Austin & Halleck Opinions

[BozoMiller]

Got a chance to buy a Austin & Halleck hawken style flintlock. I really don't know anything about this brand, so am asking for opinions on this gun.m The guy wants $800 for it, which I think is kinda on the steep side. I did a search and none for sale recently, but it appears that they were selling in the $600 range. a few years back.

Any info pro or con would be greatly appreciated. Would like to have as much info before or not I make him a offer. thanks

 

[recurvebill]

All indications i can find say's A & H are actually very well manufactured firearms . I know personally that their mod. 420 inline is an awesome muzzlestuffer . Had one for a couple years before i decided that sidelocks was where i wanted to be . Guess you can say that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Never had one…always wanted one.

 

[frankie]

Got a chance to buy a Austin & Halleck hawken style flintlock. I really don't know anything about this brand, so am asking for opinions on this gun.m The guy wants $800 for it, which I think is kinda on the steep side. I did a search and none for sale recently, but it appears that they were selling in the $600 range. a few years back.

Any info pro or con would be greatly appreciated. Would like to have as much info before or not I make him a offer. thanks

Ive been seeing them go for $800

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Ouch, to me that’s high! I had one, only sold it as I am LH’d and it was a RH model. It has a breech plug design where the bore is full caliber, no patent breech like the various Spanish or Italian imports or even T/C.

I preferred the styling over any Lyman or T/C. It was extremely well made, handled well, the lock was perfect & 100% reliable and it was very accurate … but unless inflation has hit the BP market cra-cra-CrAzY … it ain’t no $800 rifle!

Mine was an early one, but I forget the State. Heard they sold out and moved and that there were quality issues with later made arms.

 

[jdw276]

Nephew just bought one last month. Never fired as frizzen had no scratches and no flint. Figured 04 or 05 it was made. Bore was deep brown. Probably when they browned the barrel never cleaned up the bore. But that is all good now. Trigger is different than all mine. Mine are full cock then set set trigger then shoot. You can lower thw hammer. A&H set trigger first, the full cock. Then you can lower the hammer if want to. Do it my way and hammer wil not release to lower the hammer, shoot only. The hammer geometry is ? The bottom of the flint almost hits the back top of the pan. Last, strong frizzen spring. Different things to work through. Not show stoppers, just different. He has not shot it but fit, finish, browning excellent. $600 otd.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
I repaired a couple of their flintlocks. On one, the hole for the frizzen screw was drilled so close to the top of the bolster, the screw broke through the bolster and the hole had to be welded and then repositioned, which also meant refitting the frizzen. On the other, the fit of the frizzen to the pan was poor because the hole in the frizzen was drilled too large for the screw so the spring pushed the frizzen up and off the pan. It required a larger diameter screw to be fitted. The lock geometry is mediocre and I hate the way they don't even try to blend the breech area of the stock into the barrel like it was done on original guns.

dave

 

[Grimord]

I had one for a few years, but as mentioned, the lock had some issues. Replacement parts are hard to find if necessary. They did use some nice wood on their guns.

 

[brushblind]

I looked at a used one last fall and came to the conclusion it was way too heavy and besides the barrel was rusty inside from poor maintenance. It was an easy pass!

 

[hanshi]

I used to see them in the local gun store and they looked very good and appeared to be high quality rifles. I would liked to have bought one but they were awkward handling in my hands. Can't recall the price (new rifles, too) but it wasn't anywhere near $800 at that time. This was quite a few years (20 or more) ago.

 

[user 48679]

The "hawken" style A&H is most likely their "Mountain Rifle", of which I've had two - both flintlocks, with no issues with them ever.

The reason I had two was that, while they were only issued in .50cal, there were two different rifling twist rates available - 1:28" & 1-60" (or thereabouts).

The twist rates were stamped into a barrel flat; the browning (finish) is deep & smooth with a satin texture.

The one I had displayed amazing wood grain/finish.

Both had the fastest locktimes that I've ever experienced (way faster than a caplock), and were very accurate with the proper projectile for the twist rate (1-28" = conicals, 1-60" = patched round balls.

While they were available in the $500-$600 range (excellent/used) 10 years ago, I would expect to have to pay $800-$1K today for one in like-new condition, w/o any issues.

However, I have no experience with the identical Mountain Rifle that Traditions made from A&H parts they bought from A&H when A&H went out of business.

 

[Dale Lilly]

My Hawken type is near perfect but heeeeaaaavy! Polecat