountain Man's Choice" is pretty good with some interesting information and a lot of pictures.

I think Charles E. Hanson's books, "THE PLAINS RIFLE" and "THE HAWKEN RIFLE: ITS PLACE IN HISTORY" are about the best books on the subject.

 

[SDSmlf]

IMO, anyone interested in buying John Baird's books should not waste their money on his, ""FIFTEEN YEARS IN THE HAWKEN LODE". Way too much talk about modern stuff.
His book, "Hawken Rifles The Mountain Man's Choice" is pretty good with some interesting information and a lot of pictures.

I think Charles E. Hanson's books, "THE PLAINS RIFLE" and "THE HAWKEN RIFLE: ITS PLACE IN HISTORY" are about the best books on the subject.

Good to know.

 

[Huntschool]

IMO, anyone interested in buying John Baird's books should not waste their money on his, ""FIFTEEN YEARS IN THE HAWKEN LODE". His book, "Hawken Rifles The Mountain Man's Choice" is pretty good with some interesting information and a lot of pictures. I think Charles E. Hanson's books, "THE PLAINS RIFLE" and "THE HAWKEN RIFLE: ITS PLACE IN HISTORY" are about the best books on the subject.

I would have to agree about "15 Years in the Hawken Lode". My bad for saying two books..... As you said, Charlie's books are excellent books.

 

[Eterry]

If it was mine I certainly wouldnt shorten the barrel, I would call Mr. Hoyt and get it re-bored to a 62.
BTW, how did Bill come to breach the barrel? Are you a Jack County native?
I met Bill in his later years and am friends with the owner of his last shop.

 

[victorio1sw]

Just a side note on this subject..... The dimension for typical Hawken tapered barrels is, as mentioned, 1 1/8 to 1" on 36". That does not mean that all barrels were 36" long. Fact is, if you look at some pictures and I can testify, having measured all the Hawken rifles in Dr. Leonard's collection when it was at Cody, that few were a full 36". Several 34" and If I remember correctly a 32" but that might be from another rifle I measured with Art Ressel. Then the 1 1/8 straight barrel on a gun from a different collection and if memory serves, that barrel was at 32".

So, as with many guns of the day, barrel length can be quite subjective. Seems the Hawken boys ordered their barrels on the 1 1/8 to 1" on 36" as standard and then made up the guns as ordered or produced like the other builders.

Also.... As an older shooter, with eye sight that is going South, I dont think a length reduction (4-6") as to sight radius will effect accuracy much if at all. You are removing the tang sight and the globe any way.....

JMHO

I have been away from this website for months, and am just now returning. Your reply was extremely informative, with the various measured octagon barrel sizes, tapers, and lengths provided.

 

[victorio1sw]

If it was mine I certainly wouldnt shorten the barrel, I would call Mr. Hoyt and get it re-bored to a 62.
BTW, how did Bill come to breach the barrel? Are you a Jack County native?
I met Bill in his later years and am friends with the owner of his last shop.

I have been away from this website for months, and am just now returning. I also spend time with the Colt Forum website, and others. At the time that I built this Hawkens (1967) I was in touch with many shooters who made the Brady, TX matches. Not certain, but I suspect that someone at the Brady matches recommended Bob Roller for the lock and Bill Mowrey for the breach.

 

[Mark Herman]

If you are going to have Hoyt re bore the barrel that should take care of the tool chatter, at both ends of the barrel. No need to shorten.

 

[gemmer]

I strongly endorse Bobby Hoyt's work.I known him for over 30 years and he's done quite a few rebores and relines for me. Coincidentally, the first job he did from was back in the 80s when he rebored a Dixie Tenn. Mtn. rifle to .54 cal. The rifle was rather muzzle heavy. The barrel was 15/16". I would have no qualms about having him fresh out an 1 1/8" barrel to .62. Talk to him about rate of twist. The slower the twist, the more powder you have to feed it to get the best groups.

 

[Flintandsteel]

One thing no one has mentioned.
If you bore it to .62, you'll likely have to rethread a larger breech plug. A ⅝" breech will be drilled out when boring that large.
Tried to have a .50 bored out to a .58", but had to settle for a .54 for that reason.

 

[gemmer]

I was going mention that since Bobby had to do that on several barrels that he freshed out for me. They were simple plugs. A patent, Hawken type plug would be more complicated but I'm pretty sure he could handle it. I figured that with an 1 1/8" barrel, it probably had a 3/4x16 plug.